Make a Secret Spy Fort

A master spy headquarters is essential for top secret missions, because spy work is serious business. You can easily transform spots in your backyard or house by following some simple tricks and tips. Warning: good spy team not included.

Steps

Making an Outdoor Fort

  1. Place your fort in a hidden area. Hide your fort by putting it behind bushes, trees or even the side of your house. If you decide to use a tent, place it behind any large structure in your backyard, like a garage or shed.
  2. Use an old shed. If you have a shed in your backyard that is not used all the time, this is a great place for a secret spy fort. Paint it a dark color, such as olive or dark brown to make it blend in. Make snow bricks to stack around it if there's snow outside that's easily packed.[1]
    • If you can't use paint, pile leaves and twigs around the shed and put branches on the top.
  3. Use a tent. Pitch a tent that is a natural color, like green or brown. Don't use one brightly colored. Prop large branches up beside it so that they touch the top like a teepee.[2]
  4. Use a small playhouse. Make sure you paint the playhouse a neutral color, since they are normally too bright for secret spy forts. Cover it with a dark tarp and lots a leaves to camouflage it even more.
  5. Make a fort in a ditch. Dig a ditch or look for one already made. Place a board over the top and cover it with dirt and any surrounding brush, like leaves or grass. Use a tarp or sheet, if you can’t find a board, and hold it in place with stakes or nails.[3]

Making an Indoor Fort

  1. Use your bed. A great way to make a secret fort indoors is by hiding it in plain sight. No one will guess the place you sleep is a spy base. Place two to three chairs on one side of your bed, preferably on the opposite side of your bedroom door. Throw blankets or sheets over the chairs and hold the other ends on your bed with heavy books.[4]
  2. Make one out of a box. Find a large box to use as a fort. If you or anyone you know is sent something big, like a T.V. or refrigerator, claim the box it comes in as your own. Find a discreet spot to set up spy camp. Put it behind your bed or other furniture.
  3. Clear out bottom cabinets. If your kitchen has lower cabinets, this can be a great place for an indoor spy fort. Clear several ones out next to each other for an extra spacious hideout. This is also a great opportunity to help your parents reorganize the kitchen.
  4. Make a closet hideout. Very similar to using kitchen cabinets, but this hideout can be cleared out and claimed from any number of closets throughout your house. Find a closet that is not used very often in a room the least amount of people go into. Make this closet your spy fort.

Equipping Your Fort

  1. Furnish your fort. Throw a bean bag inside, so you have a comfy place to decode secret messages. Use pillows or blankets if you don’t have room for a bean bag. Find a small table or stack books to set things on, like flashlights or walkie talkies.
  2. Secure your fort with a lock. No matter how secret of a fort you make, you will want to be sure it is secure while you’re away. Use a padlock on the front door of a fort that is in an old shed.
  3. Make a peephole. If you have a tent, it should have a screen. Make a peephole by cutting a hole through cardboard. Ask someone older to help if you want to drill a hole through wood. Cover it with a flap of sturdy fabric, like leather. Lift the flap to spy on possible intruders or let in spy mates.[5]
  4. Make a periscope. Use a shoe box or an empty milk carton to make a periscope. It will help you secretly peak around corners or over the walls of your fort. This will be especially handy in an underground fort made in a ditch. [6]

Tips

  • Make sure that an outdoor fort is capable of withstanding storms, rain, snow, etc.
  • Do not paint your fort bright colors.
  • Make sure that little brothers or sisters don't know about the secret, unless they are a part of your team.

Warnings

  • Make sure to keep the fort secret from older siblings, because they would destroy it.
  • If you decide to have windows, make sure you hide them so no one tries to break in and steal anything, including plans.
  • If you are using a woodshed, be careful that you don't get any splinters.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.mykidsadventures.com/build-a-fort/
  2. ↑ http://www.nwf.org/kids/family-fun/outdoor-activities/fort-building.aspx
  3. ↑ http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-raise-creative-and-self-reliant-free-range-kids/
  4. ↑ http://www.inhabitots.com/10-diy-indoor-forts-play-spaces/fort-6/?extend=1
  5. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-build-fort
  6. ↑ http://www.topspysecrets.com/how-to-build-a-periscope.html
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