How to Make a Stick Jail

Outside role playing games are both fun and healthy. "Cops and Robbers" is one classic example of the type of children's entertainment that promotes outdoor physical activity, logic usage and creativity. Here is an easy way to create an outdoor jail for children to use while role playing.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Stones
• Tree branches
• Posthole digger or pike
• Rope
• Sheet (optional)

1. Measure out an area in the approximate shape of a square, and mark each corner with a stone. Clear the entire area--the makeshift jail spot as well as the surrounding outside area--of debris or objects to reduce accidental falls or injuries during play. Place additional stones approximately three to four inches apart along each edge of the square where you expect to place a support for your jail's "walls" leaving a gap in one wall for the jail's "doorway."
2. Clean-strip enough branches to match the number of stones. To deter injury should a jail wall somehow collapse during play, make sure that the branches are lightweight and free of sharp edges.
3. Dig holes at least 6 inches deep and a little larger than the width of each branch. Push in your branches, fill in the holes and water the hole's soil to give the branches support. Allow to dry before play or, for additional support, push small round creek or river stones into the holes and then allow them to dry.
4. Knot your rope around the first branch at the doorway at the bottom, and weave the rope along the branches knotting or double-looping the rope on each branch as you weave. Once you have reached the other side of the jail "doorway," knot the rope, draw the rope up the branch about 5 inches, repeat the process back to the other side and repeat back and forth until the rope reaches below the tops of the branches.
5. Leave the doorway open as it serves as an escape route for the role playing robbers who must then fend off the cops who are waiting to catch them as they attempt an escape. You could also affix a dark sheet or other lightweight fabric or material to the top of the jail door frame. Another option would be to lean a lightweight and easily movable object against the door frame walls blocking the doorway.
6. Reiterate with your role players that the jail walls are not to be used as a support to lean on and that any rough-housing will result in a timeout or discontinuation of play.
7. Recycle the jail after role play is over by stapling chicken wire to the jail wall branches and planting a garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Never stack stones up against the base of the branches you use for the role playing jail "wall" as the stones could dislodge during play resulting in accidental falls or other injuries.
• Lean on jail wall branches and tug on ropes after construction is complete. If the walls bend 80 degrees or less toward the ground or there are more than 4 inches of space between branches, take down the ropes and rebuild the jail as both of these construction issues pose risks to child safety during play.