Assembling the Fort
Use a duvet cover for an easy option. A duvet cover is a sheet that is sealed on 3 ends, which will help trap the air and keep the fan fort expanded. If you’re looking for a simple option, go with a duvet cover. You can find duvet covers at your local home decor store, department store, or by ordering one online.
Connect 2 sheets with duct tape if you don’t have a duvet cover. If you don’t have a duvet cover, no worries! Take 2 flat sheets and place them on top of each other so they line up evenly. Use duct tape to seal 3 ends of the sheets, leaving 1 end open. Your sheets will look kind of like a giant pillowcase. Try to use 2 sheets of the same size so they line up more easily. If you want a giant fan fort, use king-sized sheets!
Choose a flat location like the floor or a bed for your fort. Look for an area large enough to fit your sheets such as the floor of your living room or on top of a large mattress. Make sure the area is flat and clear of obstacles so the sheets will blow up properly. If you place the fort on a bed, make sure small children don’t fall over the sides.
Place a box or room fan in the center of the open end. Lie the sheets flat on the floor and place a simple box or room fan in front of the open end of the sheets. Line up the fan in the center of the opening and make sure it’s facing so the airflow is directed toward the sheets. If you’re using an upright room fan, place it on its side in the center of the sheets. A small desk fan may not be powerful enough to keep the fort inflated.
Place heavy books on the 4 corners of the sheet or cover. Gather some heavy books and place them on each of the 4 corners of the sheet to help weigh it down when it’s inflated with air. If you don’t have any heavy books around, use a chair, shoe, or anything else you have lying around! The weighted corners will help keep the sheets from flying away or coming loose from the fan.
Blowing up the Fort
Pull the top sheet over the top of the fan. Grab the center of the upper sheet and pull it over the top of the fan. Hold the sheet in place so there’s an opening that allows air to flow inside.
Turn on the box fan to start filling the sheets with air. With the sheet held over the fan, hit the power switch to turn it on. Allow the sheets to fill with air and watch as the fort takes shape. It will only take a few seconds for the fort to fill up with air. Turn up the fan to a higher setting if it can’t fill up the sheets. If the sheets don’t fill up with air, there may be a leak you can patch with some tape.
Secure the open end around the fan with duct tape. Take a few strips of duct tape and attach the center of the sheet to the top of the fan. Add a few more strips to connect the center of the sheet to the sides of the fan so it’s secure. Leave open gaps on each side of the fan so you can get in and out of the fort. Once the fort is full of air, it will stay inflated as long as the fan stays on.
Enter the fort from the openings on the side of the fan. Climb into the fort by crawling through an opening on the side of the fan. Bring some snacks, books, and pillows into the fort and start having some fun! The fan may be noisy, but you can wear hearing protection or put some on your children if it’s too loud.
Place a cooler full of ice in front of the fan to cool off the fort. If you want to make your own air-conditioning for the fort, fill up a cooler full of ice and place it in front of the fan. Keep the cooler open to allow the fan to pull the cold air in and blow it into your fort.
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