We love big making projects outside. One of our favourites is a garden teepee for the summer. Everyone joins in. First job is to cut long sticks from the hazel tree. A job for their father. The children help to strip the leaves and side branches.
Great care is taken and everyone has a job.
Next, the sticks are made into a structure and the cloth is carefully fixed to them. Wrapping around.
Breathable ground sheet is put down inside and the teepee can feel very inviting. Especially when the day heats up.
And then the fun begins.
This is the job that will take all summer. Visiting friends will be invited to add their mark to the cloth.
The only rule is to choose a natural subject. No cars or buildings, but plants and animals. Maybe.
The colour palette is limited, but that doesn’t stop them mixing to make new colours.
Multicoloured leaf printing is a must.
Every summer garden party, we put up a teepee. Children, and adults, are encouraged to paint it. This year we have reused some of the old cloths and “Happy Birthday” can still be seen, along with previous masterpieces. Its fun. It brings back memories of previous times. Of friends that have moved on. Of friends that have grown.
This is the very first teepee we made. When AJ was one years old. Her first birthday party. Eleven years ago. (The glass of wine was not hers!)
Today is the summer solstice and it is mild and dry. The children are sleeping out in the teepee tonight. Another adventure to be had.
Happy Solstice.
Joining in with the amazing #CountryKids Linky. I may be a bit late hopping over there as I have a teepee waiting for me. Hope the children have left me a space!
WOW! what an amazing teepee – Well done. Somehow I can’t see us managing to create something like this. Not good with DIY projects at the best of times. It truly looks amazing and so impressive. #countrykids
They are having so much fun with the teepee, that it’s worth the effort.
This is just stunning… so much fun, what a wonderful tradition!!! I love it… My kids keep asking if they can sleep out but it is so cold over here… they will have to wait a couple of months!!!
The last two years have been so wet, that we haven’t made a teepee. The children are beyond excited that we are doing it this year. It is good fun. Making the most of our warmer weather, before we hand it back to you, my friend! 🙂
I fondly remember my mum throwing a sheet over the washing line and putting bricks each side to hole it down for a tent. We loved it.
All these years later I can recall the smell inside the tent and watching the earwigs.
Briony
x
Half expected earwigs, but none so far. 🙂 Glad it brought back happy memories for you, too.
Well this makes tents look very boring! What a wonderful idea that is a reminder of some lovely memories over the years. Thanks for linking up and sharing with Country Kids and happy sleeping in the Teepee.
It is good fun and feels more of an adventure as they’ve made their own tent. Hopefully it will stay up all summer and we will have a few more nights of sleeping in it. (If the children have their way, we’ll spend all summer sleeping in it!)
That’s a great idea. I’m very jealous. Think we’ve got too many bugs (and dogs and other animals around the farm), but do really want to get a teepee for N. I really like the idea of decorating it as well
It makes a great focus for play in the garden. Adds a bit of shade too. We were a bit worried that the pup would pull it down, but, fingers crossed, she’s ignoring it so far. Maybe it looks too big.
This is fabulous. Love it!
Thanks, Hannah!
This is just brilliant and I want to make one RIGHT now!! I have plenty of hazel around that I can use but what material do you use?
We’ve tried various cloths over the years, but a decorator’s sheet seems to work best. It’s not waterproof, but it doesn’t need to be. Takes the paint well and is relatively cheap. One year, I cut up cheap fabric into triangles and sewed them together. A labour of love! Finished it in the early hours before the day of the party.
This is awesome, what a great tradition. I love that everybody does a little painting on it too.
It goes down so well with visitors. Love seeing the ice being broken and everyone expressing their creativity. I guess they expect something a little bit different to happen at our place!
what a fun project!! i especially like all the personalized touches with the paintings!
They will add more painting as the summer goes on. It is fun.
Wow, I absolutely love love love this – really fab! Hope you have lots of summer fun! #countrykids
I think we will. 🙂