How to Build a Snow Fort

So that white stuff is here to stay or so the weather channel says. If all you have done is drive around in it cursing the sky then it may just be time for you to have a little fun. Building a snow fort with your children will light up their day.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• 5 gallon buckets
• Shovel
• Wet sticky snow
• The kids

1. Start by finding a spot that is level without drifts. Make sure there is plenty of snow nearby. You don’t want to hurt anyone by carrying too much to far. Drag your shovel along creating a line where the walls will be so that everyone knows where to go. I like the semicircle plan against one side of the garage. Be sure to leave a small opening on one side between the garage and your line for the door.
2. Set the buckets upright and shovel snow into them until they are full. My children love to make snow balls while I am shoveling so they will have ammo once the fort is up. Have the children sit on top of the buckets a few times to compact the snow and add more. Keep doing this until the bucket is full with tightly packed snow.
3. Flip the bucket upside down on top of the line that was drawn for the walls. Line each bucket up as close as possible to the last. Lift the bucket and leave the snow tower there. Should the snow become too packed and stick to the bucket, lightly tap and it should separate.
4. Once the line has been replaced by buckets of snow, go back and fill in the gaps. With a pile of snow in front of your hand lightly drag and pat upwards between the two towers. This should fill the gap in no time. Repeat from the backside to make the wall stable.
5. This is a great time to head inside and get warmed up. By the time you make it back outside the wall will have frozen and become more stable. Should you care to add another layer of buckets of snow stacking them straggled from the first set, on top of them. This will make the wall twice as high and twice as stable by not placing the bucket directly on top of the first.

Tips & Warnings

• For some real fun get the neighbor kids to build one in their yard, stock well with snow balls, and duck and cover.
• Dress for the weater and noon on a cold day will give you the best chance of sticky snow.
• Little fingers freeze faster then bigger ones. Check the kids and be sure to have them take plenty of warm up breaks.