Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young.

As a kid, one of my favorite things to do in my free time was building forts in the living room with my older brother, Ethan. Our house had this big, fluffy rug in the living room, perfect for creating the base of our fort. We'd gather all the blankets and pillows we could find, and then the real fun began. We'd drape the blankets over chairs and the sofa, creating walls and a roof. Sometimes, we'd use clothespins to clip the blankets together for extra stability. We'd also grab couch cushions and anything else we could use to make the inside comfy and cozy. It wasn't always perfect – the fort walls sometimes leaned a bit precariously – but that just added to the thrill! Once our fort was built, it became our own little world. We'd crawl inside, armed with flashlights and maybe some snacks we'd snuck in from the kitchen. We'd pretend to be explorers in a jungle, facing off against imaginary dangers with sticks as swords. Other times, we'd set up a secret headquarters for a team of undercover agents, whispering made-up codes and plotting our next mission. Looking back, there are a few reasons why I loved building forts with my brother. First of all, it was a super creative activity. We used our imaginations to transform a simple living room into anything we wanted it to be. It felt magical, like having our own private space to play and have adventures. Secondly, it was a great way to bond with my brother. Even though he's older than me, we always worked together to build the fort, figuring out how to make the structure strong and our secret base awesome. We'd laugh a lot during the process, and it created some happy memories that I still cherish today. Finally, forts provided a sense of security and comfort. Being tucked away inside our blanket fort, with the outside world shut out, felt safe and cozy. It was like having our own little sanctuary where we could relax and use our imaginations to our heart's content. Those afternoons spent building forts with my brother were some of the simplest yet most enjoyable times of my childhood.