Foldable fabric play tent
This lightweight and portable play space is perfect for indoor adventures or temporary outdoor fun, offering a cozy retreat for imaginative games.
Kids & Baby
Playhouses
8 kinds worth knowing, 8 picks, and what to check before you buy.
Playhouses are usually bought by parents and grandparents for kids from toddler age to about eight, and the ones that get used most fit the space and the child's age. A small house in the corner of a bedroom works differently from a structure in the backyard. A foldable playhouse tent is easy to put up and easy to store. A wooden outdoor playhouse is a bigger project that can last for years. Before you choose, decide where it will go, who will put it together and how long the child is likely to play in it. A backyard playhouse given at Christmas in Canada or the northern US often can't be used until spring, so plan for the wait.
Kind 1 of 8
Fabric play tents that fold away
A playhouse tent is a fabric shell on a light frame, often shaped like a cottage, castle or teepee. It suits toddlers and younger kids who like a hideout for reading, naps or pretend play, and it works well in homes where it can't stay up all the time. Check how it folds and whether it fits in a closet. See if the cover can come off to be washed, and whether the poles snap together easily or take two adults. Measure the floor space and the doorway so a child can crawl in without knocking it over.
Kind 2 of 8
Backyard wooden playhouses built to stay
A wooden outdoor playhouse is a small permanent building for the yard, often with a door, windows and a porch. It suits families with space and a child young enough to use it for several years, and siblings can share it. Before you buy, check the footprint and the ground it needs, since a level base matters. Find out how long assembly takes and how many people it needs. Ask whether the wood is treated or needs staining. Think about who will do the build, especially if the box sits in the garage until the snow melts.
Classic wooden playhouse structure
This sturdy outdoor structure provides a timeless space for children to engage in imaginative play and create lasting memories.
Kind 3 of 8
Plastic playhouses for easy care
A plastic playhouse is moulded in bright panels that clip or snap together. It suits toddlers and preschoolers, and families who want something that wipes clean and can move between the yard and the basement. Check the interior height against the child's height. Some models feel roomy at two and cramped by five. Look at how many panels there are, whether it can be taken apart for winter storage and how much the colours fade in strong sun. Doors, shutters, a play kitchen or a doorbell add a lot to pretend play.
Plastic playhouse
A bright and weather-resistant option, this playhouse offers a safe and engaging environment for younger children to explore their creativity.
Kind 4 of 8
Playhouses sized for inside the house
An indoor playhouse is scaled for a playroom, bedroom or basement. It might be a small wooden frame, a panel house or a cardboard house a child can colour and decorate. It suits kids who want a space of their own on long winter days. Measure the ceiling height and floor space first, and check how it stands on carpet or hardwood. Cardboard versions are a good short-term gift that doubles as a craft project. Framed versions last longer but take up a corner for years, so ask the parents before you buy.
Indoor playhouse
Designed specifically for interior spaces, this compact playhouse creates a dedicated area for imaginative play during any weather.
Customizable cardboard playhouse
An eco-friendly and creative option, this playhouse provides a blank canvas for children to decorate and personalize their own unique space.
Kind 5 of 8
Playhouses with a built-in slide
A playhouse with a slide combines a small house with a climbing step or ladder and a slide out the side. It suits active preschoolers who get bored with a house alone. Kids tend to spend more time climbing and sliding than playing house. Check the age range and the height of the platform. Make sure there is clear space at the bottom of the slide and enough yard or room for the full length. Plastic versions are easier to move indoors for winter. Wooden ones usually stay in one spot.
Playhouse with slide
Combine the fun of a playhouse with an exciting slide, offering children both a cozy retreat and an active element for physical play.
Kind 6 of 8
Small play tents for bedrooms and playrooms
An indoor play tent is a compact fabric tent, often a teepee, pop-up dome or tunnel, made for use inside. It suits toddlers and young kids who like a cozy reading nook or a fort, and it fits in apartments where a full playhouse won't. Check the footprint, whether the floor is padded or needs a mat and how quickly it pops up and packs away. Neutral colours can blend into a shared room, while themed prints appeal more to the child.
Kind 7 of 8
Cottage-style playhouses for pretend play
A cottage playhouse looks like a tiny home, with a peaked roof, shutters, a window box and sometimes a porch. It suits kids who love playing house, running a pretend shop or hosting tea parties. You can find it in wood for the yard or in plastic and fabric for smaller spaces. Check the size of the door and windows, whether there is a counter or shelf inside and whether the style lets the child paint or decorate it. A cottage the child can add to over time tends to hold their interest longer.
Cottage playhouse
Inspire endless role-playing scenarios with a charming playhouse designed to resemble a cozy cottage, fostering imaginative domestic play.
Kind 8 of 8
Raised playhouses on a platform
An elevated playhouse sits on posts or a deck with a ladder, ramp or stairs leading up, sometimes with a sandbox or swing underneath. It suits school-age kids who want a lookout or clubhouse more than a toddler's house. It is a large backyard project, so check the total height, the space it needs around it, the ground it will stand on and the assembly time. Confirm that the parents want a permanent structure in the yard and have somewhere to put it before you choose one.
Elevated platform playhouse
This unique play structure provides an exciting raised perspective, encouraging active play and offering a sense of adventure for children.
How to choose playhouses as a gift
- Measure the space first, including ceiling height indoors or a level patch of yard outdoors, before you narrow down styles.
- Match the size to the child's age a year from now so it isn't outgrown by next summer.
- Ask the parents before buying anything large, since a playhouse takes up floor or yard space for years.
- For a backyard playhouse given at Christmas, include a note or picture so the child has something to open until spring assembly.
- Look for doors, windows, counters or a chalkboard wall, since these give kids more ways to play.
Usually safe to skip
- Large outdoor structures for families in apartments or rentals usually end up unbuilt or in the way.
- A tiny toddler tent for a child of seven or eight rarely gets used, because older kids want a clubhouse, not a nook.
- A complicated kit with no one available to build it can sit in the box for months and turn into a chore instead of a gift.
Questions people ask about playhouses
- What age is a playhouse best for?
- Most playhouses suit kids from about two to eight. Fabric tents and plastic houses fit toddlers and preschoolers. Houses with a slide suit active three- to six-year-olds. Raised platform playhouses appeal more to school-age kids who want a clubhouse.
- Is an indoor or outdoor playhouse a better Christmas gift?
- An indoor playhouse or play tent can be used on Christmas morning, which matters in a snowy winter. An outdoor playhouse lasts longer but usually waits until spring. If you choose outdoor, include something small to open so the child has something to play with right away.
- How much space does a playhouse need?
- Fabric tents need about the space of a small rug. Plastic houses need a corner of a room or a patch of patio. Wooden and raised playhouses need a level area of yard with room to walk around them, plus clearance for any slide or ladder. Check the listed footprint and measure before you buy.
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