What is a fort?

Buildings & Structures

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by Mya Kagan (whyzz writer) >> more about the author

A fort is usually a place that either is or was used as an army post! Forts are often built with strong, protective, surrounding walls and other structures that help with defense, like ditches or trenches and posts for a lookout.

Have you ever been to a place that had “Fort” in its name? It’s very common. Lots of cities and neighborhoods whose names begin with “Fort” were once used by troops as their station! (Sometimes, the place might even still be used that way!) You can often visit the fort in these special places to see all of its neat features and learn some of its history!

Building your own make-believe fort can be lots of fun!

Ask the grown-ups in your house if there’s a good place where you could build a pretend fort, such as in the backyard or the playroom. What are some household materials you could use to build up the walls of your fort? For example, pillows, cushions, and chairs could be very useful for wall-materials, and blankets could make a great roof!

Think about some of the protective features your fort should have. Windows for a lookout, a “drawbridge,” and maybe a tunnel could all be very useful!

Posted by JimmyP on 2011-03-07 12:12:28

Buildings forts was so much fun when i was a kid. I try to make sure my kids experience some of this tpye of fun and not just video games and tv all the time. Thanks for pointing out int he article the connection with places having fort in their name. Good for long car rides!!!!