Rachael Rachael, a mom of two daughters, is a freelance editor and writer who enjoys gardening and dreams of keeping chickens in her suburban St. Louis backyard. In her spare time, she helps to edit her husband’s science fiction books. Read more of Rachael's work at www.rachaelsjohnston.com or contact her by emailing rachael@mumblingmommy.com.

This summer I’ve committed to trying out a few new kid-friendly projects I’ve seen on Pinterest. I started with a pipe cleaner fine motor activity, and then I made a toy-filled ice block for my daughters to play with. Our Summer of Pinterest has made us quite busy.

Summer of Pinterest: No-Sew Tent

This week, I got ambitious and made a no-sew tent. It makes a great hideout for reading books during lazy summer afternoons. Our tent is hanging from a tree in our back yard, and I put a blanket underneath to sit on. A few old throw pillows would be a good addition, too. During the winter I might hang the tent from the rafters in our playroom in our partially finished basement.

To make your own tent, you’ll need the following:
  • One hula hoop (I used one we already had, but you can easily find hula hoops on clearance this time of year.)
  • One package of large safety pins (I used 2-inch pins.)
  • One queen- or king-sized flat sheet (I bought one at Goodwill.)
  • Rope or ribbon to hang the tent
  • Optional ribbon or tulle to trim the tent with
  • A ladder (You’ll need something to stand on when you hang the tent.)

Fold the edge of the sheet over the hula hoop and pin the sheet to itself every six inches or so. Once the sheet is attached to the hoop, tie two lengths of rope or ribbon across the hoop, so they cross in the middle. Cut an extra length of ribbon and use it to tie your tent to a tree branch. I took the remainder of my roll of ribbon and fastened it around the top of the tent for decoration, pinning it at various points to safety pins that were already holding the sheet to the hoop. I tied a bow on the hoop above the tent entrance as well.

This tent comfortably fits one person. Two is snug. If you have more than one child, you may want to make extra tents.

What kinds of boredom buster projects have you done with your kids this summer? Any summer of Pinterest crafts?

Category: Arts & Crafts

Tags: hula hoop