Page 111 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2023

Holly Harrison has been a licensed interior designer for over 35 years. Shannon Stage has spent nearly 20 years in the giftware industry. Together they own Sassy Bird Interiors in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Sassy Bird Interiors
122 Court St., Bay St. Louis 228.344.3181 www.sassybirdinteriors.com
There is no doubt that being outside is good for all of us. Having a treehouse or fort multiplies those benefits and is just plain fun.
The more sophisticated the treehouse
or fort, the more help will be required from grown-ups. Make a plan together and explain the planning process as
you begin the project. Let your child participate in building the structure by you demonstrating construction techniques and letting them engage in the ones appropriate for their age. Encourage math and problem-solving skills along the way and build their confidence by allowing them to make mistakes and fix them. Reinforce good thinking and teamwork skills and don’t forget that together you are building memories that will last a lifetime. They will always remember working on the treehouse with you and the feeling of accomplishment they experienced when their hard work was done.
When it’s time to move in, set up the rules to keep them safe (and consider mandating the treehouse is a digital-free zone), and let them go! Let them do all the decorating and space planning by themselves. They should be allowed to express their own style and determine the function of every nook and cranny. They are in charge in the treehouse. Maybe there will be a reading nook or kitchen area. Maybe there will
be an observation post or rope ladder for quick escapes!
A treehouse or fort is the perfect place for children to be creative and imaginative with no one looking over their shoulders. They can take small risks and bravely conquer challenges on their own. It is their private entry into a world of exciting adventure. It’s a place to share with their friends and be social but is also their refuge, where they can be alone and process their feelings and emotions and dream big dreams. Doesn’t everyone need a space like that?
If your children aren’t quite old enough for an outside treehouse, temporary forts and tents work just great. Cute indoor tents are available everywhere, but an old-fashioned stack of quilts and sheets still work. The same rules apply as with an outdoor structure, this is your child’s space, they need to be in charge. Don’t worry about moving the furniture around a little bit and give them some privacy to discover all the fun of an imaginative expedition within the billowy walls of a blanket tent.
There is a category for treehouses on internet vacation websites. Look them
up, they are very popular. There must
be a lot of grownups out there with
special childhood memories of being in a treehouse. Or maybe they are making up for lost time and finally fulfilling the dream of going to sleep surrounded by green leaves and branches and mother nature. Either way, a treehouse is a magical place everyone needs to experience.
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
April 2023 | 111