When we have taken our Snug Cotton Anti-allergy duvet (4.5tog) out of its bag, Eddie immediately wrapped himself up with it and pronounced it the snuggliest duvet ever.
I think he has a point. It truly is the softest and comfiest duvet. Very light, it is perfect for this season, when it's still cold to sleep without a duvet, but too warm for anything heavier.
Its cover is made of 100% cotton. and the filling is 100% polyester with anti-allergy treatment which protects against dust mites, odour causing bacteria and mould residue. This multi-function anti-microbial treatment offers real protection against the causes and triggers of common allergies.
I've been having sinus problems for years, and have a selection of anti-allergy bedding items, which I believe help me to sleep better.
This double duvet is also a great building material, as Eddie and I have discovered.
I remember the forts and homes my younger brother and I built when we were kids. We used chairs as well as tables plus a lot of pillows and blankets to create our own micro-cosmos. And taking in the torch inside and reading a book while stuffing ourselves with cookies felt like a great fun and adventure.
We had a Siamese cat then who was the most ferocious beast. My brother and I used to tease him and then run and hide inside our tent. Memories, memories...
Eddie built his fort with two chairs, a comfy cushion, a couple of duvets and a fleece, and declared he didn't want to undo it when it was time for bed. "Mummy, can we keep it like that forever?"
He had a little blue dragon light inside, and said it was his magic fort, where the dragons keep the treasure.
Our fort was a very simple den, but if you want to become a pro in building secret duvet forts, Sleepy People have come up with a whole list of tips:
Get stocked up
Building a top secret duvet fort is no mean feat, and you’re going to need a good stock of building materials.
Obviously the building blocks of your fort are going to be duvets and sheets, and the more the better! Although, beware of robbing any bedding from an unsuspecting big brother or sister who might not take too kindly to having their bed turned into a secret hideaway!
To make things a little more comfy in there, throw in some pillows and some cushions off the sofa, and maybe even a sleeping bag.
To keep everything solid and secure, make sure you have some clothes' pins and rubber bands and maybe safety pins, but of course exercise caution using these around small children!
But it’s not just the construction itself you need to prepare for! Hang up some fairy lights or other lanterns to create a really magical atmosphere.
Fort building can be hungry work, so make sure the cupboard and fully stocked with all kinds of treats to keep you and your builders going, and make sure you have some entertainment ready such as a mini DVD player or iPad that you can snuggle up with once you’re in your new fort.
Scouting out a location
First things first, you’ll need to find the perfect location for your secret fort. A kitchen or dining room table works a treat as you can drape the duvet right over it and hide away underneath.
If the weather does decide to play ball, why not take things outside? Trees, swings and garden furniture can all become parts of a magical outdoor hideaway.
One thing to bear in mind though is that you need to build your fort somewhere out of the way.
Not only do you not want any uninvited visitors, but family members probably won’t take too kindly to tripping over your masterpiece as they shuttle back and forth in the kitchen trying to master that lamb roast.
The construction process
Half of the fun of making a duvet fort is experimenting and seeing what works and what doesn’t work, so we don’t want to ruin it too much for you!
Working as a team to try and create something is all part of the challenge so keep at it!
You basically just need to drape your sheets and duvet over your chairs, table or whatever furniture you’ve chosen.
Of course, this isn’t quite so straightforward and you’ll find the blankets will often fall off, so you’ll need to make use of rubber bands and clothes pegs to keep everything in place.
Once you’ve got your fort looking fairly sturdy you can think about adding a door. After all it’s a fort, it has to be secure!
This can be made using some cardboard boxes or maybe just an opening in your blankets.
Let the kids be in charge
While you may think you’ve got a slightly better knowledge of architecture than your little one, make sure you don’t overtake the construction process!
While the results may wind up being a bit of a disaster, letting the kids take creative control is what it’s all about.
Let them explore their own imaginations, and only jump in to guide things in the right direction when necessary.
Of course… this is all assuming that you even have kids, and you’re not just trying to escape from adulthood for the day!
Get inspired
Is your fort looking structurally sound, but a little bit…bland? Why not check out these duvet fort ideas from Pinterest for a little inspiration?
So there you have it. The perfect way to spend a rainy day with the kids, and to have a little bit of fun yourself!
(Tips featured courtesy of Sleepy People)
Our den might not be as glamorous and sophisticated as the Pinterest creations, but my son enjoyed it very much. And I will enjoy a good night's sleep with the snugliest duvet. In fact, I like it so much, I'm going to buy a couple of single ones, for my sons who love their creature comforts as well.(Tips featured courtesy of Sleepy People)
May Bank Holidays will be soon upon us, and in a typical British fashion, I bet it will be raining. So how about building a duvet fort with your kids?
Disclosure: We received an anti-allergy duvet for the purposes of testing, building a fort and reviewing. All opinions are Eddie's and mine.
What great fun and I must admit to being jealous of your blue dragon lamp! We used to do this as kids as well. In the summer we had a tent in the garden
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