NATCHEZ — The first thing that stands out about Terri and Lane Merriett’s home on Pecan Way is the towering tree house out back and the swing out front.

When The Dart landed on their house this past Wednesday, the Merrietts’ three children and friend Tyler Lindsey were quick to participate in their favorite outside activities.

Andrew, 11, the oldest of the Merrietts’ three children, said the tree house out back is the perfect fort to use when defending against the other team — which often includes his brother, Samuel, 7.

“We mostly do airsoft wars with plastic BBs,” Andrew said. “Sometimes we’ll get the neighbor kids together, and it’ll be me and Tyler versus Samuel and our friend Dillon Troxler.”

Andrew said both teams are usually facing off on the tree, but his mother quickly corrected him on that point.

“Usually it’s you and Tyler upstairs and Samuel and Dillon on the ground,” Terri said.

Andrew then admitted that having the higher ground has its advantages during battle in airsoft wars.

“You have stuff to guard you, and you can shoot down,” Andrew said.

Terri said the idea for a tree house was initially Andrew’s.

“Andrew kept saying, ‘When are you going to build a tree house, Daddy?’” Terri said. “So we kind of built one around the tree.”

Samuel said the tree house is also useful for hide-and-go-seek.

“I don’t really know what the best spot is, but I usually hide inside the building,” Samuel said.

Samuel said no one has ever gotten hurt playing in the tree house, but Lindsey begged to differ.

“Dillon shot me in the face once,” Lindsey said.

Andrew also said he’s hit his head while going up the stairs numerous times.

“I hit my head just about every time I go up there,” Andrew said.

Andrew said the best time of the year to play in the tree house is the winter, when it’s not so hot out. During the warmer months, the friends can often be found playing in the creek found at the bottom of a cliff in the Merrietts’ back yard.

Andrew said his friends use a rope to climb down safely, and there’s several things to do once they get to water level.

“We try to catch minnows and swim,” Andrew said. “The Mississippi River washes into it sometimes and fills it up.”

But most of the time, the siblings can be found playing on the swing out front. For Lauren, 5, the youngest of the Merrietts’ children, swinging on the swing is her favorite activity, she said.

“Sometimes my dad pushes me, and sometimes Samuel does,” Lauren said. “My dad can get me all the way up to that limb.”

Samuel said his sister gets on the swing almost every day, but Lauren said it’s not quite every day.

“Sometimes,” she said.

Samuel said his father got them the swing when the family moved into the house several years ago.

“We asked him to buy a swing, and the store didn’t have one, so he just built it,” Samuel said.