Toy Story 2

A few weeks ago, I lamented about how our poor, deprived children haven’t a thing to play with in this house and have to settle for a cardboard box. The little darlings have so little to entertain themselves with, it’s just a tragedy. However, they do have one toy that never fails to bring the kids to the yard, and that is the very cool Crazy Forts! The box states:


Just add bed sheets for endless fun (or just get a king sized sheet and be done with it)

Durable - Portable - Easy to build (if you have an engineering degree)

Promotes collaborative play between boys and girls (whatever that means)

Add on more sets for even more fun! (Drop some more cash our way!)

We bought this for the kids for Christmas, as they love building forts at daycare and elsewhere. The concept is straightforward and fun. It’s basically a giant Tinker Toy set that you snap together to create a frame for your own bed sheet. It’s that simple.

Oh sure, when I was a kid, we had to use Grandma’s card table and a quilt, but times have changed, and this is a welcome addition. The reviews on Amazon are split with some parents lamenting that it’s too hard for the kids to do on their own. While one grandma actually complained about the fact that there wasn’t a bed sheet included in the box (really?) It’s not cheap, but it lasts and has staying power, which is the sign of a good toy. Yes, with younger kids it takes some adult leadership, but that only adds to the fun. Be glad this doesn’t involve Dora or one of the Disney Princesses.

We had friends come in this weekend for an end of winter play date and we broke out the Crazy Fort! to occupy the kids while we made breakfast. Rob volunteered to be the architect/builder and dutifully listened to his whiney client’s needs. After some revisions the structure was built, old sheet added and then the fun began. Eli tends to be the destroyer, and spent the better part of the morning trying to bring down what Rob had built. But once he crawled in, the fun started. Add a cheap flashlight, and you’re good to go.

Now, before you all think that this will replace daycare, it won’t. No toy can do that (yet). But do know that this toy has staying power and we look forward to having it around for a long time.