How to Create a Kids' Closet Clubhouse

Despite the huge playroom my children have in our Perry Hall home, I would often catch my boys playing with flashlights and hiding in the coat closet. I don’t know what it is about enclosed spaces, but I'm sure my kids aren’t the only ones who create , hide under tables and play in closets.

So, I decided to create a permanent clubhouse in our basement closet under the stairs. Since we don’t use this space for storage, it makes a perfect clubhouse for my boys. And no, it has nothing to do with Harry Potter.

We started by going to Lowe’s in White Marsh to pick out a paint color. My boys both love the color red, so that’s what they picked. Then we prepared the space and got busy painting and decorating. 

My 5-year-old loved that I helped him paint, and we did a really good job. Not bad, considering that I am the world’s worst painter! It only took me three coats—gotta love red paint—but it was completely transformed. We added some battery-powered stick-on lights, which illuminated the dark space nicely.

Then we headed to IKEA, also in White Marsh off Honeygo Boulevard, and purchased some inexpensive rugs and pillows for decorations. We also bought two bins for toys so the space would stay —at least I hope it will. And finally, I ordered some wall decals from Amazon, to make the space even more fun for both my boys.

The entire project cost about $100, and now the boys have the coolest clubhouse to play in. It would have cost far less had I skipped the wall stickers, but they were worth the extra money because the kids love them!

This project has also made my boys overcome a fear! They went from being afraid of going in the basement alone, to wanting to sleep down there! I’m not ready for that sleepless night yet, but I am enjoying that they will now go down to their clubhouse and just hang out. Ah, to be a little boy.

I only wish I had thought of this before winter!

So, am I alone? Do your kids like to play in small spaces and build forts? Have you given them a dedicated space where they can play? Tell us in the comments.

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