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Short answer: choose a backyard playhouse by four things: how much room your kids need to grow into it, the material it's built from, whether you want to build a kit or have it delivered fully built, and the play features your kids will actually use, like a loft, porch or slide. A well-built wooden playhouse can last through years of play, so it pays to buy one they won't outgrow in a season or two.
1. Pick a Size Your Kids Can Grow Into
The most common regret is buying too small. Young children are happy in a cozy single room, but school-age kids want space for friends, a loft to climb and room to stand up. Look at the interior height, not just the footprint.
| Size | Good for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Small (about 4'x4' to 6'x6') | Toddlers and preschoolers, small yards | Sweetbriar Cottage (4'x4'), 6x6 Cedar Playhouse |
| Medium (about 7'x6' to 8'x12') | Siblings and friends, school-age kids | Hideaway with Loft, Chapel, Firehouse, Stratford Schoolhouse |
| Large and mansion-style (9'x9' and up) | Big families, lofts, sleepovers and years of play | Laurens Cottage (9'x9' with loft), Craftsman Cabin with Slide, Sara's Victorian Mansion, Grand Portico Mansion (10'x16', two stories) |
Tip: several of our playhouses include a full adult-size door, so parents can walk right in instead of crawling through a kid-size door. If you'll use the playhouse for storage later, that matters too.
2. Choose the Material
- Western Red Cedar: naturally resistant to rot and insects, smells great and weathers beautifully. Our Cedar Cabin and Laurens Cottage are solid cedar.
- LP SmartSide engineered wood siding: used on our Amish-built playhouses. It's painted in your colors and backed by LP's 50-year limited warranty, and it holds paint well for a finished, house-like look.
- Solid tongue-and-groove spruce: used on our indoor/outdoor playhouses. It's chemical-free solid wood rather than OSB or particle board, which makes these a good fit for playrooms, preschools and daycares.
Whatever you choose, avoid thin plastic playhouses if you want something that lasts more than a few seasons outside.
3. Kit or Delivered Fully Built?
Kits cost less and ship to your door. Our cedar playhouse kits come in pre-made panels that screw together, and most parents finish in a day. Kits for the larger Amish-built playhouses are a bigger project, and you'll paint and shingle them yourself.
Prebuilt playhouses arrive fully assembled, painted and shingled in your colors. Estimated delivery is included in the price, and additional freight can apply depending on your location. We confirm any freight with you before you order. You just need a level, prepared spot and room for the delivery truck to get close. See all of them in our Prebuilt collection.
4. Add the Features Your Kids Will Use
- Loft: a favorite for reading nooks and sleepovers. Available on the Laurens Cottage, Hideaway and Craftsman Cabin, and as an option on several others.
- Porch or deck with rail: extra outdoor play space, like the covered porch on the Pennfield Cottage.
- Slide: built into the Craftsman Cabin.
- Elevated with a sandbox underneath: two play spaces in one footprint, on the 6x6 Elevated Cedar Playhouse and Cedar Cabin.
- Themes: a working bell on the Firehouse and Stratford Schoolhouse, gingerbread trim on the Victorian and Gingerbread Cottage.
- Working windows and a floor: check whether a floor is included or optional on the model you like.
Indoor Playhouses for Playrooms, Preschools and Daycares
Need a playhouse inside? Our indoor/outdoor wooden playhouses need no roofing or foundation work for indoor setup. Sizes run from the compact Felix (about 20 sq ft) and Isla to the Rascal with its mini loft and the Wonderland, with 75 sq ft of total play space. Schools and facilities can request a quote or pay by purchase order.
Where to Put It
- Choose a level spot where you can see it from the house.
- Keep it away from fences, pools and steep slopes.
- Give it a solid base so it stays level and dry. A common choice is 3 to 5 inches of compacted crushed stone with pressure-treated 4x4 timbers on top to lift the floor and let air flow underneath. Pavers or a timber frame also work. See our foundation guide, which applies to playhouses too.
- Larger playhouses may count as an accessory structure in some towns, so check with your local building department.
FAQ
What size playhouse should I get?
Buy for the age your kids will be in a few years, not today. For school-age kids or more than one child, a playhouse of about 8'x8' or larger, with good interior height, gives them room to grow.
Is a cedar playhouse worth it?
Cedar is naturally resistant to rot and insects and lasts for many years outdoors, so it's a good long-term choice compared with plastic or untreated softwood.
Can a playhouse be delivered already built?
Yes. Our prebuilt playhouses arrive fully assembled, painted and shingled, with estimated delivery included in the price.
How long does a playhouse kit take to build?
Our cedar playhouse kits come in pre-made panels, and most parents finish in a day. Larger kits take longer and need painting and shingling.
Can it be painted to match our house?
Yes. Our prebuilt playhouses are painted in the colors you choose.
Want help picking the right playhouse? Call or text us at 732-806-7959 with a photo of your yard. We'll help you choose the size and options that fit your space and your kids.
