Forts for Kids

A dreamer’s handbook for kids—and parents—offering practical results

All kids love the idea of a hideaway—a place that is theirs, no parents allowed. But how on earth can they actually build one? In Forts for Kids, an inspirational yet practical guide, David Stiles, the most trusted authority on D-I-Y building projects, shows them how.

Assuming no previous experience from the fort builder, the book starts with the basics for kids and their parents: how to  buy wood, and essential skills such as sawing and nailing. It includes a brief history of forts and more than twenty projects ranging from the simple (a blanket and umbrella fort) to the more challenging (a stockade fort). The book even includes forts made of snow, sand, or branches. An accessories section features projects that can be made in just a few hours, such as a slide, swing, catapult, periscope, cannon, and water balloon launcher.

David Stiles is also the author of How to Build Treehouses, Huts, and Forts (Lyons Press). He and his wife, Jeanie Stiles, are the award-winning authors of twenty-one books on building projects. Their many TV appearances include NBC’s The Today Show, HGTV, and the Discovery Channel. Visit them at stilesdesigns.com. They live in New York City and East Hampton, New York.