Homeschool Fort Ideas Make Learning Fun For Kids
Posted October 30, 2020 by Fort Magic
This year has certainly been a unique one when it comes to education. Many parents have made the decision to keep their children at home and provide schooling on their own. And, while it can be intimidating, homeschooling provides a lot of freedom and flexibility when it comes to both teaching and learning. Let us help you make learning fun while you homeschool your kids with fort building!
Teaching with Forts
A great way to incorporate both fun and education while you homeschool is through fort building. Below are a few ways you can use a Fort Magic building kit to encourage learning with your kids.
1. Book Nook
Did you know that reading improves brain connectivity, encourages empathy, increases vocabulary and comprehension, assists in falling asleep, fights depression, reduces stress, and may even help lengthen your lifespan? With so many benefits, why not encourage your children to read more by setting up their own book nook with a fort? Simply choose a part of the home where this nook can stay and have them design and build it.
Make it cozy with lots of blankets and bean bag chairs and provide soft light as not to put a strain on the eyes. You can even build it over the bed to stimulate reading before going to sleep and use hanging lights, which will not only allow them to see but provide “stars” for them to look at. Lastly, set up a routine visit to the library to keep new, exciting books on hand.
2. Study Corner
Learning at home may provide fewer distractions, but there is still a need for privacy and a designated spot to study. Why not create a unique study corner for your homeschool student with a fort building kit? Find a spot that will provide plenty of natural light to keep your students alert and focused.
Next, put a small desk or table and chair inside and keep it stocked with all the proper necessities (pencils, paper, etc.). To block further distractions, your child can even put up walls using old sheets, towels, or butcher paper and Fort Magic fabric clips.
3. Sky-Scraper Fort
What better way to incorporate basic, but extremely important, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills than through having your children build a “sky-scraper” fort. First, have them see how high they can make their structure, then talk about what they had to do to make it not only stand but make it sturdy (i.e. a wider base).
You can even make this project a competition to see who can make the tallest fort without it falling over. For an added learning lesson, research and discuss famous skyscrapers around the world. Take time to learn how they were built, how long it took, and so on.
4. Create a Restaurant
Another great learning project consists of having your kids make a restaurant fort. Not only can you take the time to talk about making and serving food, but you can also discuss proper etiquette at the table, place settings, and what utensils to use. You can also discuss and practice placing orders and using manners when doing so.
For older children, use it as a simulation for running a business. Have them come up with an entire restaurant concept, from naming it, creating a menu, and figuring out pricing. For added fun, have them make food, serve it, and pay for it, with play money of course!
5. Craft Corner
While maybe not a specific lesson, arts and crafts are important for kids to participate in. They allow them to express themselves, use their imagination, and can even provide a sense of accomplishment when their projects are complete. Encourage your children to express their artistic ability by allowing them to create a craft corner.
This fort can be of their own design and filled with a table and plenty of art supplies like paint, markers, crayons, colored pencils, play-doh or clay, and if you’re really brave, glitter and glue. Of course, be sure to set up a tarp underneath to catch any messes or spills and use the fabric clips to decorate and hang artwork around the structure.
Why Fort Building While You Homeschool?
It’s easy to see why these specific forts can be useful in educating children, but what other benefits do they provide? First, they keep your kids active, away from screens, and stimulate brain development. They encourage problem-solving skills, help with patience, build confidence, improve reasoning and thinking skills, and allow them to be in charge of their own work, giving a sense of autonomy.
Furthermore, a fort can provide a chance to use their imagination and creativity. When working with others, they can encourage teamwork, the regulation of emotions, the need to plan, and even a sense of satisfaction in their accomplishment. Lastly, they provide a chance to work alongside your children, to spend time with them doing something they enjoy, and an opportunity to truly get to know them.
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.
