As a stay at home dad to a ten-month old, I am just entering (actually, re-entering after a long hiatus would be more accurate) the world of building blocks, and blanket forts are right around the corner. I thought I was prepared with my dining room chairs and a few extra blankets at the ready, but I recently came across this elaborate take on the whole blanket fort idea and feel inspired to do a bit more.
Anyone who remembers the corner desk play kitchen created by Jessica of Utah County Mom knows that she doesn't do things halfway, so it was no surprise to see her make this beautiful firehouse play tent.
Besides all of the attention to detail, such as the roll-up door, helmet hangers and tool pouch, the fact that she uses a card table as the support system is a stroke of genius. Almost everyone has one lying around, and the whole system stores easily in the narrowest of spaces. Perfect for small spaces and already overcrowded play rooms.
See how Jessica made it all happen over at Utah County Mom. And if you have to have it but are sewing-machine challenged, they are available at her etsy shop.
(Image: Utah County Mom)
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Wow my 2 year old son would love this!
I had something similar to play with at my granparents' house as a child in the '80s, and it was a hand me down from my cousins who used it in the '70s. My aunt made ours, and it was styled to look like a house, complete with a mailbox pouch on next to the door and felt grass/flowers along the bottom. She even made windows out of think plastic sheeting with curtains and tie back inside. To top it all off, my grandmother would save her junk mail and "deliver" it to my house every afternoon when I was visiting.
I would have killed for something like this when I was little. Great idea!
My daughter and I created the companion piece to this fire station- the fire truck! Using PVC we turned a twin bed into a fire engine bed for my grandson. See the bed, complete with ladder side rails here, and the DIY steps here. He loves it! They beauty is that it can just slide off, and be disassembled when he no longer loves fire trucks. We even added LED bike lights so it has flashing lights on front. No sirens though! A parent needs to protect their sanity! :-)