BookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxFilledCheckBoxCircleBumpCheckedFilledMedical

Dad Recreates Harry Potter's Cupboard Under The Stairs For Toddlers

And it's all part of a long-term plan to instill a love of reading.
save article
profile picture of Anisa Arsenault
By Anisa Arsenault, Associate Editor
Published January 12, 2018
real-life Harry Potter cupboard under the stairs
Image: Chronicles of a New Dad

His sons may be a little too young to tackle the Harry Potter series on their own, but Peter Fragola is already going above and beyond to encourage the love of reading. Specifically, reading Harry Potter. At ages 3 and (almost!) 1, these kids now have their very own cupboard under the stairs reading nook.

“As an elementary school principal and former teacher I know how important it is for children to have a space of their own to read and do school work, and a space where they feel comfortable,” Fragola writes on his blog, Chronicles of a New Dad. “Clearly I took my inspiration from the famous cupboard where Harry Potter spent most of his childhood.”

The project took him about two weeks, snuck in after his sons, Jackson and Oliver, went to bed. He plastered the walls with pages from The Daily Prophet newspaper (“I used Mod Podge to seal the walls in case sticky little toddler fingers sneak in a snack at some point!”) and created one faux-brick accent wall (“a your-about-to-enter-Diagon-Alley look”).

After laying some carpeting, covering wood with Quidditch sheets and adding a couple of Harry Potter throw pillows, the space was transformed into something magical.

Image: Chronicles of a New Dad
Image: Chronicles of a New Dad
Image: Chronicles of a New Dad
Image: Chronicles of a New Dad
Image: Chronicles of a New Dad
save article
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

A young girl giving her father a handmade father's day card at home
12 Father's Day Crafts for Toddlers, Preschoolers and Kindergarteners
By Kristen Bringe
smiling dad and newborn baby
First Father’s Day Gifts That Will Make Him Smile
By Emily Bagg
dad opening father's day gift with baby
24 Sweet Christmas Present Ideas for Dad, From Baby
By Korin Miller
ADVERTISEMENT
Ed Sheeran at the TIME100 Gala held at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2025 in New York, New York
Ed Sheeran On The One Thing New Dads Should Commit To
By Wyndi Kappes
new parents fighting at home
10 Most Common New-Parent Fights—and How to Find Middle Ground
By Wyndi Kappes
patrick renna and family on the beach
The Sandlot’s Patrick Renna Says New Dads Should Ban This One Word
By Wyndi Kappes
pregnant couple smiling on the couch at home
11 Signs Your Partner Will Be a Good Parent
Fact Checked by G. O’Hara
ADVERTISEMENT
dad holding newborn baby next to mom at home
How to Help First-Time Dads and Partners Feel Involved During Pregnancy
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
new parents holding newborn baby at home
Longer Paternity Leave Helps Balance Parenting Roles, Study Finds
By Wyndi Kappes
mom and dad with newborn baby
Why It’s Normal (and OK!) to Hate Your Partner After Baby Comes
Fact Checked by G. O’Hara
ADVERTISEMENT
Isaac Rochell #96 of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on October 22, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois
‘Dads Don’t Babysit:’ Isaac Rochell’s Candid TikTok Goes Viral
By Wyndi Kappes
smiling dad pushing baby stroller
How Overly Praising ‘Good Dads’ Stalls Gender Equality
By Kristen Bringe
father and daughter dressed in formal clothes smiling
8 Steps Fathers Can Take to Empower Their Daughters in Toddlerhood
By Ray W. Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP
ADVERTISEMENT
young woman using dating app on smartphone while sitting on couch at home
Match Has Launched a New Dating App for Single Parents Called Stir
By Nehal Aggarwal
8 Types of New Dads
8 Types of New Dads
By Kylie McConville
mom and dad holding baby
Why (and How) You Should Make a Family Mission Statement This Year
By The Bump Editors
new parents holding newborn baby on couch at home
The 5 Big Surprises in Store for Your Relationship After Baby Arrives
By Ashlee Neuman
ADVERTISEMENT
4 Ways New Parents Can Strengthen Their Relationship
4 Ways New Parents Can Strengthen Their Relationship
By Tammy Gold
Can Having a Baby Strengthen Your Relationship?
Can Having a Baby Strengthen Your Relationship?
By Jayne Heinrich
Date Night: How Many Parents Are Actually Taking One?
Date Night: How Many Parents Are Actually Taking One?
By Anisa Arsenault
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.