Make a Secret Hideout in Your Closet

Closets make great hideouts, but they aren't always comfy. With a little bit of time and creativity, however, you can create the ultimate hideout. If you're just a kid, you may not be able to get super fancy, but you can still make a great hideout. If you are a parent looking to upgrade your child's closet, you can include your child in the building and planning to create something truly unique!

Steps

Making a Hideout (For Kids)

1. Make space in your closet. Choose a spot that you can sit in, without things getting in the way. If your closet has some clothes hanging in it, find a spot under the shorter clothes. They will help keep you hidden, and you will still be able to sit. You should be able to sit cross-legged in your hideout. If you can't, move some stuff around. You may have to move boxes and shoes to another part of the closet. If you don't have a closet at all, try one of these places:
   • A spot under a desk
   • A corner in a room—even better if it's behind some furniture
   • A large cupboard or cabinet
   • A wardrobe
2. Clean your hideout. Closets can get dusty and dirty. If the floor is made out of wood, use a broom to sweep it. If the floor is made out of carpet, use a vacuum. Pick up any pieces of trash, and put them into the trashcan.
3. Add an entrance. You can make a sign out of paper or cardboard, and hang it outside your closet. You can also hang some fabric inside the doorway of your closet. A quick and easy way to do this is to take a bed sheet, and tack both top corners to the top of the doorway.
4. Add some light. If your closet has an outlet nearby, you can plug a small lamp into it. You can also use a nightlight instead. If there are not outlets, here are some other options:
   • A large flashlight
   • A battery-operated light
   • A light-up toy
   • Glow sticks
5. Get some seating. Closets are small and cramped, and not very comfortable. You can make it more comfortable by giving yourself some place soft to sit. Try one of these items:
   • A pillow or cushion
   • A folded blanket
   • A folded sweater or sweatshirt
   • A beanbag chair
6. Make it look nice. Hang up some pictures of posters inside your hideout. You can use tape, poster putty, or thumb tacks. You can also hang up things like tinsel, flower garlands, or strings of pretty beads.
7. Keep a stash of snacks. First, ask your parents if you can keep some snacks in your hideout. Pick snacks that come in wrappers, and stay away from anything crumbly. Here are some ideas:
   • Gummy fruit
   • Nuts
   • Candy
   • Small crackers, like goldfish
8. Have some entertainment on hand. Hideouts are no fun if you have nothing to keep you busy! Think of what you like to do for fun, then put some related items into your hideout. Here are some ideas:
   • If you like to draw, have a pad of paper, pencils, crayons, and markers.
   • If you like to write, keep a journal and some pens or pencils.
   • If you like to play games, keep a board game or a deck of cards near by.
   • If you like to keep entertained, keep a radio, music player, laptop, or tablet in your closet.
   • If you like to read, pick out some of your favorite books, and keep them inside your closet. You'll need a flashlight too!
9. Store any club supplies in a box. You can use your closet as a base for your club. If you have supplies for your club, like notes and badges, put everything into a box. Keep the box in the corner of your hideout.
   • Pick a box that blends in, like a shoe box. No one will suspect anything!
   • You can still have a hideout even if you don't have a club!

Having Fun in Your Hideout (For Kids)

1. Have a secret password. When you are inside your hideout, don't let anyone come in unless they know your password. Tell your password to people you trust, and make them promise not to tell anyone.
   • You can let people come into your hideout if they ask nicely. You can tell them the password later.
2. Hold small club meetings in your hideout. If your club is small, and has only two or three people, then you can meet in your hideout. Don't hold bigger club meetings in your hideout. There isn't enough space.
3. Do quiet things you enjoy. Some things are perfect for small spaces, such as reading, drawing, or writing. If you have a hobby that you enjoy, see if you can do it in your hideout.
   • Remember to clean up after yourself!
   • Save noisy hobbies, like singing, for other places. If you make too much noise, people will know where you are!
4. Take a nap. If you are tired and your room is too bright or noisy, you can take a nap inside your hideout instead. Take your pillow and blanket, and curl up inside. If you sleep with a teddy bear, bring him or her too!
   • Remember to leave the closet door open!
5. Stay safe. You may have rules for other people, such as "no coming in," but you should follow some important safety rules too! When you are playing inside your hideout, remember these rules:
   • Do not close your closet door if you are inside. You may run out of air, or you may get stuck.
   • Do not block your way out. If there is an emergency, you may not be able to get out in time.
   • Do not leave electronics on if you are not inside. Things like lights and laptops get hot, and they can cause a fire in such a small space.
   • Do not light candles, even if you are careful. You can get those fake, battery-operated candles, however.

Making a Hideout (For Parents)

