Before Christmas, I scoured Pinterest heavily searching for cute gift ideas to make for family and friends. One of my favorite finds, the Super Hero Fort, made me recall childhood memories of stringing sheets across the living room and stacking books to anchor them to chairs. I fell in love with this idea and churned out several over a weekend for all the super heroes and princesses I know!First, visit your local general merchandise retailer (Wal-Mart, Target, The Dollar Tree) and purchase the following items*:
- 2 twin sheets
- ribbon
- rope
- clamps
- suction cups
- clothespins
- flashlight(s)
- Glo-sticks
- batteries
- a canvas drawstring bag (You can also make a bag if you are inclined.)
Before putting the kits together, I modified one of the two sheets by adding ribbon ties. This will help children avoid using stacked books or other breakables as anchors! To make the adaptation, first turn each sheet corner under approximately 5 inches and sew flat. Using 24 inches of ribbon, per corner, sew the ribbon onto the bottom side of each tucked sheet corner. I made four passes to ensure sturdiness.
To give the kit a polished look, I created a special tag to let the receiver know exactly what was included in the kit. It makes for a cute label and a handy check-list to ensure all items return back into the bag. You can customize your label with the kit's theme, the child's name, and bag items. I also had it laminated.
Before gifting, I filled the canvas bag with the kit's materials. Since I purchased the sheets as Wal-Mart, they came in little pouches. I used those pouches to hold some of the smaller items. Don't forget to tie on your label!
Be prepared for lots of smiles and a, "That's cool!" or "Can we build it right now?"
These also make great birthday gifts or as a special rainy day activity!
