Backyard Teepee for Under $10

So I am lucky enough to have grown up in a house with a big yard. Although it comes with a lot of yard work, I grew up having a ton of fun and my kids have a blast here too!

We have hordes of bamboo that grows very fast and needs cut back multiple times every year. It can almost feel like a full-time job. The plus side is that we have tons of material at the ready for creative play.

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Anyone else have a #LoveHate #relationship with their #backyard ❓ I #love it as a #sanctuary but it comes with a ton of #yardwork 🤪 The #bamboo helps bring in #birds which is #great for #birdwatching but we also have to treat the #yard for #ticks 😱 Our #longterm #plan is to get #goats and #guineas for ticks and to help keep the bamboo from overtaking the yard but we will have to #petition the #township as our #property is narrow and we dont meet the space #ordinance 🤔 Anyone have any #thoughts on the #process ❓

A post shared by Kat (@craftingglow) on Apr 8, 2020 at 9:59am PDT

I grew up making teepees in the yard with my dad, so when the kids asked to make a teepee I was excited and quickly collected the materials.

The Base

I like to use 4 poles because it seems like the sturdiest teepee you can get with the least amount of fussing around with sticks.

We use bamboo because there is so much of it, but any sticks or poles will do. Old mops and brooms are a good starting place, but you could buy brooms at your local dollar store if you don’t have any old things lying around. *Hint – You can always ask relatives or neighbors if they are getting rid of anything that might work for this.

If your neighbors have bamboo they will probably just give it to you, if you are willing to cut it down. This type of gardening lopper is what I have found works best to cut a few sticks or pieces of bamboo. (I am not adding this to the cost of the teepee cause if you don’t already own a pair there are cheaper options for your base).

ATTENTION: For legal reason I insist that only an adult should use cutters, but if you grew up in a farming community, like I did, you know that kids should be carefully supervised until they have gained your trust. Even then accidents happen so the “mom in me” likes to encourage supervision!

The Fasteners

You can use string, twine, yarn, rope, nylon cord, or zip ties. Just make sure you wind it around the top enough times to make your supports feel sturdy.

I won’t insult your intelligence by trying to explain specifically how to fasten your poles together with every type of fastener, but I will say this step is easier with a second set of hands.

We even wrap fasteners around the individual poles, and sometimes interlock them, to help keep our teepee sturdy even when it shifts or when we move it to a new location (mostly to mow the lawn).

If you have a good many sticks and fasteners you can make many different shapes of tent or “fort” so feel free to experiment with different shapes.

Keep in mind that you want a solid base and sturdy fastening because you don’t want it to collapse or fall on anyone if they bump into a support.

The Fabric

We used an old bed sheet as our teepee fabric this time. It looks like it served as both the mattress cover and top sheet so it is much bigger than a normal sheet and worked great as a teepee.

Fastening the Fabric

If you have smaller sheets or blankets you could clip them together with alligator clips, safety pins, clothes pins, or hair fasteners.

Wrap the sheet around your teepee frame like a coat, and use at least one of your fasteners to clip it together at the top, sort of like buttoning a coat at your neck.

We used a large safety pin. Use your best judgement on what would be best for your space. It gets pretty windy here so we wanted something with some “staying power”.

Keep it Creative

We have used all of these different methods over the years because if you use what you have, you can save yourself a trip to the store!

We don’t fasten the fabric to the frame in many places because the kids take it off and use it as a blanket to lay out in the grass sometimes. They have also been known to move things around in the yard and make larger fort structures.

Conclusion

We hope you have some great memories of making teepees with your family, and if you don’t we hope you are inspired to spend some quality time building backyard hideaways.

Who doesn’t love a good place to relax in the yard? Do you have a favorite outside sanctuary at your house? How have you made your yard a special place in your life?

Thank you so much for spending time with us today. We hope you stay happy, healthy, and well and keep having fun!

Signing off,

Kat & Family