Large Wooden Playpen for Multiple Children Build It

Camping with a large family of people of multiple ages can be challenging, unless you preplan. In the case of our family, we have multiple children who range from a few months old up to five who need constant supervision.

Therefore, our family began planning what to do with all these little ones, so that they were safe from the fire pits, grills, and of course the water at our private campground. We knew that a play pen or play area of sorts was needed, but there is not a wooden playpen big enough for these little children.

Our solution was to create a wooden playpen enclosure that was all-natural and looked as if it belonged in the campsite. It was made with standing young healthy trees to provide some shade, as well as some smaller trees we attached to it.

In the first photo, my brother in the blue and a nephew in the red shirt are working on this large wooden playpen. They are fixing a large sapling in place, as they did around the entire perimeter of the giant wooden playpen.

The wooden playpen resembles a large lopsided heart, a true testament of what these little children mean to us all. We simply let nature dictate the shape, and used the trees that were in that small grove as the sides. The enclosure is centrally located in the middle of the campsite, and these little ones are secure from any dangers.

The toys you see outside among the trees all will fit in this enclosure along with other ride on toys, doll houses and of course a few little tykes slides. The area was picked clean of rocks the little ones would eat, holes in the ground were filled, and green indoor and out door carpet was placed around the area. It makes a wonderful little place for the little ones to play.

Most of this work was done when there were no little children present, but you will see that my 9-month-old grandson crawled into playpen. The one side of the wooden playpen was still open when we visited one day and as we all stood around talking he crawled right in, my boyfriend could not resist taking a photograph.

Although the photographs do not show the final project, it gives the viewer a great idea to build their own. It is very important to note that we did even up the sides of the wood so there are no spikes on the saplings that are vertical around the perimeter.

These children are the new generation and they are safe in the large wooden playpen now that it is finished. Please click on the photos to see the beauty of this wooden playpen. It is important to note that this is a privately owned campground

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Cat Enclosure Build Your Own

Making a cat enclosure so your beloved cat can safely spend quality time outdoors brings forth many ideas. A cat enclosure can hold a cat or multiple cats and can be as big as your budget will allow. This article will focus on building a cat enclosure that will hold multiple cats in a private property setting, ensuring their safety and maximizing their playtime and sun time.

Two rolls of chicken wire 80 foot

Four 2 by 2 pressured treated wood, which are ten foot long

Four 2 by 4 pressured treated wood which are ten foot long

Eleven 2 by 2 pressured treated wood, which are six foot long

Four 2 by 8 pressured treated wood which are six foot long (corner posts)

5/8 all-purpose staples, stapler, two hinges, padlock, wire cutters, hammer, small nails, hand saw

Assorted branches or pieces of climbing wood, toys, and other things cats enjoy.

A few willing assistants

A ten by ten foot space for the cat enclosure

Clear out a 10 by 10 foot area of space where you wish the cat enclosure to be located. You can have wood stumps in here because the cats will enjoy it, but make sure the area is free of anything that will harm them in any way.

Lay out the wood pieces so you know exactly what the pieces are. Take one of the 2 by 2 pieces of wood and cut it into three pieces of wood, which are 3 feet long with the handsaw. This will be part of the door.

Lay out two of the 2 by 2 on a workbench or picnic table, and lay the three pieces of wood, which are 3 feet, long vertical between the 2 by 2's. One of these 3-foot long pieces goes on either end with the remaining piece in the middle of the doorframe. Use the hammer and nails to secure the doorframe together. Measure the chicken wire to fit the door. Using the wire cutters cut the chicken wire to the correct size. Secure it to the doorframe using the staples. Install the hinges to one edge of the door to hang later.

Place one of the 2 by 4 pieces of wood on the ground vertically, lay the next one at one end of that, and do the same with the others until they resemble the box in the area, which you want to build in. At the corner of where the cat enclosure comes together add on of the 2 by 8's nail it to a 2 by 4 piece of wood and lay it down on the ground. You will notice that the large piece of wood over hangs by about four inches and this is fine as another 2 by 4 will be there eventually.

Nail 2 by 2's into place on that 2 by 4, between the 2 by 8's at four and seven foot marks from the ends 2 by 8's. Nail 2 by 2 piece of the 10-foot wood across the top of these pieces of wood so you have a frame. Lay a 2 by 8 at the end of that 2 by 4 and attach it the same way with the nails. This creates a top to the side, making it resemble a wall.

Create steps four and five to form the opposite wall of the cat enclosure. Lay them down on the grass while you build the other two walls.

Nail the 2 by 2's at the four foot and seven foot marks on your remaining pieces of 2 by 4's. Nail the 2 by 4's to the top to create the walls of the cat enclosure. Call your helpers to hold sides upright so you can nail the sides together. When you are finished, nailing you should have a cat enclosure, which resembles the frame of a house.

Install the door on any side between to upright 2by2's with the hinges. Begin wrapping the chicken wire to the left of the hinges, staple it to the cat enclosure. Continue wrapping the chicken wire and stapling it around the entire outside of the cat enclosure until you reach the doorway. You can cover the roof with a tarp or chicken wire.

Add a padlock to protect the cats inside so they can play unattended in the sun. If you which to add a cat tunnel from a house window or pet door to the cat enclosure simply cut a hole in the chicken wire in the desired place.

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