What do you do with a sick little guy on a dreary rainy day? After reading THIS post from the lovely Zina at Let’s Lasso The Moon, it struck me that I had never made a fort or pitched a tent (either outside or indoors) with R. In three and a half years, it had never even occurred to me! It has been raining (and raining and raining) here for days. Ordinarily we’d head outside, even in the rain, but with R feeling unwell, I figured today was perfect fort-builing conditions.

I threw a sheet across our dining table and over a few chairs and that was it! Instant fort  – or cave or tent as R called it. I honestly don’t think he’d even heard the term fort before today which is why he referred to it as a tent. A 3 year old who has never heard of a fort? I’m a terrible mother! This stuff is childhood 101!

We grabbed some toys, books, pillows and a flashlight. It was so much fun crawling in and out of the fort. We were cocooned in our own cosy little hide-away. We spent most of the day in there and by the end of the day, R was cheered up and giggling and wanting to do EVERYTHING in our fort!

We set up some train tracks and played with our trains. R had set them up in such a way that there were two parrallel tracks that both ran downhill, so we raced marbles down the tracks as well as trains. (R beat be by a mile!)

We had a picnic and ate our lunch in there. Ham sandwiches, strawberries and apple juice!  Then we read books. (Lots and lots of books!)

Later in the evening, when Mr Perfect Day had come home from work and we’d eaten dinner, R wanted to play in the fort some more so all three of us climbed in there. We played some music and made up silly games. It was non-stop giggles and laughter.

We made up games using some glass beads that we use in our sensory tubs.

Then R entertained us with his guitar.

We had such a wonderful day. This was a great way to spend a rainy day when we weren’t our usual energetic selves. R insisted on leaving the fort up so I am guessing there will be more camping indoors on the agenda tomorrow! I think sometime soon we will do an actual sleep out in the living room and do an all out indoor camping adventure. (It’s almost winter here so camping outdoors is not really too appealing right now!)

Have you ever camped out indoors? How do you like to have fun with the kids when it’s raining or they’re not feeling too well?

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