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If you’ve got young kids like me, forts are just an inevitable part of your life. As soon as kids start walking, they start building. The first forts are usually simple dwellings constructed from sofa cushions and blankets. But as they grow, the forts grow, and soon your entire living room will be taken over by complicated structures made with boxes, pillows, tables, chairs, sofas, blankets, you name it. It’s just evolution and I’m certain kids have been building forts since the beginning of time.
The interesting thing about forts is that most parents (myself included) are actually okay with the mess and chaos. Why? The fact is the humble fort can keep my kids entertained for hours and requires little or no parental interaction. It’s also the best rainy day entertainment ever, which is particularly important here in the oft-dreary Northwest.
We all know old-fashioned homemade forts are the best. But there are also multiple awesome products you can buy to take your fort-building game to a whole new level.
For the gamer — Minecraft Explorer Fort Kit
Kids can spend hours building epic forts while playing Minecraft. The Minecraft Explorer Fort Kit allows them to do it IRL!
What parents will like: Get kids off those screens and moving around with friends with this fort kit. Kids can keep talking about Minecraft (is there any other topic, really?) and use their imaginations as they bring their favorite video game to life.
What kids will like: Real life Minecraft fort. Need we say more?
For the speed builder — Magnetic Fort Building Kit
With 20 magnetic felt panels designed for effortless snap-together fun, the Magnetic Fort Building Kit offers young builders a fantastic mix of creativity and structure. The magnetic connections mean no tools or frustration, so kids can build forts, playhouses, rocket ships or puppet theaters in minutes. It’s lightweight, easy to move and encourages imaginative play.
What parents will like: The pieces are light and can be put away in a flat stack for easy storage. No piles of sticks or connects in sight!
What kids will like: Kids will be able to construct their masterpieces quickly and without the frustration of connecting small parts.
For the night owls — Tiny Land Glow Fort Building Kit
The Tiny Land Glow Fort Building Kit is a fantastic pick thanks to its 86 glow-in-the-dark rods and 44 connector balls that let kids design everything from tunnels to forts. It’s built for both indoor and outdoor play, giving kids a fun and creative way to build, imagine and develop spatial-awareness and problem-solving skills.
What parents will like: The kit includes a storage bag for easy clean-up, always a win.
What kids will like: This kits offers many options for designing unique forts, perfect for the kid who likes to think outside the box. The glowing rods make this perfect for living room sleepovers.
For kids who wish their world was made of Legos — Jumbo Blocks
If there aren’t enough hours in the day to build for your Lego-obsessed kid, they are going to love these Jumbo Blocks. These blocks are an investment, but you will get years of fort-building fun.
What parents will like: These big blocks will make quick work of fort building. And while these blocks might take up some closet space, at least there will not be a million tiny parts to get lost or broken.
What kids will like: The ability to built large, tall forts quickly. And, who doesn’t want to pretend they are in the “Lego Movie”?
For those who like it chilly — Snow Fort Building Kit
Time to get ready for winter and cross your fingers for a good snowfall (or two!). This Snow Fort Building Kit has all you need to take your snow play to the next level. Bonus — these can also be used at the beach to build an epic sand castle, making them useful and fun all year.
What parents will like: Keep the kids busy and building in the yard on our next snow day. Kids can handle these basic tools, which mean you can watch from inside while sipping a hot drink. Or, if snow days still make your heart sing, put yourself to work cranking out snow bricks while your kids construct the best snow fort on the block.
What kids will like: Building a quick and study snow fort is going to increase your odds of winning their neighborhood snowball fight this year.
For the players — The Original AirFort
The Original AirFort comes in a wide variety of colors and can be assembled in a mere 30 seconds! You will need a regular household box fan in order to inflate the fort. The Amazon Choice winner is a hit with families. It’s perfect for kids who love hanging out in forts but aren’t so crazy on the actual construction part (or parents who want to be able to sit on the couch).
