Celebrate Valentine's Day With Fort Building for Kids
Posted February 13, 2017 by Fort Magic
Valentine’s Day is the holiday of love. Kids of all ages enjoy the hearts, flowers, and feelings associated with this joyful day. Love is a universal language that goes beyond romantic ideas. We can celebrate the love of family, friends, neighbors, and pets. It is a golden opportunity to explore this positive emotion with your kids and spend some fun time together. Who do they love? How does that make them feel? Discuss these loving thoughts while you all build a fun Valentine’s Day fort together.
A Fairytale Fort
Fairytales can come true when you build a castle fort with a storybook theme for Valentine’s Day. Princes and princesses learn the real meaning of relationships by building a fort together. They share ideas, make plans to create a dream castle, and resolve problems along the way. Kids learn the basics of building healthy relationships while they enjoy the fantasy of a fairytale fort.
Base the fort design on fairytale favorites, such as “Cinderella.” Bring the story to life with bright costumes. Royalty always likes to wear crowns and tiaras! Make costumes from old dress clothes, cardboard, glitter, and a dash of creativity. Entering the fort in costume is a magical moment. Suddenly kids have whisked away to a faraway land of princes, princesses, and love.
Another idea is to build a carriage fort to take Cinderella to the ball. Add glass slippers and dance music to bring the ball into your living room or den. Give the children an introductory ballroom dance lesson. Try something simple, such as the box step. The memories will come back someday when they attend their first prom!
Valentine’s Day Central
Build a fort to use as a central zone for Valentine’s Day. Kids can use the fort for holiday activities. Put crafting materials, cards, and work areas inside the fort. Cut paper hearts and flowers to decorate the fort. Make a Valentine’s Day heart mobile to hang overhead. Add ambiance with battery-operated candles that look like the real thing without the danger of real fire.
The fort becomes an escape where the kids can work on their secret Valentine’s Day cards and gifts. Do they want to make a card for that special someone in math class? Are the kids planning a special holiday collage for Mom and Dad? Their secrets are safe with the privacy of a Valentine’s Day fort.
Tell your children about famous love letters. Incorporate literature and history lessons into Valentine’s Day. Famous love letters date back to the days of Mark Twain (remind them he’s the author of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”) and Olivia Louise Langdon. Johnny Cash penned modern love letters to June Carter Cash. Write a love letter to your kids to show them how to do it. Encourage them to write love letters to family, friends, or even their favorite star for Valentine’s Day. Have plenty of colorful paper and pens on hand. This is also an opportunity for them to try calligraphy.
Story Fort for Valentine’s Day
Create a story and reading fort for Valentine’s Day. Share real-life stories about love. Explore the family tree by sharing stories about grandparents, aunts and uncles, and parents. How did grandma and grandpa meet? Where did you and Dad go on your first date? What funny stories happened at Aunt Jenny’s wedding? These tales bring families closer together and make love real to children.
Set up an area in the fort with plenty of love stories. Include books such as “Snowy Valentine,” “Never Too Little to Love,” and “Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine.” Read them before bed to send the kids to sleep with happy thoughts of love at the end of the day. Encourage children to choose their favorite Valentine-themed books to add to the collection.
Languages of Love
Poetry and music are known as the languages of love. Transform a simple fort into a performance venue. Have everyone write a poem about Valentine’s Day. A haiku is easy and fun to write. The first line is five syllables, the second is seven, and the third is five. Everyone can read their three-line poems aloud.
Bring musical instruments into the fort. Let the kids learn more about music, another language of love. Include a xylophone, recorder, bells, tambourine, and drum. Bring a music player into the fort to play kid-friendly love songs. Include an oldie, such as “Baby Love” by the Supremes. Bring a modern touch with “Love Story” by Taylor Swift.
Remember to have a party for Valentine’s Day party in the fort on the big day. Serve Valentine’s Day treats, share cards, and let your kids know you love them. Tell them what you love about them to boost their self-esteem. Remind them of the importance of love in their lives by being an example. Showing them love teaches kids how to give love, too!
How do you spend Valentine’s Day with your kids? What Fort Magic fort building ideas do you have to celebrate this day of love? Share your thoughts with us below!
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Photo Credits:
The Artful Parent Blog: One of our absolute favorite creative blogs for children and families. The Artful Parent blog is filled with simple ideas to fill your family’s life with art and creativity. A must see blog for sure!
Uncommon Designs Blog: Uncommon Designs is a blog dedicated to creating a beautiful life. From special touches in your home to making handmade gifts, this fun blog shares projects and ideas that are both “on trend” and classic. If you enjoy creating, then Uncommon Designs is the perfect place for you.
Fort Magic Customer Photos via Facebook: Visit our Fort Magic Facebook page to see our customer creativity shine with fun pics and videos of families enjoying their Fort Magic kit during playtime.
Fort Magic Customer Photos via Instagram: Visit our Fort Magic Instagram page to see our customer creativity shine with fun pics and videos of families enjoying their Fort Magic kit during playtime.
