When my son turned 5 he told me two things: 1) that he was old enough for a real rifle 2) that he wanted an Army fort for a bedroom because Thomas The Train was for babies. After a little consideration, I met up with a retired 12 series and we hashed out a plan one morning over coffee.
With the help of a friend, the following was built in 3 days working around the clock. I sent my wife and kids on a little trip so I could surprise the little guy. He's had a rough go of it, the past few months and as a dad, you just want to see your kids smile. By the way, the ceiling fan motor is switched off. I'm looking to replace it with something like
this or like
this and mount it without an extensions so I'm not giving my son a free haircut every time he stands up.
- LED light-up rock climbing wall w/photo sensor; serves as a night light
- Dimmable mason jar lights with protective cages because we play rough
- A fire tower with a quick E&E route (slide)
- Belt-fed automatic nerf gun w/a swivel mount
- Scalable storage options to include ammo cans (still under construction)
- Camo netting
- Expandable for a bottom bunk (currently designing a Willys Jeep bed that'll incorporate a hidden chair inside the radiator. This way he can use the hood as a desk).
- Rope/Pulley system to send and receive things from the little boots on the ground (his little sister)
So far, the overall investment is around $700 and that's a bargain if you've ever priced a bunk bed. Most of the beds I researched were made from cheap materials in a country I despise. I found the slide on the side of the road and reconditioned it. I bought the ammo belts and nerf SAW on ebay for $35. That price included 50 darts and 6 D batteries. The LED lights were $30. The ammo cans were $20 and the hand holds for the wall were $20. The mason jar lights were $45. His
four toy grenades were $9 with free shipping. Other materials, paint and whiskey round out the rest of the project's cost.
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