Kids need a place that they can call their own. It can be a
backyard shelter, no matter how crudely built, where a couple of friends can
sit in and talk, or read comic books, or (nowadays) play games and text on
their phones.
If your kids (girls too!) have a desire to build some kind
of fort or hideout, by all means let them. Ideally, the less you help them, the
better…let them discover the process themselves. Your task could be to provide
a few tools, nails, and help transporting lumber, either used or new. Kids are surprisingly resilient; they won’t
kill themselves or each other by building a clubhouse, and they will be doing
something creative that will give them a deep sense of pride. Also, they won’t
be crying that they’re bored, and you’ll know where they are!
Lee, do you mind if I use your clubhouse photo on my blog? I will include a link to your site and a link to your book on Amazon. I write a blog titled toysofchildhoodpast.com in conjunction with my fictitious memoir based on my experiences growing up in a neighborhood full of boys in the early 1960's. In the blog, I mostly write about vintage toys and childhood in the 50's and 60's. Right now I'm working on a post about our simple toys and how a lot of kids in the 50's and 60's made their own toys. In this post, I'll be discussing go-karts and clubhouses plus some girl-made toys. Maybe you'd like some free advertising?
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