jessica, from houseofhabit.blospot.com makes amazing teepees and sells them on etsy. check out hers, too!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/103672354/6-ft-fold-away-canvas-teepee?ref=ss_listing

that's houseofhabit.blogspot.com :)

teepees are great, but it gets hot inside. something to think about when taking to the beach :)

Part of the joy of going to the beach is taking the scenery in and feeling the ocean breeze. I'll stick with a beach umbrella. Those Teepees would be great for camping in a backyard (or bedroom) though.

Yeah, I agree with the posters above, a teepee looks hot. Maybe it'd work in California where the beaches seem to be cooler but in the Southeast you'd be sweltering.

Does no one find the use of teepees slightly problematic in terms of cultural appropriation?

INGERB...nope, no more than ordering chinese food.

Actually, I'd say it's more akin to ordering Chinese food and then using chopsticks to eat it. Still OK in my book.

Have your kids ever made an igloo out of snow in the wintertime? Is it wrong for a family to stay in a yurt at a national park? Indigenous people all over the world came up with creative solutions for shielding themselves from the elements. As long as we teach kids the true history of these structures--not just the spaghetti western version--why not admire and adapt what others before us have developed?

Super cute for the backyard or even a playroom (if you have a huge playroom!) but I'd never use it as an alternative to the beach umbrella, for the reasons listed above. Plus, that looks like a lot of heavy stuff to lug to the beach...

INGERB, a while ago AT profiled a kids party with a teepee theme and comments got HEATED. I still think that party was really problematic - among other things, it got really heavy into a cowboys-and-Indians theme. But there is a difference between that and simply using a teepee as a shelter, especially since (as MOLLYMARGARITA points out) just about every culture in the world has developed some kind of tent-like shelter structure.
Here's the link: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/teepee-party-100493

Ok, I am not at all in the mis-appropriation protest line, but that party crossed over, jumped on, turned around and pooped on the boundary line. Cowboys and indians? Come on. Talk about the dilution of a horrific history.

This on the other hand is cute (though not useful for hot weather as everyone's mentioned). I compared it to ordering chinese food, but I guess it would be better to say cooking chinese food if you are not chinese is a form of appropriation. However it is not MIS-appropriation. It's only misappropriation if it is being used for any other reason than what it's intended for. Food is to be eaten, shelter is to be sheltering.

Merely erecting and sitting in a tipi is by no means fo the definition misappropriation.

"Does no one find the use of teepees slightly problematic in terms of cultural appropriation?"

I'm American Indian, are you suggesting I should be offended on your behalf?

Indian culture is part of American culture so why should anyone be offended? Lighten up with the political correctness.

username26 -

How can you assume that the symbology has been stripped history, context, and meaning? These designs might have been chosen have a weeks long research project with the kids where they learned about the history, design, and use of the teepee as well as the meaning of the symbols. At least, thats how we would do it or our preschool would do it.

Appears to me more than a few here need to GET SOME THERAPY.

The 'political correctness* long ago became tedious. Honestly, if you spent a fraction of the time just enjoying the various cultures in the melting post which is America that you spend looking for ways to be offended, you''d lead a more fulfilling life. AT used to be enjoyable. Lately...not so much..

I am also American Indian and I think this is adorable. The first one is my favorite. :)

*melting pot*

"I don't think you have to be offended in order to find something problematic. The idea isn't to jump down someone's throat and chastise them but to analyze to potential effects of something that is culturally problematic."

There simply is nothing "culturally problematic" about it. It doesn't take any analyzing it to determine that simple fact. Teepees are part of American culture. It's as simple as that. Only those who believe in political correctness would have a problem with this article.

"Learning how to understand and navigate sensitive cultural issues properly should be the goal."

What is this "goal" you speak of? Political correctness? No thanks. That's done more to harm and perpetuate so-called "sensitive cultural issues" than anything else. I'll stick to the truth.

I think it's Butterick that makes a pattern for a teepee that looks like the first one. I made one for my granddaughters and they LOVE it. Just an FYI for people who sew...

That first one makes me want to crawl in and take a nap! Ahh ...

I love the teepees, but I clicked through to the comments to see if anyone had started arguing about the appropriateness of (heaven forbid!) using teepees outside of an educational resource to teach about American Indian heritage. Of course, I was not disappointed. I'm glad to read that most of the commenters have good heads on their shoulders, though. :)

I actually do, i guess they seem kind of cute when presented in this sort of quirky fashion but at the end of the day i still find this inappropriate in terms of how it really is cultural appropriation