DIY

A Pirate's Life (or party)

As a perennial dreamer and one who has always believed in the power of imagination, I have attempted to pass this on to my children as well. I tried to create an environment that helped them develop imagination in themselves, instead of simply being passively entertained by a screen (aka: tv, computers, video games, etc.). I feel that dreaming and imagining is what has helped propel us forward as a society and that even for the young, it is sometimes the most simple thing we do that can help illustrate our philosophies and develop our children’s minds in a fun and engaging way. The earlier, the better.

Take children’s birthday parties, for example. My children will attest to the fact that our parties were strictly old-fashioned and hand-made events at home. Our imaginary world was like no other, created mostly from cardboard. That sounds like a lofty goal for a few lowly boxes, but once you see the kids’ happy faces and how their imagination takes flight, you too will believe.

This is, literally, one of the most simple DIY projects I have written about, but there are a few tips here and there that may be helpful. In this case, I made a pirate ship for a 3-year-old’s pirate-themed birthday party, but the basics can be applied to any structure. In the past I have made everything from Sleeping Beauty’s castle to a Haunted Mansion to a Lunar Module. So get creative!

The Stuff

• Three extra-large cardboard boxes. Size will depend on the size and age of children.

These can be found at your local hobby, hardware or appliance stores. Every retailer

I asked so far has been willing to give me boxes that would otherwise end up in recycling—especially when they hear your plan. A few of the folks at my local hobby store know me on sight now and are always excited to ask about my latest, crazy project.

• Duct tape • Utility/sheet rock knife, the retractable

kind. Safety first!

• Pencil • One 3-4 foot x 1-inch diameter wooden dowel • One 2-3 foot x half-inch diameter wooden dowel

• One cardboard tube. I used one from a roll of wrapping paper. Choose one as thick & strong as possible.

• Acrylic craft paints and/or leftover

house paint. Colors of your choosing and assorted brushes to fit your needs.

• Roll of brown or white craft paper

(optional). I found this helpful as my boxes were fairly messy with labels and packing tape that was difficult to remove and would’ve looked sloppy if painted over, so

I decided to cover my boxes instead and then paint on the details. • White fabric for the sail. I used an old white sheet from Goodwill.

• Twine/rope

• Decorative elements. Anything you have around the house that you think will add to the design.

The Doing

1. From the 3 boxes, you will be making one giant box. On the first box, with the top (open) side up, cut slits down the sides and follow across the base of one box. You now have a 3-sided box. (Open on top and one side) 2. Repeat on a second box. Overlapping a bit for added strength, tape the two boxes together at the cut sides. You now have an extra large 3-sided box.

3. Now cut the base flap of the third box in half (this will be positioned at the front) and duct tape the sides together as in Step 2. You have essentially made one gigantic box.

4. To make the front or bow of the ship, I scored lightly down the front of the box structure to be able to bend it out in a “V” or pointed shape and reinforced it with a triangular piece of cardboard and more duct tape.

5. Reinforce all corners around the box with more duct tape as needed to strengthen the structure.

Then climb in and tape all the overlapping base flaps of cardboard. This will serve as extra support as well. You will want your playhouse as sturdy as possible.

6. Now for the details! You can paint the entire box your main color, in this case, brown like wood or cover the entire structure with craft paper first. 7. Attach, with duct tape, the cardboard tube to the middle of the “ship”. This will become the mast. Where the tube connects with the box, add additional tape over and around on both sides in an “X” shape for added stability. 8. Cut the sheet or fabric into a long thin rectangle and using the twine rope tie in about 3 areas to the 2-3 foot dowel. Duct tape this in a “T” formation toward the top of the “mast.” 9. To make portholes, you can use a bowl or plate or pretty much anything round to trace with your pencil a few circles on the sides. I just used the roll of duct tape. Using the utility knife, cut them out carefully…circles can be a little tricky. Then draw on and paint any other details you’d like, such as a guard rail at the top and/or faux waves at the bottom. 10. You can also cut out a ship’s wheel from an extra piece of cardboard and, as I did, attach that loosely with a nail to the 1” diameter dowel. This is taped toward the bow of the ship. This piece was fun because the kids could actually turn the wheel. 11. Then I added some odds and ends I had around the house, like a pirate flag we had from the North

Carolina History museum and a little stuffed baby shark. We taped a cardboard triangle, painted gray, to the bottom near the painted waves to mimic a shark fin. All these little touches are really fun for the kids. Your playhouse structure can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Make it your own!

In the past, my kids and their friends have spent hours playing and imagining all sorts of adventures in the playhouses long after the parties had ended. The structures sometimes lasted for months before they were finally toppled over. But, never fear, another can always be made! As the kids get older they can help in the creating, too. They take great pride in that.

So, from a humble cardboard box … who knows where imagination can take you!