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How to Make a Tent Toy

This tepee tent will keep your children entertained for hours. It takes an afternoon to construct and your children can put it up and take it down by themselves. Get their imaginations going while teaching them about American Indian culture. All the supplies to construct the tent can be found in your local hardware store. This versatile tent is suitable for theme parties and outdoor camping adventures.

Things You'll Need

9-by-12-foot canvas tarp
Measuring tape
Colored marker
Scissors
White cotton rope
Ten 8-foot white PVC pipes, 3/4 inch in diameter
Hacksaw
2 chopsticks

Instructions

- 1
  Fold the tarp in half so it forms a rectangle.
- 2
  Measure 6 feet of rope and cut it with the scissors. Tie one end on the colored marker.
- 3
  Stand in front of the longest end of the rectangle. Get your child to stand in the top left corner and hold one end of the rope while you draw an arc with the marker tied to the other end of the rope.
- 4
  Cut along the line and open the tarp. You should have a circle.
- 5
  Cut a 6-by-12 inch rectangle in the middle of the circle for the tepee tent poles.
- 6
  Use a length of rope to tie three of the poles together about two feet from their tops. Prop the poles up in a tripod shape.
- 7
  Lean the other poles on the tripod. Space the poles out evenly to form the tent frame. Place the tarp over the poles and let the top of the poles poke out of the hole in the middle of the tarp.
- 8
  Cut small holes in the bottom of the tarp on both sides of each pole. Thread the rope through and secure the bottom of the tarp to the pole with a simple knot.
- 9
  Cut a slit for the door from the bottom of the tarp. The door should end a foot away from the top hole. Peel the tarp door back and secure it to the frame by cutting two small holes in either side of the nearest pole. Thread the chopstick through the first hole, behind the pole and out through the second hole. Do the same for the second chopstick.
- 10
  Dismantle the tent by grasping the tent poles where they join and lifting up. Gather the poles and store the tent. Erect the tent by holding it by the top and arranging the tent poles into a circle.

Backyard Toys