DIY Fort Kit

Some of the best gifts, those that really leave the recipient with that feeling of “Wow,” are handmade. There is just something extra special about a gift that is made just for you. In a house full of tech toys, this low-key, DIY Fort Kit remains one of my girls favorites. Easy with a powerful impact and an outlet for tons of creative play time — it’s a great gift for any child. 

I am excited to partner with OshKosh B’Gosh throughout the holiday season to bring you ideas about how you can spend a little crafty down time with your family, and a few ideas to help them dress for the occasion. From warm winter wear to graphic tees, OshKosh has kids style covered and I have craft projects covered. 

DIY Fort Kit

Creating a DIY Fort Kit is as simple as gathering a few must-have fort accessories and then adding a pinch of flare. There is no wrong way to create a kit, you can totally make this your own.

This kit was created by my sister-in-law, who is a fabulous seamstress and can embroider anything. If I were to recreate this kit for another child I would skip the embroidery and go for an iron on. (So don’t get intimidated by her mad skills.) 

Fort Kit Contents

• Tote Bag
• Flat Fort Sheet (more on this in a moment)
• Clothes Pins
• Glow Sticks
• Book
• Goodies

The most important part of a fort kit is the flat sheet. Choose something cute (like polka dots) because that will be the basis of the fort. Any size will work, but a full/queen is a good size to work with for small kids. 

Once you have your sheet, attach ties to it for easy fort creating. Eight loops sewn around the perimeter of the sheet and one in the middle are ideal. Although a machine is easiest, these loops could be hand sewn as well. Here is what one of the loops looks like. (See it can be hung or tied onto things to make a quick and easy fort.)

Inside the fort kit, my girls were delighted to find a mini smores kit, a bag of homemade trail mix and beef jerky — perfect fort treats. Since my sister-in-law and her family live in Alaska, she included an Alaskan storybook that gave the kit a personal touch.

And handmade tags gave the whole kit a polished look.

We’ve made many forts with our fort kit. Unlike so many toys that kids grow out of quickly, this handmade kit has staying power. Plus it gets the whole family involved in a fun afternoon.

B’gosh Believes

Whether you create a fort kit to inspire your children or to gift to another family, it will help make memories. And isn’t that what the holidays are all about? Sharing this craft project that brings families together was inspired by B’gosh Believes, which is OshKosh B’Gosh’s way of celebrating the holiday season and inspiring kids to do good and give back. 

Be sure to check out my giveaway for a $50 OshKosh B’Gosh gift card along with ideas to stay warm this winter (for 50% off!).

OshKosh B’gosh partnered with bloggers such as me to help promote the OshKosh B’gosh Holiday Network.  As part of the program, I received product or gift cards.  OshKosh B’gosh believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words, and therefore did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products I used. OshKosh B’gosh policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. The winner of any giveaway in this program will be randomly chosen and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party.