What parents will like: The fort weighs a mere 24 ounces and fits into its own matching carrying bag. This is ideal if you have a small house or don’t want a fort taking over your living space. It’s also small enough to bring in a bag and take on vacation or to a friend’s house.
What kids will like: It’s a pretty cool looking fort and would be great for tea parties or important meetings regarding national security.
For the builders — The Ultimate Fort Builder
The Ultimate Fort Builder is for kids who like construction and clean lines. It contains poles and kid-friendly connectors which click together to make everything from a castle to an igloo (instructions included). Kids can then drape blankets or sheets on top to make it private and safe from prying adults. According to all the reviews on the site, this fort is a big hit with kids.
What parents will like: This fort is good for fine motor skill development. Some parents mention that it’s great for learning and problem-solving as it takes some practice to figure out how to put it together and make the various shapes. Parents also report that this product is very sturdy and well made.
What kids will like: If your kids like Lego and construction, they’ll love this toy. Your kid might end up having the best-built fort in town and it’s great for parties.
For the fun-seekers — The Nugget
The Nugget is described as “an infinitely configurable play couch made up of four foam pieces.” The idea is simple, but the possibilities are (almost) endless as all the triangular and rectangular pieces fit together in various ways.
What parents will like: It’s a reasonably stylish looking foam couch and comes in lots of different colors. The company offers a 30-day trial, so you can try it before you commit. The covers are also machine washable.
What kids will like: It’s cozy and cute and the pieces are easy to manipulate. It would be a great addition to a playroom. You can even make it into an obstacle course with ramps for your toys.
For the treehouse fans — Fantasy Fort
The Fantasy Fort looks like a treehouse with connectable wood-look panels. The parts are made with heavy-duty cardboard with Velcro strips to connect all the parts. Parents report that it’s pretty sturdy and best suited for indoor use.
What parents will like: It’s better than cardboard boxes as the parts all connect well together, so your living space won’t look like a warehouse that’s tumbling down. It stimulates imaginative play and promotes spatial reasoning.
What kids will like: It’s got that cool treehouse appearance and there are lots of lookout points from which to spy on siblings, babysitters and parents.
For kids who want to show off their skills — Fort Board
These fort building boards by Fort Board are durable enough for indoor and outdoor use. The company claims that the boards are strong enough to be passed down from sibling to sibling. (Though I am not sure my dog would endorse this idea.)
What parents will like: Kits pack up small so you can tidy them away when guests come to your house. It’s good for fine motor skills, too.
What kids will like: In addition to forts, kids can build cars, spaceships, even magical creatures. You can buy more sets and keep adding to your structure. There is a whole community of #fortboard builders online showing off their creations and your family could be among them.
For the couch cushion stealers — Lunix Modular Kids Play Couch
All the fun of building a fort with couch cushions and none of the frustration. A set from Lunix Modular Kids comes with 14 soft pieces that vary in size. The pieces come in a variety of shapes and sizes, making the building options endless.
What parents will like: Your couch cushions will be available for sitting on while your kids build and play with their own. Win-win!
What kids will like: The pieces connect for quick, easy construction of a soft and cozy fort, jumping pad, ramp and more. Plus, your creation won’t be taken apart because someone wants to sit on the couch!
For the kids who like camping — Tote-A-Fort
This clever Tote-A-Fort includes three blankets plus anchor weights to hold the blankets in place. You can attach the fort blankets to the sofa, a bed or even to a tree outside! The material appears to be pretty durable, so we think this might come in handy for indoor camping in the winter and outdoor forts in the summer.
What parents will like: This kit fits neatly into a small carry bag so it can be packed away when not in use. It’s perfectly portable, so it would be a great one to bring along to sleepovers, camping trips or visits to the grandparents.
What kids will like: This kit is ideal for kids who love camping and building shelters. It’s easy to put together, so even the youngest kids can get involved.
More playful resources:
Editor’s notes: This article was originally published in several years ago, and was updated most recently on Nov. 7, 2025, by ParentMap’s associate editor, Kari Hanson. New fort kits were added and all other information received a thorough fact-check.
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