Modern Stained Glass Fort Ideas Using Colored Cellophane
Posted September 26, 2017 by Fort Magic
One thing we know about kids — they love playing with colors. Whether it’s coloring with a new shade of crayons or going crazy with brightly colored paint, kids love exploring different colors. A rainbow of hues is combined with new options. Children are always trying to incorporate color into their everyday lives. You may be thinking about that time your kid insisted on wearing all purple because that was just “the best color”. And for many kids, their favorite color becomes a part of their identity as they grow up.
That’s why so many play ideas for kids involve color, from painting to cooking to plain old-fashioned coloring. Wondering if there’s any way you can build color into a play activity that’s a little more, well, active? That’s where forts come in! You can work with your child to make a modern “stained glass” fort that’s somewhat reminiscent of its famous namesake, found in numerous churches around the world — but without any of the expense or fragility. All you need is a Fort Magic kit and some colorful cellophane and the sky’s the limit!
Transforming Colors Into Fun
Stained glass forts take everything that kids love about colors and turn them into a fun play area. The key here is colored cellophane, which you can purchase at virtually any craft or party store. Get as many colors as possible to vary up the patterns in the fort, or ask your kids what their favorites are. Then, gather your kids and get building!
Start by picking out a fort design that you can make from Fort Magic’s versatile and easy-to-use fort-building kit. There are numerous options available, from planes and boats to castles and cottages. Your kids can take the reins here — because the kit can make all of these designs, they can pick a unique one out on different days and try out what they’d like to do.
Build and Add Cellophane
Observe your kids while they work together to assemble the fort. As they build a fort, they are learning how to follow instructions, plan and work in a team, especially if they’re doing it with siblings or friends. After assembling the frame, stretch the cellophane around to create “walls”, and attach them to the frame with clips.
Pick a Color – Or Several!
You can choose various colors of cellophane to place on different sides of the fort. Several colors help create a great multi-color effect that is reminiscent of stained glass when the light shines through. After you pick out the colors you want, cut a piece of cellophane slightly larger than the wall you’re placing it on. Then wrap the edges around the frame and clip them neatly on. The result should be a fully-covered fort that’s translucent and involves multiple colors all around.
Benefits of a Stained Glass Fort
What are some of the benefits of building a stained glass fort and, more generally, of playing with color overall? To start, children experience colors as part of “sensory play.” This type of play activity helps develop their senses. Research shows that exposing kids to a full range of colors at an early age helps build their vocabulary, language skills, critical thinking, and creativity.
Furthermore, it’s just fun! Kids are fascinated by how the light cast through the cellophane looks on their toys (or themselves). And a colored fort can be the setting for numerous imaginative activities that are boosted by the presence of inspiring colors. For example, kids can use the fort to act out some of their favorite stories, or (if the fort is outside) to engage in outdoor activities.
Inspiration and Creativity
Colored forts can be inspired places for kids to sit down and draw, paint or color. Simply a tarp down on the floor before you construct the fort frame. Putting down a tarp makes easier once your kids complete their craft activities. Or, the fort can be transformed into a reading nook by adding a variety of pillows and blankets, while the soft colored light gets your kids excited to read by making them feel like they’re in a special place. It can also become a museum, library, castle, space lab, playhouse or place of worship. The possibilities are unlimited!
Best of all, you can build and rebuild the stained glass fort as much as you want. Because the cellophane is secured with clips, you can take it off and take the frame apart if you don’t want to make it a permanent fixture in your living room. Put all the supplies away and set them up again later. Fort building is perfect on a rainy day when your kids are having a sleepover and want to impress their friends. Or when you all want to have some family time together!
How do you use stained glass forts and what designs are your family’s favorites? Share your ideas with us below!
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Photo Credits:
You Clever Monkey Blog: An Australian blog full of great ideas in how to raise thoughtful, resilient, curious children. An inspiring ideas that will give children a childhood they will remember fondly.
Play At Home Mom Blog: This super-amazing blog is definitely one of our favorites. Loaded with fun ideas for DIY playtime, with an always-present educational spin.
