Timber Tents

By Jonah M., Age 11

If you want to make a fort, you've come to the right place! In this Creative Project, I will show you why you want a fort, where you want a fort, what you need to make a fort, and, of course, how to make a fort. To accomplish this I will show you a simple, beginner “Timber Tent” that is free and easy to make. As you can see from the cover picture, you don’t need to buy any materials so no worries there. Below you can find a quick overview of Timber Tents before we dive into the details. Let’s build!

First, you want to know “Why” you are building your fort. Is it a clubhouse where you are hanging out with friends? Is your fort secret? Is it a place where you can keep your belongings? Or do you just like building them? I just like to have fun with my forts, so I like them to be open ended. But the design and placement of my fort is flexible enough that if I want to I can turn it into a moon base or a tool maker’s shed.

Next we answer the “Where” question. Once you know why you are building a fort, you can start looking for a suitable location. For a Stick Fort, that means finding the right tree and appropriate surrounding area. You are gonna want a spot without mud on the ground, and a sturdy tree capable of handling the weight of a lot of sticks leaning on it. The tree has to be the right size for a Stick Fort. If the tree is too small, it will fall over. If it is too big, the construction process becomes more challenging. Trees that are around one foot in diameter work well for Stick Forts as you can see in my images.