Ever since the pumpkins arrived, I’d had my eye on the enormous empty cardboard boxes at our local farm. It pains me to see them piled on pallets, awaiting their fate at the recycling center. So I decided to take one home. It wasn’t hard for me to convince my husband to haul one into the back of our Subaru. I think he was secretly tickled pink that I was so excited to make a fort.
This fort cost us nothing, but the payoff was huge. We spent quality time together as a family, laughed, played, and got some great photos before mommy got stuck in the door.
From a parent’s perspective, the only thing that I needed to invest in this fort was my time and my presence. I think this is what our children really want- for us to be there with them, in the small moments. Not physically, but emotionally. To temporarily abandon our lists, obligations, and judgmental thoughts and to get silly and have fun, and be a kid again.
Sometimes the best things in life are free. Cardboard included.
mir says:
LOVE IT! I remember getting some huge boxes, paint and making Faith and Jackie a fort in the backyard growing up. It was so much fun!
November 12, 2009 at 1:58 pm
tammy says:
Right on MJ!!!
November 12, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Sarah Morris says:
speaking as an adult who, as a child, spent many a day in a cardboard fort- this rocks!!
November 12, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Faith says:
How fun! We have a kitchen set in my classroom that is for “free play”, but the other teachers never use it…i love it! I love to watch my students imaginations run wild! I also remember forts in the basement, that was so much fun (when I wasn’t kicked out of them!!)
November 12, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Rana says:
I just finished cutting out windows for my kids cardboard home the other day. They have moved into their new”home”.
Rana´s last blog ..November 100 Books a Month Update
November 14, 2009 at 7:27 pm