Making Forts & Marshmallow Popcorn Bars

I remember as a young child building forts with my younger brother and the other kids that were at my babysitter's house. We would take every blanket she owned and turn her living room into one giant fort. Each kid was given their own space to turn into their own little space and in those moments, that's what childhood was all about. We were given the freedom to make up our own rules, to learn to build together (and fix lots of mistakes), compromise, have fun and make long lasting memories.

Now, as a mom of 3 boys, I hope to instill in them childhood memories that they will want to one day do with their own children. Having fun with your kids doesn't always have to cost a lot of money, in fact, you probably have most of what you need right in your home. My two biggest items for building a great fort are blankets and a really good snack.

So let's work on that snack. It might sound silly but popcorn is something I associate with a good time. We eat it at the movie theater, at home movie nights, parties, fairs and special outings. And this recipe is so easy and really yummy!

What you need:
-2 bags of Pop Secret Popcorn (I used the home style)
-4 cups of mini marshmallows
-1 stick of butter
-1/2 cup white chocolate chips
-mini M&Ms
-sprinkles

Directions:
1. Pop your popcorn according to the box and allow to cool. Take out all the kernels that didn't pop and throw them away. Place popcorn in a big mixing bowl.
2. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.
3. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Once melted, add the marshmallows. Keep stirring until they melt.
4. Add the melted marshmallows and butter on top of the popcorn and stir until it's completely mixed. Then spoon it into the 9x13 pan. Press it all down so it's even.
5. Place your white chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and place in the microwave to cook for 45 seconds. Stir, place the bowl back in the microwave for another 10-15 seconds. Keep doing this until the white chocolate chips are melted.
6. Using a spoon, drizzle the melted white chocolate over the popcorn. Then just spread your M&Ms and sprinkles on top!  Enjoy!

The boys were all about helping me build a cool fort. It had to be big, we needed lots of blankets and pillows, we needed some lights and of course, our Pop Secret's popcorn snack. What we decided to do was utilize our dining room table. Think about it, its already like a fort, it just needs some walls.

To start the pillow fort,  we removed the dining table chairs and placed them in another room. Then we moved the table a little farther away from the wall to allow for a bigger fort. I allowed the boys to pick and choose what blankets went where, after all, this was their fort (I was reminded a couple of times!). I helped with getting the blankets over the table and used the layering to keep the blankets from sliding. Next we laid a big quilt on the floor so it could "be more cozy" as my 5 year old said. Then we threw in some pillows to lay on. The boys were so proud of themselves!

Later, at night, we added some Minecraft flashlights and glow sticks bracelets to kick up the cool factor. The boys loved playing the iPad in there (and my husband and I got to watch our show in peace. Cheers!)

Next time you want to surprise your kids with a fun night, buy them some Pop Secret Popcorn, get some blankets ready and help them build a fort. They are going to love it!

Get a $1 off Pop Secret coupon here.

Thank you to Pop Secret for sponsoring today's post and inspiring me to build a pillow fort. All pictures and opinions are 100% mine.