The Coolest Outdoor Playhouse Structures Will Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
The outdoor playhouse market has come a long way since many of us were kids. Maybe you remember a clunky plastic Little Tikes sitting in a daycare playground or a friend’s backyard (and yes, they’re very much still around). Playtime has gotten way more stylish recently with modern structures that everyone from Kourtney Kardashian’s kids to the Queen of England would enjoy.
Deluxe playhouses abound: If your little one wants an A-frame, a modernist cube, a traditional farmhouse, or a Cape-style cottage playhouse, they can have them in no time—ready to assemble in just a few days. Although all of the designs featured here are kits you can put together on your own with pre-measured, pre-cut materials, if you’re feeling super DIY or want to riff on a design, there are also tons of plans you can order off of Etsy and Pinterest boards you can search for more inspiration to make your outdoor playhouse dreams come true.
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1/9Outdoor Playhouse Kyoto Junior
Based in Barcelona, SmartPlayhouse makes, hands down, some of the coolest playhouses for kids we’ve seen on the market. Its futuristic birch plywood cube won Etsy’s top design award for kids this year, and it’s outfitted with safety features like finger-protecting hinges, shatterproof windows, and outward-facing working doors. The company has also designed a Scandinavian-inspired suite complete with a bedroom. Sadly, SmartPlayhouse doesn’t ship to the United States yet, but it should provide more than enough inspiration for your search.
- 2/9
KidKraft Modern Outdoor Wooden Playhouse
Part schoolhouse, part playroom, this KidKraft model is outfitted with a chalkboard, a mailbox, and a fold-out picnic table. Little touches like the curtains and grill area complete the Cape-style scene. It also comes in an all-natural wood finish that can be painted and customized to your little one’s liking. At $400, it may not last a lifetime, but it’s likely to provide a few seasons of outdoor fun in the meantime.
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3/9Large Hobbit Hole Playhouse
This outdoor playhouse is all about whimsy. The peekaboo window and sloped clapboard roof (an extra charge) on this cute cubby may make it look diminutive, but the base is a sizable 10 feet by six feet. It’s made by a family-owned business in Maine, and many of their materials are sustainable and locally sourced. It can be shipped anywhere in the continental U.S.
- 4/9
Oceano Playhouse
This charming little farmhouse has it all: A full play kitchen for pretend cooking, flower boxes on the windows, and suitability for indoor and outdoor use (though not for kids under two years old). Made from furniture-grade cedar wood, this little house will need some assembly, but it’ll be worth the effort.
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- 5/9
Victorian Inn Playhouse by Backyard Discovery
This whimsical little inn has a darling front porch complete with a Dutch door, a shingled roof, and latticework that’ll make it the envy of the neighborhood—a play phone and velcro food in the kitchen area are cherries on top. With nearly 400 positive reviews, it’s a hit with kids and parents, and it comes with a limited warranty for any replacement parts or weather-related decay.
6/9Kids Bunkhouse Kits
Made of high-quality materials, these cedar clubhouses start at six by 10 feet, but can be customized to up to 12 by 14 feet. The clubhouses boast seven-foot-high interior walls, so your kid (or kids) will have plenty of room to grow into it as they get older. One big plus is that it can always be converted to a storage shed for grown-ups when the little ones fly the coop.
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Plum Boat House
Ladder up, slide down—this playhouse is all about the experience. Perfect for a climber kid, the elevated play area offers a perch for surveying the backyard and gives it a treehouse vibe, without the tree. Made of nontoxic materials, it can hold up to 100 pounds and claims that it can be assembled by two adults in less than two hours.
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The Farmhouse Playset
How epic is this two-story outdoor playhouse? Made in North Carolina, this mixed medium masterpiece can be customized (you can even install an AC unit!) and delivered to your liking, for an additional fee. The plank floors and sloped ceilings make it a true work of art—and the firefighter’s pole is an adorable addition.
- 9/9
Swiss Cottage Playhouse
A Swiss cottage in the suburbs? Sign us up. The asymmetrical shape and wood details are endlessly charming, and the interior is just as cool. A ladder leads up to a lofted play area, with a four-paned window and skylight for ample natural light. Be sure to read the fine print on this one—the price does not include a foundation or shingles.
