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Best Indoor & Outdoor Playhouses for 2021

Explore Kids Playhouse Options

BY: HANNAH WARREN

Introduction

There’s nothing like a playhouse for helping imagination blossom and keeping kids entertained for countless hours. A playhouse truly is the gift that keeps giving and provides children with a safe environment that reinvents itself every day. And there’s never been a wider choice of playhouses on offer, either!

To help you find the best one for your little ones, here’s our pick of the 10 best available on the market in 2021.

The 10 Best Kids Playhouses

KidKraft Modern Playhouse

Price: $427.99 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

KidKraft Modern Outdoor Wooden Playhouse with Picnic Table

The perfect playhouse for little ones who love to play house and spend time outdoors – it even has a little picnic bench for their (real or fake!) meals.

Benefits

It’s the perfect outdoor playhouse. Sturdy wood construction, a lovely attached picnic table with seating and all those beautiful accessories like a chalk wall, curtains and mailbox. Don’t forget the built-in realistic BBQ grill, either.

Downsides

You do need to have enough space in your yard to accommodate its almost 6’ footprint, and it will take you around 4-6 hours to build, depending on your handiness skills!

Why we love it

It’s spacious, well-built, and a fun choice for both boys’ playhouses and girls’ playhouses since it’s not gendered. You could also paint it for an added day of fun!

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Step2 Crazy Maze Ball Pit Playhouse

Price: $119.99 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

Looking for something easy to assemble and perfect for inside or outside use? This crazy maze ball pit playhouse is waterproof and has plenty of potential for chaos!

Benefits

This one’s for younger tots and allows them to build motor skills while playing. Everything is included, including 20 play balls, and there is a flipper station as well. It’s light and perfect for both indoor and outdoor use. And it’s light on the wallet at around $120.

Downsides

It’s only 33 x 36 x 42 inches, so children will grow out of it pretty quickly, and it’s a little limited – no one’s going to pretend it’s a log cabin or castle. There’s also a huge likelihood that your little one will lose the majority of the balls (or the family pup will steal them)!

Why we love it

This Step2 product is bright, clean and perfect for those munchkins to develop their physical skills while enjoying themselves in a safe space.

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Petra Tunnel Play Tent

Price: $34.99 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

For those with limited space, this pop-up play tunnel tent is great for days spent outside in the sun or for popping up in the living room for playtime!

Benefits

It comes in several colors, both gender-specific and non-specific. These play tents are great for parties and playdates, can be set up and taken down really quickly and don’t dent your bank balance.

Downsides

The tunnel is only 20 inches in diameter, so it’s going to be a little small for older kiddies. Great for playing but not so much for the imagination.

Why we love it

Light, robust and affordable, the ultimate in put-up, take-down playhouses.

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ALPIKA Playhouse Ball Pit

Price: $21.33 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

Brightly colored with an adorable Japanese style, this ball pit house is perfect for bedrooms or popping up for playdates.

Benefits

Perfect for one or two little ones to play in, this play tent can be set up in under two minutes and has its own carrying bag. It also comes with no less than 50 play balls. It can be used both indoors and outdoors and is a great space for kids to play, read or sleep.

Downsides

At a little over 45 x 35 x 35 inches, it is not suitable for older children.

Why we love it

Economy and versatility – it’s affordable, and you can put it up anywhere.

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USA Toyz Rocket Ship Play Tent

Price: $24.95 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

If your little one is obsessed with all things space and dreams of being an astronaut when they grow up (or would like to pretend to be one for an hour or two), this play tent is perfect. It also comes in a unicorn style.

Benefits

This is another economic buy, at around $25, and assembles in moments. It’s easy to clean, kid-safe, and comes with a space projector toy together with 24 space-themed images. Toddlers will love this.

Downsides

The only con is size; when your tiny is not tiny anymore, it will be time to hand this play tent on.

Why we love it

Light, portable, and all little ones enjoy space ships or unicorns!

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Little Tikes Build-a-House

Price: $250 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

If you’re looking for an ambitious project (or simply know that your little one won’t be able to stay away while you build their playhouse), this is it. Seriously, look no further.

Benefits

This is a terrific outdoor playhouse everyone’s children will enjoy. Once mom or dad have assembled the frame and roof, there are no less than 25 customizable panels that the kids can put where they like all by themselves. They even provide a kid-friendly drill and screwdriver.

Downsides

It’s a little pricey at over $200 and not good for teenies (there’s a smaller version for two-year-olds). Also… we can’t help but be suspicious about how easy this will be to put together – reviews are good, though!

Why we love it

Little ones always want to be more grown-up and can’t stay away from the action while mom or dad build their playhouse. Now, they don’t have to!

