Let’s Make a Fort!
“Life is playfulness…We need to play so that we can rediscover the magic all around us.”
Flora Colao
My 5-year-old grandson bursts through the kitchen door, announcing his arrival. Running down the hall to find me, he declares his intention for the day. “Let’s make a fort!”
Every weekend visit includes building a fort. On this particular day he arrives in late afternoon with a plan to spend the night. Mom and Dad will pick him up at 10:00 the next morning and he is delighted with the “amazing amount of minutes we get to spend together!”
After a few seconds of discussion, we choose the back deck for the location of our “secret hideout”. Overlooking two acres of dense woods, the deck provides a perfect panoramic view of the backyard. White picket rails afford space between the slats to keep an eye out on the land.
Next, we gather supplies. Several trips to the garage and laundry room are needed to collect our building materials. Two ladders of differing heights, 4-5 old sheets, a string of white twinkle lights, and cherry red duct tape provide the foundation elements. Flashlights, pillows, and a faded patchwork quilt decorate the interior.
Following the architectural plan of a young imagination, we begin draping and taping! Sheets wrap the ladders and deck rail. Duct tape secures the stray corners. Strategically placing the ladder steps inside provides needed shelving for water and snacks. Lights are strung, hugging whatever surface will hug them back. A cheery, cherry kaleidoscope meets our eyes as we duck inside. The quilt and pillows provide a luxurious camp-like experience. Standing back to admire our creation we see the shape of an exotic bedouin tent!
Dusk settles and the magic of twinkle lights surrounds us. Pretending to be on safari, we watch for more wildlife and eat our pizza. The woods are active with squirrels chasing one another across the fence line and along the ground. Birds swoop in and out of the tangled tree branches. Watching and sharing, we feel close to one another, held in the arms of Mother Nature and all her wonder.
Twilight dims the light and darkness closes the playground for the night. Inside our cozy shelter the flashlights come out and we make animal shadow puppets on the walls.
