Building Your Hideout
Pick a place where you want your hideout to be. The first step in building the hideout of your dreams is to find the perfect location. Look all around your house for areas that have the space and privacy you need. An attic or basement would be perfect, since they’ll be out of plain sight. You could also put your hideout in your own bedroom, or right in the middle of the living room. Putting your hideout in the family room is a good way to get a little more privacy without being too far away from the things you want to do. Depending on the weather, you might be able to build a hideout outside. Just make sure you’re somewhere near your house where it’s safe, and be sure to hurry inside if it looks like it might rain.
Gather your building materials. Next, you’ll need stuff to build the hideout with. Grab as many blankets, sheets and/or beach towels as you can find. These will go on the outside of your hideout. For the rest of the structure, you can create a cozy nook with pillows or couch cushions, or you might use sturdier materials if you want your hideout to be more reinforced. Things like cardboard or plywood will help you put together a longer-lasting structure. Unused cardboard boxes make good building materials. They even fold up flat when you want to dismantle your hideout. If you want it to build a quick and easy hideout, drape your blankets over a table or desk.
Think about what you want your hideout to look like. Put some thought into designing your hideout. Start by getting the outside in order, then lay out the inside however you want. Your hideout could be tall with a pointed roof (using a broomstick as a support), or it might be lower to the ground so that you have to crawl on your stomach to get in. Get creative! You can make almost anything you imagine a reality. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You could make a good hideout only using the things on your bed. Take advantage of the space you have. No hideout is too big or too small.
Put up your supports. Now it’s time to actually start setting up your hideout. Use furniture like the couch, the chairs from the dinner table or the laundry drying rack as your main foundation. You'll need at least four pieces of furniture to serve as the corners of the structure, and one in the center to keep the roof from collapsing if its really big. The most important thing is to have some way to stabilize your hideout so it doesn’t fall in on you. Space out your supports so you have room to move around inside the hideout.
Drape blankets over the top of the supports. With your foundation in place, you just need to finish your hideout by covering it. Stretch a few blankets or sheets over the outside of the hideout so no one can see in. Make sure you leave a hole in one side so that you can get in and out. Fitted sheets work nicely for building hideouts and forts. Their elastic edges will stretch around your supports and hold the sheet in place. Hold sheets and blankets together with masking tape, clothespins or potato chip bag clips.
Decorating Your Hideout
Bring in some of your belongings. Go to your room and grab a few things to take back to your hideout. Bring things like books to read, games, toys and sweets to enjoy. You could even plug in a radio or a video game system for entertainment. Load up on anything you think you’ll need once you’re inside. After you’re stocked up inside, you won’t have to leave your hideout again. Remember to bring a jacket, especially if your hideout is outside.
Lay out separate areas. If your hideout is big enough, you could divide it into individual areas or even rooms. Have one area with a sleeping bag or blankets ready for when you get tired. Another can be your study, with your notebook and pens, pencils and markers for drawing or writing. Leave one side of your hideout open if you’re close to the TV—this can be your new theater. Create different rooms by hanging up a separate blanket or sheet.
Include some basic furniture. Move in some plastic tables and chairs to have a place to sit down and put things. Things like bean bags, foot stools and couch cushions make great furniture for small hideouts. If you don’t have any real furniture to spare, throw some blankets and pillows on the floor to set up a lounging area futon-style. Use whatever is available and comfortable. Construct your hideout around certain pieces of furniture, like the couch or coffee table, so that you’ll be able to use them while you’re inside. Make sure it’s okay for you to use furniture and accessories from around the house before you take them to put in your hideout.
Shine some light inside. You’ll need a way to see once it gets dark, especially if your hideout is enclosed. It’s easiest to just have a couple flashlights or a battery-powered lantern on hand to brighten things up. If you want to get fancy, string some Christmas lights around the edges of the hideout. With the right lighting, you’ll be able to enjoy all your favorite activities day and night. You might not need extra lighting at all if you built your hideout near a lamp, but it never hurts to be prepared. Have an adult help you get the Christmas lights hung up and plugged in.
Being the Master of Your Hideout
Come up with a name for your hideout. Once your hideout is finished, you can give it an official name. You could dedicate it to you and your friends (something like “Lincoln Street Boys’ Club”), think up a witty title (“Casa de Joey”) or just give it a simple name like “headquarters” or “the base.” Since you built it, you have the right to name it whatever you want. Ask a friend for some suggestions if you can’t think of a good name on your own.
Decide who will be allowed to enter. Who will you let enter your hideout? Is it just for you, or is everyone invited? Be as selective as you see fit. If you built the hideout to get away from your big brother, for example, you could specify that it’s no boys allowed. Your hideout can either be a fun place for you and your friends to play or a quiet getaway just for you. Think about putting up a sign to let everybody else know who the hideout is meant for. Don’t be mean or exclude people if you think it will hurt their feelings.
Set some rules. Since you’ll be like the ruler of a castle in your hideout, what you say goes. Write out a list of rules that people have to follow inside your hideout. A few good basic rules might include: you can’t wear shoes, only 2-3 people at a time, and everybody has to share their snacks. The rules are your own, but try to be fair to anybody else who wants to see your hideout. Write out your list of rules in bold letters and post them out in front of the entrance. Invent a password for your hideout. That way, no one can come in unless they know it.
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