Kids sure do love tents. A really simple way how to make a simple tent with a tarp is with a few pieces of scrap wood, string, nails and a tarp.

Makeshift tents work great outside in sunny or rainy weather.  Kids will play in the tent for hours if it’s built to last at least the day.

One way that I make a simple tent with a tarp is illustrated below.

Instructions for how to make a simple tent with a tarp

1. I started with a 6′ X 8′ tarp
   that I use for all types of things.  It is a utility tarp, nothing special.
2. With the tarp folded in half length-wise, I measured half of the tarp’s width.
3. I found some scrap wood… In my case I have some 2×3’s that were 6′ long.
4. I put two boards in the tarp on each side, pulling the tarp tight, and hammering a nail into the hole where each grommet is.
5. If at the apex where the two boards on each side meet, there is no grommet, you’ll have to put a nail through the tarp. I used a nail in the top of each board.
6. With one side up, I used some poly twine and scrap wood sliver to make a peg and tied from the top nails to the peg at an angle.  Repeat on the other side, pulling the tarp tight.

This simple tent provided shade and fun for the kids for a whole day, and took minutes to disassemble.

Do you have any other ideas for how to make a simple tent with a tarp?  If so, leave a comment below!