When I was a kid, my biggest dream was to have a special backyard fort of my very own!
From what I can tell, I was hardly the only one. Countless people recall childhood hideouts as either the highlight of their young lives, or the ultimate fantasy.
From make-believe dens in the brambles to full-on tree houses like this charming lofty hobbit house, there’s something undeniably magical about these spaces.
I think it’s got to be the same instinct that drives us to build tiny houses. Essentially, most compact and adorable tiny homes are like the more sophisticated older cousin of the classic backyard den.
Maybe that’s why, even as a grown-up, I can’t help but envy one little girl whose extremely crafty dad built her a cozy backyard sandbox out of old scrap wood and plenty of imagination!
He started out with the bread and butter of the DIY world: an ordinary leftover wooden palette. Now check out the gallery below to see how he took it from basic to beautiful for this truly out-of-this-world craft.
This dad started out with an ordinary wooden palette, the basic building block in the toolkit of lots of backyard DIY-ers. These simple flat wooden structures are often used to transport goods, and might be found outside hardware or grocery stores. He started by removing nails and separating out the pieces he would need.
He cut and organized the pieces he needed from the palette, then started building out the various elements into the bits and pieces needed for making his masterpiece! Here, he uses measured boards to build out the frame for the sandpit.
His next step is to build two hinged lids to cover the sandbox. This is the perfect way to keep out the elements, and also for protecting the sand inside from any backyard critters. The lids close down on either side, and lift up to reveal the sandbox inside.
Even better, the flat lids hide a secret surprise! Not only are they hinged to allow the lids to lift off, they also have a second hinge on the interior. This clever dad actually built the lid to convert into two benches! The top of the box folds up and turns into a pair of seats!
Next, he builds pillars reaching up from the frame on the ground, then starts building a slightly peaked roof over the top. Instead of a solid roof, it's a framework of boards; the perfect setup for building a canopy over the sandbox that will shade his little girl from the sun.
With the benches and pillars in place, it was time for him to line the interior with a sheet of weed blocker stapled to the interior of the frame. From there, he fills in the sandbox with clean play sand, perfect for his little daughter!
Now, his little girl is all set up with the ultimate backyard hideaway! She gets to feel like she has a space all of her own, but Mom and Dad can still easily keep an eye on her!
She has a perfect, comfortable place in the backyard where she can sit in the shade, play with her favorite beach toys, and relax in the ultimate kid playhouse! Talk about an awesome dad!
Do you know a little one who would be obsessed with this cool sandbox setup? Make sure to SHARE with anyone you know who is handy enough to pull this off!
