Blankets draped over chairs, a pile of pillows, fairy lights if you've got them, snacks if you're feeling generous. The fort isn't about reading — it's about creating a space where reading happens because everything else has been stripped away.

No screens in the fort. No toys. Just books, light, and whatever the kid decides to bring in. The constraint is the magic — with nothing else to do, the books become the entertainment. Most kids settle in within five minutes. Some won't come out for hours.

You can build the fort together (engineering project), let them build it alone (independence), or surprise them with one already built (delight). All three work. The books are the point, but the fort is the invitation.