HOW TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE DUVET DEN

Did anyone else spend a fortune over the Easter hols while keeping the kids entertained? I'm already thinking I'm going to have to be creative when it comes to the six-week summer break (I've heard the cost of keeping 2.4 children entertained over the school summer holiday is estimated to be £2,500.)

So I was pleased to read about The Fine Bedding Company which has teamed up with life coach for children Naomi Richards, author of The Parent’s Toolkit, to inspire families to have fun without spending money by creating 'the ultimate duvet den'.

Having worked with children of all ages for over nine years, Naomi explains why activities such as building dens is the perfect way of not only having fun, it’s also an excellent bonding and communication exercise between parent and child.

Naomi said: 'Technology plays such a big role in children’s lives these days that it has become more important to encourage children to build on their core skills such as communication, listening and team building. An activity such as building a den encourages a child and parent to do this by working together. It also provides a parent and child with the opportunity to chat and bond and it costs nothing.'

Here’s their step-by-step guide.

You will need:

A large, light synthetic duve

Blankets or sheets for the floor

Pillows/sofa cushions/sleeping bags

Clothes pegs to secure the duvet in place

Bunting

Fairy lights

Keep out sign or similar

Torch

String

Books

Games

Snacks

Extension cable

Directions

Lay a blanket or sheet on the floor and position four chairs opposite each other; they should be close enough together for the duvet to drape over the chairs and over the seat cushions. Gather pillows and cushions to fill the den and provide comfy cushioning – ideally around the corners and along the back wall. Weave string in-between the top of the chairs to form a support for the roof and attach fairy lights on to it with pegs. Use an extension cable for the lights if needed.

Lift the duvet over the top of the chairs ensuring it covers the lights and provides a cover at the back. Ideally position the den against a wall or sofa for additional support. The duvet should hang over the two front chairs by a couple of inches. You can fill in the spaces with white sheets to ensure the roof and sides reach the floor. Decorate the den with items like bunting, tea sets, cuddly toys and books. Get the children to design ‘keep out!’ signs.

Sara Wadsworth from The Fine Bedding Company said: 'It’s really hard to think of activities to do every day of the holidays, and with the average cost of a family day out reaching an eye-watering £300, it’s just not financially possible for some parents. We wanted to inspire parents to not only be creative but also help them save money. Building a duvet den is a fantastic activity, perfect to build indoors if the weather isn’t great, or outdoors on a warm sunny day'

For more information, visit www.finebedding.co.uk