Ikea releases instructions on how to build homemade forts for children

Ikea has released instructions for how children can build six of the most architecturally sound blanket forts, using various combinations of household items. Part of a campaign by Ikea Russia and creative agency Instinct (part of BBDO), the guides follow the visual aesthetic of traditional Ikea instruction manuals depicting line-drawn forts, fully assembled, and a list of items you’ll need to create that fort.

There are six fort designs (note the added accents for Swedish authenticity): Förtress, Wigwåm, Cåstle, Cåve, Cåmpingtent and Höuse. The instructions use Ikea products, but stipulate you don’t need these exact items, just similar ones from around your house. Most of the forts centre around a piece of furniture – a sofa, table, dining chairs, a clothes rail – and require a big blanket (no surprises there), pillows, pegs or bulldog clips for securing the blankets, and books for weighing down the ends. For added cosiness, some suggest including fairy lights or a lantern, and a giant teddy bear.

The campaign hopes to offer children, and their parents, new inspiration for what to do with their lockdown days. Launched on Ikea Russia’s Instagram, the brand is inviting families to build the forts and customise them, then share photos of them, for a chance to be featured on the brand’s own social networks.

For more fort design inspiration, see Troy and Abed’s Fluffy Town.

During the global lockdown, countless projects have launched to help families get creative and cope with the drastic change in routine. Well-known artists such as Grayson Perry, Antony Gormley and Jeremy Deller have each contributed to a downloadable pack of creative activities, released by Colchester gallery Firstsite, which has so far been downloaded 55,000 times. Perry’s activity, called The Character Game came out last Friday.

Families Under Pressure is a series of animations offering sound advice to parents struggling in lockdown, created by animators such as Caitlin McCarthy and voiced by celeb parents such as Olivia Colman. And online teaching resource Oak National Academy, branded by Johnson Banks, launched last month with over a quarter of a million lessons started on day one.

Back in March, Ikea celebrated staying in by collaborating with Pizza Hut to create a lifesized version of the little tables that come in pizza boxes, called Säva.