Making a pillow fort is a great idea for a day off that your kids will love and that won't cost you a dime! So, how do I make a pillow fort, you ask? In this article we'll show you how to make the best pillow fort ever, but before we rush into things, we wanna get you into it, so what do you say we take you on a little pillow fort making journey?

Pillow Fort Making Journey Begins Here

Great! You're here, that means you've decided to make a pillow fort. To better understand the implications of engaging in these classic traditions we've brought the Old and Wise Guy. Let's hear what he's got to say.

Old and Wise Guy:

The long lost art of making pillow forts lies perhaps now in the archives of history as people tend to live their lives online, in commonality. Oh but we, on the other hand, the restless, the fighting, the few! We have done well to remember; remember what it was like to be a kid once, to play with a flashlight in the dark and tell scary stories to your friends... to gather with yours and make funny faces. Yes! We have not forgotten.

Through sheer force of will we have, through many troubling obstacles we have, through rainy days and snowy days and times when electricity was shut down, yes! Shut down I tell you! Through these many things and more we've managed to keep these traditions alive.

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Thanks Old and Wise Guy, but I think our readers are looking for something a little bit different. We'll take it from here.

1. Gather 'Round

 No one should make a pillow fort by their lone selves. In fact, the process of making the pillow fort is in big part where the fun lies, so make sure to gather everyone around and involve them in this process so that it's fun for everybody.

2. Divide and Conquer

Divide your crew into two teams:

• Resource Gathering

• Location Scouting

2.1 Resource Gathering

The Resource Gathering team will be in charge of... well... gathering resources. Things to keep in mind: all things squishy are bound to be considered pillows or pillow alternates, which pretty much makes them pillows. Sheets. Blankets. Sleeping bags. Are you writing this down private?!

Tip: If you have a camping tent, make sure you grab it. The rods that give it its shape might come in handy.

2.2 Location Scouting

To keep in mind while scouting locations: an area that has furniture in it is good because you can build around that. Maybe a piece of furniture can be the main piece or building block upon which you build your fort, like a sofa, or something like that. Another thing to keep in mind is that if it's a hot summer day, you wanna keep in mind that ventilation might play an important role in the overall enjoyment of the fort, so don't take it for granted.

3. Building the Fort

Building the fort should be easy, given that the location scouting team did a good job. There should be enough furniture to move around, and move it around you should in order to create a shape that will give structure to your fort. The easy choice is a circle, but if you want to take the opportunity to teach the kids some geometry, by all means, get creative!

Once the shape's decided and the furniture's in place, you want to start from the bottom. Cover the ground on the inside well with fluffy material, yoga mats, sleeping bags, bed covers, etc.

Now use sheets and pillows to do the walls and use only sheets for the roof. Try using other things like those camping tent rods or anythings that might help you keep a high ceiling. A high ceiling will give your fort a special distinctive feel.

Use another bed cover to put on top of everything in order to block a little bit more light. Your pillow fort should be kind of dark.

Decorate it by putting things on the inside that make it playful and cozy.

4. Snack Time!

Everyone's getting hungry! Head to the kitchen for a snack before heading back into the fort. You can try any of our recipes  if you're not sure what to give them!

5. Go back to the Fort

Take your snacks to the fort and remember to bring a flashlight. Flashlights are great for giving that scary effect when telling a story or for making funny faces. Enjoy your snacks, enjoy your fort, enjoy your stories. Everything should sort itself out from here on.