There are three basic choices I found when shopping for playhouses for kids. Mainly dealing with construction, they are made of wood, or plastic, or a combination of the two. The wood versions are very warm and inviting and with today’s tooling and woodworking, there are some pretty nice playhouses out there. Take for example the KidKraft playhouses. These incorporate a plastic roof made from plastic that is treated to last in ultraviolet rays, and a structure made from wood. This is an excellent way of combining the two materials in something that will be long lasting and fun for the kids for many years. The playhouses come disassemble for the most part so you have to either have help, or an understanding of using basic tools such as a wrench and screwdriver. Plan about 5 hours for most playhouses.

One thing you need to remember as you shop is to look at what age range the playhouses for kids was designed for. Many websites I found don’t have this listed and it’s important because they build the playhouse smaller for tiny tots and for almost the same price you can get a house made for youngsters. If it isn’t listed, ask. These things can get big with sizes into the 6×8 foot range. Speaking of that, there are some cute cottages on the market that are the size of a medium sized shed. What I saw was a wood construction called LP Smart Side used in the construction industry. Now again, this is a treated material with zinc borate that resists mold and rot. I don’t know what sort of problems humans have with that, but know it is not natural.

However, this is the very same material used in many homes, so I suppose it is better than much of the treated lumber out there. The cottages are prefab as are all of the playhouses for kids. And you can paint them in any color you like. You will be happy knowing that most parts of the LP Smart Side material is covered by a 50 year warranty. Wonder if anyone will ever take them up on something like that?

One of the other fun designs I found and am fond of are the cedar shed childrens playhouse for kids. Long name, but a beautiful design and wonderful use of one of my favorite woods, cedar. This prefab is easy to put together and can be painted or left raw to weather in the elements. It looks great with flowers around it to give it that special playhouse look. The big playhouses will accommodate about 4 kids and some even come with furniture for spending time, eating, reading, relaxing. Cedar is non-toxic and safe for everyone. It preserves itself and that’s why I really like it for these playhouses for kids.

Take time when researching because it will pay off in the end. There are firms out there that send out merchandise without checking to make sure everything is included and you don’t want that happening to you. Look for a contact number on the website you buy from and ask about free shipping.