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Pacific Play Tents Club House

Price: $55.13 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

Pacific Play Tents Kids Club House Playhouse

Themed as a private clubhouse, this tent is easy to erect and themed to spark the imagination!

Benefits

Pacific Play Tents do a bunch of these, so if a Club House isn’t for you, then perhaps you’d like a Cottage, a Hunt’n Cabin or a Barnyard. Each is easy to assemble and good either indoors or out. Whichever you choose, your little ones will be assured of hours of happy play.

Downsides

It’s fairly overpriced for what it is.

Why we love it

It’s easy to assemble and gives kids with imagination a great starting point. Plus, the no-see-um mesh means you can make sure your little ones are safe and secure.

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Step2 Gather & Grill Playhouse

Price: $572.00 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

This one is the only one on the list designed to fit a child’s wheelchair, so it’s a winner in our book!

Benefits

Another winner from the guys and gals at Step2. This playhouse ticks a lot of boxes. It’s generously sized at 4 feet square and 5 feet high and is supplied with loads of accessories to give the true patio experience. Kids love to pretend to be adults, and this playhouse makes that easy.

Downsides

It’s a little on the expensive side and isn’t particularly imaginative.

Why we love it

It’s well-made and robust. Its open design means it’s good for several kids to play together and easy to keep an eye on them, too.

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Little Tikes Cape Cottage

Price: $132.00 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

This cottage has working doors and shutters and is one of the top choices if your child is looking for their own little house.

Benefits

Little Tikes do this in a few different colors, so you have a choice. It’s easy to assemble and has two working doors and two windows with opening shutters. There’s also a mail slot to encourage peer-to-peer interaction.

Downsides

The tan color isn’t particularly appealing, and your little one will definitely want/need some furniture or toys to put inside.

Why we love it

Looks like a little cottage and is well made. It offers plenty of scope for imaginative play and should last for years.

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Discovery Backyard Spring Cottage Cedar Playhouse

Price: $761.94 MSRP | Check Price on Amazon

If you’ve got the budget, this is the ultimate cottage playhouse. Seriously… do they make an adult version?

Benefits

This is one elaborate playhouse. Not only does it boast a cedar wood bench, door, and garden gate, but it comes complete with a doorbell, a well-equipped play kitchen, and loads of accessories. The whole house is constructed from cedar wood, perfect for withstanding the effects of the weather. It’s also beautiful.

Downsides

You need plenty of space, and at over $700, it is not cheap (though that does seem reasonable for the quality).

Why we love it

This is the mansion among playhouses.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best playhouse?

Which playhouse is best for you depends on your situation and the wants and needs of your children. If you’ve got the space and the cash, then the Discovery Backyard Spring Cottage Cedar Playhouse is a hard act to beat. If you live in a small apartment and have a two-year-old, then something like a Petra Tunnel Play Tent or an ALPIKA Playhouse Ball Pit may be more appropriate.

What age is a playhouse for?

A playhouse is good for kids of all ages; it gives them their own space where they can use their imagination. Some playhouses are designed for tiny tots and others for older children, and the manufacturer will give you a guide.

What size should my child’s playhouse be?

It’s tempting to say as big as possible, but you have to consider your circumstances. If space is limited, it may be better to go small so that the playhouse can remain in position rather than put away at the end of each play session.

Why are playhouses good for kids?

A playhouse allows kids to have their own special area and use their imagination in their play. It lets them feel adventurous while remaining safe. One day it may be a castle, another a gingerbread house, the next a space station – the only limit is imagination.

How do I clean a plastic playhouse?

These days plastic is often used extensively in the construction of playhouses and is simple to clean with simple soap and water. If the playhouse is an outdoor one, you may want to add a little vinegar to dish detergent and spray it on as a mild disinfectant. Make sure you rinse well and dry.

What would be good to put in the playhouse?

You can add all sorts of toys and things to make a playhouse even more entertaining. Dressing-up clothes are always good; curtains in the windows will give a colorful, homely touch; storage boxes are another option. You may like to think about adding some kids’ outdoor furniture if you have a playhouse outside.

A great finishing touch is a little outdoor lighting. You can get some great battery-powered fury lights that will make a playhouse into a magical place after dark.

Closing thoughts: Is a kids playhouse worth it?

A playhouse can be simple or elaborate, small or large, but will provide many, many hours of enjoyment for your kids. It offers them a chance to escape from mom and dad while remaining safe and secure. Parents may not be as keen to let their kids run around the neighborhood as they used to be, and a playhouse is a perfect compromise. It gives children independence, and it gives the parents peace of mind.

There is a huge variety of playhouses to choose from but, whichever you pick, rest assured your kids will remember it forever.