Making a den

**sarah707** · 23-02-2010, 08:41 PM

I have recently made some unused space in the playroom into a den for the children.

I thought I would share the process I went through to get it up and running with you...

I have posted about it on the latest entry to my blog and added a photo.

I am really proud of what has been achieved with very little money and a bit of imagination

http://knutsfordchildminding.blogspo...aking-den.html

**miffy** · 23-02-2010, 08:44 PM

Oooooo - have you been on the Elizabeth Jarman "Communication Friendly Spaces" course?

Looks great, Sarah

Miffy xx

**Twinkles** · 23-02-2010, 08:45 PM

I love it Sarah ! What a good idea

It's interesting to note how the different children use it too.

**sarah707** · 23-02-2010, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by miffy

Oooooo - have you been on the Elizabeth Jarman "Communication Friendly Spaces" course?

Looks great, Sarah

Miffy xx

Not as such... there was a very interesting snippet from them at that conference I did earlier in the year and I have read their booklet for childminders which inspired too.

This is intended more as a cosy space for one than particularly communication friendly though because it's so small...

**Blaze** · 23-02-2010, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by sarah707

Not as such... there was a very interesting snippet from them at that conference I did earlier in the year and I have read their booklet for childminders which inspired too.

This is intended more as a cosy space for one than particularly communication friendly though because it's so small...

& you should rightly be proud

...0ut of interest where can I get hold of a copy of her booklet for childminders? x

**sarah707** · 23-02-2010, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by Blaze

& you should rightly be proud

...0ut of interest where can I get hold of a copy of her booklet for childminders? x

http://www.elizabethjarmanltd.co.uk/store/

**nell57** · 23-02-2010, 09:08 PM

looks fab

I'm going on a course that incorporates den making in March, which I'm really looking forward to

**FussyElmo** · 23-02-2010, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by nell57

looks fab

I'm going on a course that incorporates den making in March, which I'm really looking forward to

the one at the moat house?

**beccas** · 23-02-2010, 09:14 PM

just ordered oneof these

**nell57** · 23-02-2010, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by FussyElmo

the one at the moat house?

Yes are you?

I'm doing den making for the morning, then outdoors on a budget (think thats the title) for the aftrenoon. Not many minders I know are intersted in going, but I'm looking forward to it

**FussyElmo** · 23-02-2010, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by nell57

Yes are you?

I'm doing den making for the morning, then outdoors on a budget (think thats the title) for the aftrenoon. Not many minders I know are intersted in going, but I'm looking forward to it

Snap doing exactly the same. Great minds and all that cant wait

**Blaze** · 23-02-2010, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by sarah707

http://www.elizabethjarmanltd.co.uk/store/

Thanks

Don't forget to add the den details to your SEF!

**nannysue** · 23-02-2010, 09:27 PM

It looks fab, well done ..... i bet they have all had such fun with their new den !!

**ORKSIE** · 23-02-2010, 09:39 PM

That looks lovely and snuggly

**MarpleJollytots** · 23-02-2010, 10:16 PM

OOOOw that looks great ! Can i come round ? I could get quiet cozy in there with a bar of chocolate and a glass of wine !!!I love dens. I used to peg my mums sheets all around the house attached to anything and everything so the whole room looked like a great big tent.Then i would fill it with cushions and soft toys and have a picnic in there.

**linda2girls** · 23-02-2010, 10:30 PM

What a great idea, much better than under a table.

Linda.

**Ripeberry** · 23-02-2010, 10:40 PM

I love making dens

I used to live in the woods in the summer and just spend ages making wooden frames then using loads of bracken to thatch my home for the summer (I did go home in the evenings).
We made a den today, by pushing the sofa away from the window and draping the curtains over it and putting a blanket at one end. The kids had loads of fun.
Best thing of all, a big cardboard box

**MarpleJollytots** · 23-02-2010, 11:10 PM

One day in a nursery i worked in we took all the toys out of the room,ALL of them !!! We filled the room with cardboard boxes. Huge ones,small ones different depths etc etc.We rang the nearby Asda and they said we could go and help ourselves. You should of seen the childrens faces !!!!!! They were baffled at first,but the imaginative play that came from such a simple idea was fantastic.We spent two hours just 'Pretending'.

**sarah707** · 24-02-2010, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by MarpleJollytots

OOOOw that looks great ! Can i come round ?

Yes of course you can the kettle is on

**sweets** · 24-02-2010, 07:50 AM

i made a den under my table yesterday, havnt done one for ages so i thought the children would really like it, but they didn't! i got the cooking stuff out and suggested they made a picnic under there with the teddies. which they did for about 10 mins then that was it

they are a boy 4 and a girl 2.5 and seem to have lost thier imagination to play