Den Building - Let's Get Outside!
Get outside. It’s the answer to most child-related problems. Let us give a few examples:
They’re bored? Get outside.
They’re bickering? Get outside.
They’re whining? Get outside.
They’re under your feet? Get outside.
They’re off-form, playing up, out of sorts, too hot, too cold, too noisy, too hungry? Get your shoes on and get outside!
Ok, so we acknowledge - you need a plan. Underprepared expeditions outdoors aren’t always successful and might be short-lived (although plenty of hours can be filled by boredom-prompted outdoor games, if kids are given the opportunity to be creative). You need to give a thought to appropriate clothing and plenty of snacks/drink as well. If you’re after an awesome, nature-filled family adventure however, look no further than a day centred around den-building.
Den-building is a rite of childhood - it’s instinctive, it’s universal, it’s loads of fun for all ages. If the adults can resist taking over, it’s a child-led activity that offers comfort, security and control to children who feel that they need it - and is a source of triumph for those who relish a test of physical and mental agility. Dens can be built anywhere, from anything, and be as complex as the maker is able to imagine and realise. Building a den together will spark conversation, necessitate cooperation and unify a team with an ultimate goal.
We’re big fans.
The best den-building expeditions incorporate exploration - whether it be somewhere you’ve never been before, or simply a new perspective offered by role-play or imaginative scenarios. My own children are well-versed at a spontaneous call of ‘“QUICK! The water is rising! We need to build a den and protect ourselves before it reaches us!” Cue immediate and hitherto unseen cooperation between siblings as they fall on whatever equipment is to hand, building a den and scrambling in ‘for safety’. It usually falls to their Dad to get the hose out and test the waterproofing of their shelter, with them inside…
Nature of course, offers a gloriously unpredictable topography and rarely will two dens look the same. This constantly changing environment challenges den-builders, requiring them to assess, judge, test and problem-solve. A woodland setting offers huge possibilities for structures made using dead-wood, branches, leaf litter and trees - but drift-wood and a blanket on a beach also works wonderfully and I’ve seen a party of 15 six-year-olds camped underneath a trampoline-with-tablecloth-skirt last over an hour before emerging (leaving the parents to tuck into the jelly and have a proper chat).
In addition to negotiating the undulations and make-up of the land itself, den-building requires mastery of unpredictable weather - and we would urge you not to shy away from the fun that can be had in a sudden rain shower, drizzly grey skies or even an insistent breeze. As the wise saying goes - there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. Children rarely notice once they’re absorbed in the game and it can be immensely satisfying sitting out a shower under a self-made canopy.
Hungry yet? Chances are the children will be and *everyone* knows that food tastes better outdoors. A little preparation back home can translate into major parent-brownie-points at lunch time and prompt another joy-inducing, Forest School moment - making a fire. We build ours on an enamel plate or stones, which contain the flames and prevents scorching. Get everyone involved in the hunt for kindling and let the kids try their hand at using a fire steel for the ultimate lesson in confidence-boosting life skills. Bring marshmallows or cooked sausages - foraging for sticks to hold the food close to the hot embers - and share a flask of hot chocolate. It’ll taste all the better for the effort made!
So we’ve escaped the walls, explored new territories, tested our skills and challenged bodies and minds. We’ve built a shelter, sated our appetites and protected ourselves from the elements (pretend or otherwise). If new games haven’t already sprung from this atmosphere of freedom and creativity, why not suggest a spot of land art using the natural materials around you? A scavenger hunt (‘find me something beginning with ’T’ / something that’s red / something soft’)? Or if a younger child is tired, cuddle up and read a story - so much more of a sensory experience outside.
It’s all ‘just play’ of course - but this is the sort of rich, inspiring, life-long-memory-inducing play that moulds us, makes us and unites us. It’s good for our bodies, our minds and it connects us to nature as well as to each other. It makes us feel good.
This summer then, dedicate at least one day to a real outdoor adventure. From inside our own dens we’ll be cheering you on - every welly-wrangling, shower-dodging, full-on glorious moment. From inside yours, be proud that your day of play will be remembered and felt for longer than it takes for the marshmallows to wear off.
The Original Den Kit for every outdoor adventure.
