The Power of Fort Building for Kids

When most of us think back to fond memories of childhood, a fort on a Saturday morning is often part of those memories. I vividly remember ripping cushions from the couch, directing my brother to help me pull in chairs from the kitchen, and haphazardly yanking sheets from our linen closet.

Then the real work began. We’d spend the next hour or so ensuring we had the perfect setup: a space that was cozy, safe, and uniquely ours. My brother and I would imagine stories about our fort - sometimes we were hiding from dangers, other times we were the King and Queen of our castle.

These are the sticky, enjoyable memories I have as an adult looking back on my childhood. I don’t remember all the impulse-buy toys or the cartoons I watched - although I know they were there.

I also remember my parents begging us not to make a mess. “Don’t jump on the couch and ruin the springs!” or “I’m going to have to wash all those sheets!” and “Make sure you put EVERYTHING back the way you found it!” And I know we never cleaned up to my parents' satisfaction.

What we didn’t know as children was that the act of fort building was beneficial to our development. In a Washington Post article, David Sobel, a professor at Antioch University’s education department and the author of “Children’s Special Places: Exploring the Role of Forts, Dens, and Bush Houses in Middle Childhood,” says forts create a “home away from home,” free from parental control. They foster creativity where “a lot of magic happens inside.”

Benefits of Forts according to David Sorbel

• All forts share common traits: They are handmade, somewhat secretive, and “you can look out, but others can’t see in.”

• They are safe — physically and emotionally. “It’s your place where you want to be just you, observing but unseen,” he says.

• Forts create a private, secure world for kids.

Another expert, Carol Stock Kranowitz, educator and author of “The Out-of-Sync Child,” says, “Forts help children reset their stressed bodies and brains.”

Fort building is also a STEM activity that requires kids to think creatively and problem-solve. These types of activities help kids build lifelong skills like confidence and learn to manage failure.

As parents, when we launched the Figgy fort building kit, we hoped to bring fort building back to Saturday mornings. And as adults, we knew we could help eliminate the mess and the barriers to letting kids be creative.

Figgy is more than a toy - it’s a tool for imagination and innovation. We believe in getting kids more active - both mentally and physically - and Figgy allows kids to do both.

The benefits for parents are:

• Easy clean-up with waterproof liners to protect from spills, easy on/off machine washable/dryable covers;

• Colors that are on-trend and blend in with the modern home;

• Greenguard Gold, Oeko-Tex, and CertiPUR-US certifications for safety; and zipper garages and invisible zippers that protect against scratches.

• When kids are done with play, the pieces fit nicely into a kid’s sofa and blend into any space.

The benefits for kids:

• The Figgy has velcro connectors to hold their forts together;

• Sturdy FiggyFoam that allows you to climb on it but is also soft enough to sit or lay on;

• Detachable cushions that are light enough to be lifted and maneuvered;

• And shapes conducive to building: squares, rectangles, and wedges.

• The Figgy helps to encourage their independence, allowing them to do the designing and building!

Our hope is that your family will find as many good memories as we have while developing important life skills along the way. May the fort be with you! #figgyplay. Follow Rachel on LinkedIn.