Philips and Disney Imaginative Lighting would love to see your photos of and tips for den building - £100 Amazon voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

The folks at Philips and Disney Imaginative Lighting would love to see photos of the dens that Mumsnetters' DCs have built.

Here's what Philips and Disney Imaginative Lighting say "Building dens can be lots of fun for children, and we'd love to hear about your children’s imaginary den worlds. Do they use everyday objects to enhance their imaginary world? Do they ever use light to enhance their playtime? We'd love to see and hear about your DC's dens”

Please post a photo of one of your DC's dens here, if you have one.

If you don't have any photos to share, do you have any top tips for den-building?

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw, where one Mumsnetter will receive a £100 Amazon voucher.

Please note your comments may be included on Philips and Disney Imaginative Lighting's social media channels, and possibly elsewhere, so please only post if you're comfortable with this.

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

PS: For some more inspiration, just check out the Philips and Disney Imaginative Lighting dens "how to" page here

[NecesitoDormir]

My DCs love den building. My greatest tip was to give them a huge piece of fabric that I had sewn elastic hooks onto. One side was glittery and reflects light and the other is brushed cotton so it can be reversed. It has 6 hooks one on each corner and one on each centre. It can then be used on handles and bed frames without the risk of falling down. My DD uses it on the climbing frame in the garden. I will seek out a picture...

[coolamber]

Here is my son in his Den, built with his sisters and no adult help! He has an assortment of old kettles and pots he found in the woods to complete the interiors.
Top tips - don't help and let them go for it with as many found objects as possible....give them a packed lunch to eat in their 'new home'.

[ouryve]

My boys tend to be quite low tech. DS1 built this one out of sofa cushions, this morning, and DS2 has just demolished it, trying to get in. No lighting needed, as that kind of defeats the object.

[KatyMac]

I have one here it's from my profile.....There is something of a size issue perhaps?

[eteo]

this is my daughter who bring her tea into her den to play!

[SixImpossible]

At Center Parcs. It's a slightly weird, artificially natural place, but still gives city-dwelling youngsters opportunities that they would otherwise miss.

[dahKill]

I think the cushions from the sofas make the best dens. My oldest son loves deconstructing the sofas and making a castle for himself and his brother. Mostly they race through like it's a tunnel or they stop in the middle and giggle. I love watching them play like this, their imaginations are the most wonderful thing.

[Teladi]

I'm never allowed into my daughter's dens!

[Spirael]

When we got the activity mat down from the loft in preparation for DD2's arrival, DD1 immediately saw the potential and threw a blanket over the top of it to make herself a den! Along with various soft toys and snacks, she used to take a torch in there with her, one that slides to also be a lantern.

So I guess my advice would be to see the potential den in everything!

[Eva50]

As children we used to use the clothes airier (or clothes horse as my mother called it) with a blanket over it as our den. My sister and I would play in there for hours. My dc's have a garden shed for their den (carpets and lighting) but they rarely use it.

[VilootShesCute]

My son makes daily dens with his little sister demolishing at every moment. I have to separate them until he's finished, then she gets in with him and they have a picnic and hide from me. The darker the better apparently although I have voiced my opinion that eating in the dark is rather dangerous so they occasionally reluctantly take a torch in.

[Hopezibah]

Photo of my little girl in a 'reading den'. She loves to make dens to read books in. From my days working in childcare, I remember that making small spaces covered in fabrics and with cushions etc is really conducive to reading, imaginative play and have one to one time with children to chat and help their vocabulary.

My top tip would be to never throw away old sheets and duvets as they are perfect for den building. One of the most useful things to create a den with is a parachute we bought years ago for playing parachute games but we use it lots for den making because it is big enough to cover tables, washing lines etc. It is bright and colourful too.

[Cherryjellybean]

We have a small space between a chest and the sofa, she puts blankets across and secures it by using pillows and the lid of the chest. Then inside go her teddys and play food and they have picnics. (She's 3) :) it never really gets dark enough for a torch.

She uses the dining table sometimes too :)

[CheeseEMouse]

My 14 month old loves hanging out under our dining table. What I really like about that is that the table belonged to my grandparents and I used it as a den when I was little and so did my mum!

[thewomaninwhite]

I agree that big bits of fabric are key for den building. Upturned chairs feature a lot too. I wonder whether clothes pegs might be useful.

[Nikoteen87]

Here is my kids having lunch the the den we built in living room :)

[RubySparks]

We live next to a patch of woodland but most often the kids when younger would take over the living room or TV room and use sofas, cushions and blankets to make a den usually filling most of the room.

My top tip is just to set a rule for how long they can have the room and when it needs to be put back to normal! My DD used to want to sleep in the dens she made!

[cather]

We live on a farm so we have plenty of fields to build dens in and plenty of wood to use. A fallen down tree is a good place to start as you can lean branches up against it and in autumn throw leaves on the top to hide it better. My sons love building dens and spend hours playing in them

[Fatcakes]

This was one of our family's happiest, most fun days ever.
Den making at the Eden Project. Totally inspired!

[fuzzpig]

DD has a wooden mid sleeper type bed. There is a computer desk built into it, but we took the keyboard pull out shelf thingy (disclaimer: may not be the technical term) off, and there's a space behind it if you crawl underneath - the other cupboards/shelves are only half depth IYSWIM. Just bung a load of cushions in and it's a really nice space.

We also might attach their IKEA light - it's one that plugs in but it screws onto the wall (we would attach it to the bed itself though) if we can hide the wires safely. It's a star shaped one and would be really cosy. Alternatively there's those battery operated push lights, but we all know how children would use the batteries up really fast

My top tip would be not to worry about what equipment you have - it's the fact they have their own 'secret space' that's important and exciting for them, not what it's made of :)

[fuzzpig]

The other thing we often do is set up a 'tent' in their room. My DCs absolutely love snuggling up together rather than being in their own beds (limited though as they talk and talk instead of sleeping!). We just attach a load of sheets to various points in their room - DD's bed, the door handle, the cupboard etc. Then they dive underneath it to sleep.

[lynniep]

We build dens in the woods in order to protect ourselves from the zombies. (and some of us do it in fancy frocks!) This is without exception their favourite place to make them.

[threepiecesuite]

DD age 4 loves dens. She's under the dining room table more than at it. She drapes our throws over it to make sides and gets it all cosy inside with cushions and teddies. A torch normally completes the game, and adds spooky value.

[GoldfishSpy]

Inside dens in winter are always accessorised chez Goldfish by battery powered LED fairy lights. Fantastically atmospheric and Christmassy for winter :)

(also useful for powercuts as not likely to set the house on fire like candles)

[CMOTDibbler]

Ds loves to make dens, and recently he and a friend turned a spare bedroom into one by removing all soft items from other rooms, padding the floor with them, draping throws over the big x wing airer and curtain pole and adding camping lanterns. Frankly, it was a pita to deconstruct, but they were so happy to be allowed to do it, and to take their tea in there (packed into a rucksac)