A Lolly Stick Fortress

1.   Arrange two long lolly sticks in parallel 7cm apart. Apply glue to both lolly sticks and attach standard size lolly sticks all the way along the long lolly sticks.

2.   Repeat the process described in paragraph 1 as four walls are needed for the fortress.

3.   Use a craft knife for cutting a gate in the middle of one of the walls. The gate should be nine lolly sticks wide. NB: Make sure that there are five lolly sticks on either side of the gate.

4.   In order to cut through completely, cut on both sides of the wall. Carefully separate the pieces.

5.   Glue two long lolly sticks together to make a thick stick. Make a total of four thick sticks.

6.   Glue these four thick sticks onto two of the walls; one vertically at each end – for the fortress' corners.

7.   Apply glue along the edge of the long thick corner stick.

8.   Attach the two walls with the corner sticks and glue to the two other fortress' walls; one of which is three-piece with a gate and two side panels.

9.   Attach the two side panels on each side (onto the corner sticks). Attach a piece of felt onto both side panels. Attach the pieces of felt at the bottom along the base and over the gate which is in the middle.

10.   Now the gate will open and close.

11.   Attach a small lolly stick across all of the fortress' four corners.

12.   Make walkways for lookouts from long lolly sticks on three of the fortress' four sides. (Not on the gate side). Use five lolly sticks for each walkway and begin with the two parallel sides and glue the lolly sticks in place. Finish with the walkway across, opposite the gate side.

13.   Make a ladder from two long lolly sticks arranged in parallel. Attach small lolly sticks across for steps.

14.   Cut four elongated triangles from fabric or paper. Cut a notch through the middle of the longest point with a pair of scissors. Attach each of the swallow-tailed flags with glue onto the four corner sticks.