Your kids will fall in love with these DIY play tents that are built just for the kids, no adults allowed. A tent can become a magical world that your child never wants to leave, where they're in charge and can play make-believe all day long.
Making your own DIY tent or fort is simple and affordable. Some DIY tents require sewing while others require more woodworking, but they are all fun projects that a beginner can easily tackle.
Check out these ideas for DIY play tents and forts that will make your kids room, playroom, or backyard more fun.
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No-Sew Playroom Tent
This dreamy DIY tent would be the perfect place to cozy up with a stack of books. This tutorial builds a huge tent that even the grown-ups will want to enjoy, no sewing required.
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Viking Play Tent
Magical play awaits your kids with this DIY Viking play tent. Built mainly out of pine boards, this is a sturdy tent that will withstand even the roughest of play. Woodworking skills are required but it's a no-sew project so you won't need any sewing experience.
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Easy No-Sew Kids Tent
Here's another no-sew tent that the kids would love to have. This is an easy project that will take you less than an hour to make and uses items that you probably already have on hand.
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Vintage Fabric A-Frame Tent
This light and airy DIY tent from A Beautiful Mess is covered with vintage crocheted fabric that gives it a charming handmade look. The project shows you how to build the tent supports and then how to wrap the fabric around those supports to form the tent. This is a beginner project that anyone can tackle.
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Collapsible Play Tent
This fun DIY play tent is made using PVC pipes as support and bandanas sewn together to form the outside of the tent. The tent can easily be taken down when not in use; simply take the frame apart and roll the cover around the frame.
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Hula Hoop Canopy Tent
This DIY play tent starts with an unusual object—a hula hoop. You'll need quite a bit of fabric for this project and it does require sewing but the outcome is a cute and cozy canopy-shaped tent that the kids are going to love.
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Nursery Play Tent
This is a smaller sized tent, perfect for a toddler. If you want something bigger, directions are included on how to do so. This project does require some sewing, but it's all straight-line sewing with nothing tricky involved.
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A-Frame Play Tent
If you can drill a hole in wood, then you make this DIY play tent that uses dowels and molding to make an A-frame and fabric to make the tent cover. There are also some tips here on how to paint your tent frame to match your fabric.
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Bed Sheet Play Tent
If you don't mind some sewing, this adorable DIY play tent may be the project for you. It starts with a hula hoop top and then some fabric is sewn together to form a frame. The fabric choice here is bed sheets that are used for both the upper portion and the lower portion of the tent.
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DIY Tent with a No-Sew Cover
Here's an A-frame DIY play tent that has a no-sew cover. Wood boards are dowels are used to build the frame and then a twin size sheet along with some hook and loop fasteners is used to make the cover. When you're finished, you'll have a cute as can be tent that the kids will love.
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Fleece Play Tent
Whether inside or out, this DIY tent is made for having fun. PVC pipe is used for the frame of this tent and fleece fabric is used for the outside. Fleece fabric is a great choice because it allows you to eliminate hemming.
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DIY Canvas Tent
Here's a DIY tent that would be great for the kids but also gives the adults a great place to cuddle under and enjoy the great outdoors. Long branches are used as the frame for the tent and then the flaps of the tent cover are tied down to the ground to provide some extra support.
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No-Sew DIY Kids Play Tent
This adorable tent is the perfect place to hide away and make magic happen. Easy and inexpensive, it takes less than an hour and uses materials that cost less than $30. There's no sewing involved and you don't need to use any power tools to build it.
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DIY Kids Tent
This DIY kids tent has an A-frame structure, which means that you can fold the tent up and store it flat when it's not being used. Wood molding and dowels are used to make the structure of the tent.
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No-Sew Play Tent
This DIY play tent uses PVC pipes and a drop cloth as the basis for a cute tent that doesn't require any sewing. This completely collapsible tent costs about $60 to make and will take you an afternoon or two to complete it.
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Lacy Play Tent
This pretty play tent is covered with lace but you could use any type of fabric to cover it, such as drop cloth or canvas. This DIY tent takes some time to complete but the finished result is worth it.
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Rustic DIY Tent
This rustic DIY tent uses long branches as support, although you could use poles from the hardware store in a pinch. The special touch to this DIY tent is the lacing near the top that adds a fun and unexpected detail that you and the kids will appreciate.
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Decorative DIY Tent
If you're looking for an easy and affordable kids project, you're going to want to check out this DIY play tent. Using PVC pipes and curtains, you'll be able to put together this play tent in no time at just a fraction of what a similar one costs at the store. Little details like spray paint and a mobile attached to the top of the tent really take this tent to the next level.