Playhouses For Kids - Create The Perfect One in Your Garden

Playhouses for kids don't have to cost thousands of dollars or take days to build. However much you have to spend, a playhouse is guaranteed to provide hours of fun and years of memories. But don't forget to make sure your finished project is safe, built to last, as well entertaining!

Playhouses are the perfect toy to inspire the imagination and develop a child's personality. Kids love playing house, with their own furniture and utensils to have afternoon tea with their friends. Many adults today still have memories of their childhood playhouse and they fondly remember the time spent with friends in their very own home.

This article is a step by step guide to building perfect playhouses for kids, to ensure that they have wonderful memories that will last a lifetime:

Playhouse Location

Position your playhouse where you can still keep an eye on your kids to check they're safe, but give them the space to play independently and create their own little world. Playhouses can be used inside the home or outside in the garden or backyard.

Putting a playhouse out in the garden gives them time out in the fresh air, away from the TV, where they can explore their surroundings and develop their sense of adventure. Make sure you choose a place that is flat and level, with some shade, away from thorny bushes or running water.

Plastic playhouses are ideal for inside the house because they're small and compact. Make sure the playhouse is away from any electrical items and not too close to heating.

Safety First

Whether you're buying a pre-assembled playhouse, a kit or designing and building your own, you need to keep safety in mind. Make sure all corners are rounded, timber is planed and sanded, the frame is tough and durable and there's adequate soft fall landing under raised areas.

Practical Considerations

Of course, playhouses for kids should be a magical place that inspires their imagination and develops creative play. But think practically for a moment and try to find a design that's easy to clean and maintain, is water resistant if it's going outside, and gives your child ample width and height for growth.

Outdoor wooden playhouses are often more expensive than plastic varieties but in the long run your child will probably get more use out of it. As they grow you can repaint and redecorate inside, to change the decor to their growing sense of style and individuality.

The fact is, kids grow and so will their style and taste. Consider whether you can adapt the playhouse and make it grow with them. Could you imagine it a cool place to hang out when they're a teenager when their friends come over? If you're making a large investment, it's worth thinking about longevity.

What's the perfect style?

Playhouses for kids can be created in so many different styles and designs. The best advice any parent will give you is to get your child involved, right from the planning stage all the way up to construction. You know what kids are like, they love one toy one week then the next they just lose interest. It's the same whatever you buy for them. But if you can get them involved and give them a sense of ownership over the playhouse, they'll probably appreciate it even more.

Accessorize

A playhouse for the kids can be a very expensive investment. There are so many ornate designs, with chocolate box style trim to activity centres on the side. Yet even if you've only got a few hundred dollars and have to stick to a very simple design, you can still use your money wisely to pick up a few accessories to give the playhouse some real magic.

You could install some shelves inside with boxes packed with activities - shiny paper, glitter and glue for arts and crafts, a box full of outdoor games and a tea set for having afternoon tea with friends. Give your child some non-toxic paints and allow them to decorate inside however they choose. They can draw a mural or add some pictures of their favourite animals.

You could also install a door bell, which is sure to put a smile on their face. Or a garden outside is a wonderful and cheap way of providing hours of educational fun.

Playhouses for kids are the perfect way to help develop their imagination and allow them to grow their individual style!