Nothing helps get the family into the summer spirit quite like camping out.
Of course, getting to a campsite isn’t always possible, which is why we decided to help you bring the experience home by building your own indoor tent.
At Great Wolf Lodge, we have our own special name for tents called “Wolf Dens”.
These structures are perfect for little ones who like to curl up and relax in their own private space. To show you just how easy and fun it is, we’ve teamed up with the Edwards family along with Mel Datugan who have created their very own Wolf Dens. Check it out!
Now that you’ve seen how it’s done, it’s time to create your own! Follow the easy guide below to gather supplies and learn how to make a Wolf Den for the kids.
Once you finish, you can enjoy some fun family time together with a few of our favorite activities.
Let’s get started!
How to Make a Wolf Den
Step 1. Gathering Materials
The first step to making a children’s indoor tent is gathering all the necessary supplies. To make this process a bit more fun, we designed a scavenger hunt to help get you started. You can check it out here.
You and your family will have a blast running around the house to find everything you need. You’ll need the following items: pillows, bed sheets, blankets, chairs, a few small lights, clothespins, rope (or string), books, a flashlight, sleeping bag and boxes.
Step 2. Decorations to Personalize Your Wolf Den
Before we get going on building our Wolf Den, we first need to design some decorations to personalize it. Here are a few fun crafts to help make your DIY tent truly unique.
- Fire Pit and Marshmallows: Every tent needs a fire to keep you warm. How else are you supposed to roast marshmallows, or at least pretend to? Here’s a fun and flameless way to do just that. All you’ll need to complete this section of the tutorial is a brown or black marker, five to eight pieces of brown construction, some tape, red orange and yellow tissue paper, a few long sticks and white cotton batting.
- Hanging Stars: The best thing about camping is being able to look up at the night sky, so why not create some stars to hang inside your kids indoor Wolf Den? Check out our guide for easy-to-follow instructions on how! For this one, you’ll need to first gather a few large sticks and twigs from outside. Once you finish, you can head back inside to begin the craft. You’ll also need a pair of scissors, a few different types of yarn and a hot glue gun.
- Wolf Den Banner Sign: Don’t forget to name your Wolf Den! Here is a sign you can color and decorate. Print it out, cut along the dashed line, color it in, add your name and make it your own. When you’re finished you can pin, tape or hang your sign wherever you see fit!
Step 3. Start Building Your DIY Wolf Den
Now comes the fun part. It’s time to build your Wolf Den! From the classic fort to the table tent, we show you a few different options you can use in order to build your indoor tent.
CLASSIC FORT
This approach revolves around creating a classic tent. To begin, drag a few pieces of furniture together. Throw a sheet over the top. Weigh down the exterior with a few pillows. Because this one requires the use of your home furniture, you will probably only want to keep it up for a few days.
A-FRAME
This easy method involves tying a string between two sturdy points. Throw a sheet over it in a-frame style and tadah! Your tent is complete.
TABLE TENT
Find an oversized tablecloth that runs all the way to the floor. Throw it over a table to create the tent. You can pin part of the fabric to one of the edges or cut a doorway into one of the sides to create your entrance.
Fun Activities to do in Your Wolf Den
Congratulations! Your Wolf Den is complete. Now that the hard work is over, it’s time to enjoy your creation! Read on to learn more about some fun activities you can do inside your tent.
1. Snuggle up and tell some stories! Nothing helps the kids concentrate on a good story quite like eliminating surrounding distractions. Crawl into the tent with your little ones for some quality time together.
You can really set the mood by decorating the Wolf Den in theme with the story. Find some props around the house that might relate to what you’re reading.
You can also put on some music you feel pairs well with the book or dress up as your favorite character! Find more storytime tips here.
2. Make a shadow puppet show! If you’ve used a thin enough material to decorate your tent, you’ll love this next activity! String up some lights on the inside of your Wolf Den.
If you don’t have any you can always place a small lamp inside the structure. You can go over a few easy positions with the kids to create shadow puppets with their hands. Dim the overhead lights and let the magic begin!
3. Enjoy a snack! What better way to cozy up inside your newly constructed tent than with a delicious treat? If you’re looking for the perfect summer snack, check out our original popcorn recipe.
We’ve elevated this happy time snack with some truly unique toppings!
4. Play House! Let your little ones fill up their Wolf Den with dolls and other accessories
We hope you enjoyed learning how to make a kids Wolf Den! At Great Wolf Lodge, we create family traditions, one family at a time. These days, we’re looking to take that mission out of the lodge and into your home. Make sure to check back in with us again soon to learn about more at-home activities the whole family will enjoy!
