help me imagine/invent a cozy enclosed play area

[megincl]

DD (10 mo) really LOVES enclosed spaces. I'd love to create something Waldorf-y for her (or purchase something). I like the idea of this, but perhaps something with gentler lines. I don't have time to make something (or the means, really, though I did my years of woodworking as a kid in Waldorf schools!). At this point, I don't think just having play stands with covers would work, as I don't think they're sturdy enough (DD pulls down chairs, etc). Any thoughts, ideas, plans, dreams?

Thanks!

[LuxPerpetua]

This doesn't have gentler lines, but what we did that was easy was set up a card table and cover it in hand-knitted baby blankets.  Inside, we put blankets on the floor along with a sheepskin rug and soft pillow.  When dd is sick now (she's 5.5) she still takes a nap in there.  We call it her "hideout".  The upside is that it was very cheap, can be taken down and reused as a card table, and it is just the right amount of enclosure for her since you can see through the holes in the knitting.  I have contemplated changing out the card table for a square wooden table so that she can climb on top of it as well as underneath it and drape a silk canopy from the ceiling to cover it.  That would be too elaborate for a 10 month old but it may be something for the future.  I have heard of something called a rainbow house, which I think is like a wooden frame that you drape with playsilks and children can get inside of it.  Maybe someone else will have better ideas ...

[FarmerBeth]

We used couch cushions from an old sofa set up in our kids favorite chair and draped it with crocheted blankets.  I totally see why you aren't going for the play stand, yet.  My kids weren't safe for them at any point because the oldest two climbed everything!

[Bellabaz]

How about a cotton tent? If you can't find a small tent, do you have a space you can string up a sheet? or one of those over-the-bed drapes that hang-like this one from Ikea  ttp://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20130878 

[JudiAU]

What about a fabric playhouse based on a card table? http://www.etsy.com/shop/missprettypretty Decorate to suit yourself. Soft. Enclosed. And you can set it up and take it down to keep it fresh.

I love that cube.

[LuxPerpetua]

Originally Posted by JudiAU 

What about a fabric playhouse based on a card table? http://www.etsy.com/shop/missprettypretty Decorate to suit yourself. Soft. Enclosed. And you can set it up and take it down to keep it fresh.

I love that cube
 

These are adorable!  Definitely going to make something similar for my dd.  Thanks for posting!

[janneyk]

My father was a carpenter. I remember my brother and i had a bunch of very cool little "hideouts". Such great fun that was! He even built my brother a custom LEGO table!

[zoebird]

our waldorf school has a cool craft thing that I like. 

it was essentially a wreath or hoop, to which you attached panels of cloth (like curtains) and hung from a ceiling, tree, whatever. made a little tent that was really nice.

[aprons_and_acorns]

I love the card table idea! Especially for a very young child.  What Bellabaz said reminded me of something we did when DS was really young.  We hung a lightweight dowel from the ceiling, about 3-4 feet from the floor, and draped a length of pretty fabric over it. To make a "house" shape, we tacked one side of the fabric to the wall and draped the other side over a small bookshelf. Does that make sense? LOL, I can picture it in my head but don't know if I'm describing it well.  Anyway, I wanted to mention it because it really worked well, it only took a few minutes to make and it cost next to nothing.

Originally Posted by Bellabaz 

How about a cotton tent? If you can't find a small tent, do you have a space you can string up a sheet?

[LoveLife]

We're puttung together DS's playrroom in our new house this weekend and we're creating a cozy space for him.  We bought 2 bookshelves from ikea, a long one & 1/2 size one.  We'll form an U shape using the bookcases and the wall and then we're going to use a dowel rod and some frabric to drape from the ceailing down to the bookshelves.  It will be very multi-purpose, a hideout/ reading knook, yet it will be big enough to hide behind to do mini puppet shows & the like and the top of short bookshelf will also serve as our nature table.  I have no idea if that makes any sense.  Lol.  I'll try to post pics next week once its complete.

[zoebird]

we are currently using a bar of drift wood hung from the ceiling with a cloth draped over it to form an a-frame styled tent. until the next thing comes along. 

[mamaUK]

We have a play frame that we bought in the UK which is large enough to make a cute, cosy enclosed space by draping and pegging it with play silks but light enough not to really hurt a little one if it got pulled over, here are some pictures from my pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/pin/8217232/ and http://pinterest.com/pin/8217116/ Sorry the pictures don't show it fully, it was the best I could find!

It is a three sided frame, much like a traditonal wooden frame for hanging laundry out to dry, easy to folded away when not needed or can be left up all the time. We love it here and are tempted to buy a second one!