1. Consider turning your child's closet into a secret hideaway. This is a great way to encourage your child's imagination and creativity. It will also give your child a small space to do something quiet, such as play, read, or draw. In this section, you'll find lots of ideas on how to transform your child's closet into the ultimate hideout.
   • You do not have to do everything in this section. Simply choose the ideas that appeal the most to you. Your child will appreciate anything that you do.
2. Take everything out of the closet, and clean the inside. This will help give you a fresh start. If you plan on painting or redoing the inside of the closet, then you will need to take everything out anyways.
   • If you don't have a closet, consider using a wardrobe or a cabinet instead. As long as your child can sit comfortably inside of it, you have the basis for a hideout!
3. Pick a theme. This will help you choose what sorts of colors and decorations you should use. Start with something that your child enjoys, such as princesses, superheroes, jungles, or pirates. If your child's interests change often, choose something that matches his or her room, or use your child's favorite colors.
4. Paint the walls, if desired. Stepping into a closet can be like stepping into a different world. You can take this concept further by painting the inside of your child's closet a different color. Here are some more tips and ideas to get you started:
   • Paint a mural. Give the closet a fresh coat of paint first, then paint some designs or scenes onto it. You can do this freehand, or you can use stencils.
   • Give the closet an accent wall. Paint the side walls white or off-white, and the back wall your child's favorite color.
   • Paint the walls a lighter color, and the ceiling a darker color. This will make the closet appear bigger. You can extend the dark color by a few inches to make the closet appear even bigger.
   • Add some white trim if the walls are colored. This is a great way to anchor down your design, and add some variation to the closet.
5. Consider adding a carpet/rug. This is not necessary, but it can help your child's closet feel like a completely different world. This does not mean that you have to completely rip out the old carpet and install a new one; you can purchase a solid-colored rug, cut it down to the right size, and set it down on the closet floor. Try to match the carpet to the theme. Here are some ideas to get your started:
   • If you are going with a desert, pirate, or ocean theme, consider putting down a light tan carpet to resemble sand.
   • If you are going with an enchanted forest theme, consider putting down some green carpet or fake grass.
   • If you are going with a winter wonderland theme, consider a light blue carpet or a light grey carpet. Avoid white, as this will be difficult to keep clean.
6. Decorate the walls. Colorful walls are a great start to transforming your child's closet into another world, but they can get boring if they are plain. You can make the walls look more interesting by hanging things onto them that match the theme. Here are some ideas to get your started:
   • For a forest or jungle theme, you could hang floral or ivy garlands along the top of the walls.
   • For a magical look, consider hanging some Christmas lights along the top of the walls. If the closet does not have an outlet nearby, use battery-operated lights.
   • Make use of wall decals and wall stickers. These are great if your child's interests change. Once your child gets bored of a certain theme, simply pull the old decals off, and apply new ones.
   • Use paper cutouts for something quick and easy. For example, if your child likes the ocean, you could always cut some fish shapes out of colorful construction paper, and then stitch it onto the walls using tape.
   • Add some sensory or educational play for a young child. Felt boards with alphabets, numbers, and shapes are a great way to keep your child engaged while teaching him or her new things.
7. Don't forget the ceiling. This is a part of the room that is often over-looked, but it can really take your child's hideout to the next level. Here are some ideas:
   • Paint the ceiling a dark color, then stick on some glow-in-the-dark stars.
   • Paint the ceiling light blue, then add fluffy, white clouds.
   • Paint the ceiling to resemble a forest or jungle canopy, complete with green leaves, branches, and colorful birds. You could even add a fairy or two!
   • If the closet has a light in it, change the bulb and fixture to something the matches the theme.
   • Suspend lightweight items from the ceiling using fishing line. Depending on the theme, you can use fake birds or butterflies (from the floral department of an arts and crafts store), model spaceships, fish cutouts, snowflakes, etc.
8. Add organization. Depending on how big your closet is, and what you plan on using it for, there are lots of things that you can do. Plan on storing items that your child will use in his or her hideout. For example, if your child will be using the hideout to play, you will need something to store his or her toys. Here are some ideas for you:
   • If your child likes to read, turn the closet into a reading nook. Add some shelves to one of the walls.
   • If your child likes to draw, mount some baskets, cubbies, or folders onto the wall. Store your child's sketchbooks and coloring books in these.
   • If your child likes to play with toys or do arts and crafts, add some baskets to keep the closet clean. You can use loose baskets, or you can use a plastic storage unit with drawers.
   • Add some hooks. These are great if your child needs to use the closet to store some clothes, such as coats and hoodies. Your child can also use them to hang his or her backpack.
9. Make it comfy and private. A hideout can look magical, but your child may not want to spend a lot of time there if it isn't very comfortable. For something quick and easy, throw some pillows into the corner of the closet. You can also add a folded blanket as well. Here are some more ideas:
   • Install a bench into the closet, one that goes from wall-to-wall. Add some cushions onto the bench, and baskets for your child's toys or art supplies under it.
   • Take the door out, and install a curtain. This way, you won't have to worry about your child accidentally looking him or herself inside the closet. Slip a curtain panel onto a suspension rod, then stick the rod near the top of the doorway.
   • If you are using the closet to store your child's clothes, hang them towards the top; this way, they will be out of your child's way when he or she sits down.
   • Add some lighting. If the closet doesn't have a light fixture or outlet, get a battery-operated light instead. You can get free-standing desk lamps, and mini lights that you can mount onto walls or shelves.

Tips

• For an extra secret look, use one of those dark black or blue light bulbs for lighting! It looks awesome!
• If someone comes in your room wondering where you are, put pillows under a blanket to look like you're sleeping.
• If you have no space in a closet, use a balcony that is closed up.
• Don't make any loud noises when in your base.
• Leave a little gap so you can breathe better, and don't make a lot of sound.
• If you have a laptop in your hideout, make sure that it is ventilated or it will overheat.
• Don't put your electronics on full blast. The loud volume can attract people from other rooms, and you could be easily discovered.
• Try not to tell rowdy friends about your closet. If you do, they might try to explore it!

Warnings

• Stay safe. Make sure you can get out quickly. Don't lock yourself in.
• Don't stay in too long. Everyone needs fresh air!

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