I love being a father of three boys. We have an absolute blast. In so many ways I get to relive my own childhood over and over and over.
As a little boy I remember one of my favorite activities was playing outside and building forts. We had all kind of forts. We had them in trees, in alleys, over holes in the ground. We built them out of wood, cardboard and even scrap medal.
If you follow me on twitter you know last week I went to hang out with Jett for a few hours in the woods behind our house. He’s got a fort he’s been working on with friends for a while.
For the next hour or so I got an opportunity to go back in time. We built, we dreamed, we pretended like we were building a fort we would use in if aliens invaded or if we went to war.
What are some of the fun things you did with your imagination as a kid?
It was building go carts and tree houses, I even had a fire place in one tree house it didn’t work out to well- yep! we started the woods on fire. And to think I’m in the construction business.
when i was a kid my brothers and i lived on a private all boys school where my Father taught so we pretty much had full run of the whole place, the barn where the horses were kept, the gym, the bomb shelter (yes they actually had one!) where the guys played in their bands, the open soccer fields, the empty dorm rooms in the summer..it was pure heaven and there were many places we went in our imaginations thats’s for sure.
@Julia, that sounds like a blast!
Good question.. at the age of 7 I set up a book shop in my bedroom and advertised around the neighborhood. Early signs of my entrepreneurial interest!
I built forts, too…but they were all INSIDE MY BEDROOM. I used to empty our linen closet and make forts with all the blankets and sheets! I created rooms and secret passages and “sun roofs”. lol!!
Good times!
My siblings and I built forts, but DUDE… that is a FORT. You may have a little budding architect on your hands!
We had a potato hutch, basically a secret hole in the wall on the way to the basement that had a tiny room behind it where people used to store potatoes. (I still don’t understand that purpose, but whatever). When you’re the youngest of six kids you’ll find your own space wherever you can get it… I painted it, put pillows and books and a lamp… it was all mine.
When the oldest of my nieces and nephews was around six years old I showed it to them and it was so fun seeing their eyes light up… they’d be gone in there for hours and I knew exactly what they were doing and exactly how they felt… like the possibilities were endless.
It looks like eeyore’s house. Brilliant.
Girls build forts too … I know the little girls in my neighborhood did! Of course, the fort itself wasn’t the biggest focus. The really fun thing was ‘decorating’ the inside with weed bouquets, our favorite movie stars’ pictures hung on the wall, and a table (usually an upside down bucket) complete with dishes (big leaves) and cups (acorn tops) encircling a lovely centerpiece of Queen Anne’s Lace with its stems braided.
Final touch was always a sign on the door saying “NO BOYS ALLOWED!!! Ah … those were the days.
PS The inevitable sneak attack from the neighborhood boys would come and we’d all scream like banshees. We loved it!
@Mark Brown, That is great. We had one of the first vcr’s in the neighborhood so I opened a theater.
We built forts too. My parent’s house used to butt up to “the woods”. It was actually an overgrown corn field. It had a 100 year old cemetery — we’d go there to get spooked. We also made bike trails back in “the woods”. In the winter, we roller skated in my friend’s basement. My childhood was fantastic!! Full of adventure!! Cool fort Jett!!
Heidi Reed
Wow – that is the best fort I have ever seen. I used to build “igloos” and roll up huge snow balls when I lived in Ohio. Our house always had about 15 massive snowballs.
Wow, you should make sure that Jett is in charge of building the next church if CP decides to expand to three campuses.
As for me, my used to own a Ford Model A and my cousins and I used to pretend we were superheroes who’s only power was the ‘ooo-gah’ sound of the horn.
And when I was really really young my sister and I would clear out one of the cambinets in the living room and hide in there for hours. I was so bummed when we moved out of that house.
my uncle was the one with the Model A, I somehow missed putting that in the first time
I loved building ‘dens’ in the bushes and in trees. So much fun!!!
Or if I was ill – with a duvet and kitchen chairs.
I also created an entire school with my Dad’s garage – all me and my sister’s toys attended. I made jotters, an alphabet for the wall, a story corner and even cornered of part of the back garden to make a ‘playground’. I taught my sister how to read in my school too.
I also used to get really annoyed when I played ‘He-Man’ with the kids of my mum’s close friends. I was the only girl and they’d never let me be He-man or Skeletor. I always had to be Princess Shera. So sexist!!!
I’m an only child and lived way out in the country with no kids around so i read alot and walked around the woods alot – but I also spent hours and hours pretending I was a famous singer! I sang and sang and sang in front of the mirror.
Wow, that’s quite a fort! Great job!!! I was so girly that me and my sisters would take the dried up mowed grass and outline our dream home and play mommy, daddy, and doctor in that imaginary non-existent house
Of course, we played with dolls too!
@brunettekoala, He-Man and Skeletor was the best! Sorry you got ripped off.
p.s. I love the way you say “mum” though.
That fort rocks! I definitely built forts as a kid, but mine were out of snow
Pete, there are builders, organizers, creative types, and people who just get along well with other people. I am not a builder (though I tried), I am not really an organizer (but my wife is), I can be somewhat creative (but not artsy at all), and I get along well with people I like (not so much those I don’t). All that to say — WOW! Now that’s a fort!
(I wish I was a builder – I’d build a fort just like that. As an organizer I’d schedule fine dining engagements/ football parties with my friends. As an artist, I might hang some holly & Ivy to create culture – perhaps a KC Chiefs arrowhead-shaped clock. And because my friends would be my guest – I’d get long well.
When I was little we had a huge front porch and I’d create my house. I’d have my living room with my rocking chair and end table and my phone. I’d have a kitchen with boxes as shelves and refrigerators. My dolly bedroom would be there too with the cradle made by my dad (which I stil have)..I played for hours on the front porch playing house.
Other times I’d play store as well.
It’s awesome to see how you connect with your kids – It’s so important. Every Saturday morning, my wife and I rotate with our oldest (2 1/2 yrs old) and we take him out for donuts and chocolate coffee (aka “milk”). Last night, took both kids out to see Christmas lights and what a flashback for me! Wow, hearing him say “I found ‘em, I found ‘em, look Dad!” was super cool. I enjoy your blog – God bless!
~~ Matt Legere, Connections Pastor @ Haven of Hope in Natick, MA
matthewlegere1400@comcast.net
http://mattlegere.wordpress.com
being a bird and flying above all the life and action – seeing beauty that most in their will never have the opportunity to see – watching people enjoy life, exploring remote canyons, and becoming essentially one with earth and sky at the same time…this was my imagination and in all my dreams since I can remember. guess that’s why I’m a pilot now.
I loved making forts when I was little.
Remember how mad you’d get when someone would come by and wreck your fort? Man, I never got angrier than when some kids from another neighborhood would discover my secret hideout and prove by destruction that I needed to do a better job of keeping it a secret.
Oh man… that brings back memories for me as a kid too! Fort building, jumping from trees, vine climbing, and more! My son is 9 and I also get to be a kid as we build wrestle and build funstuff together. Great post!