We finally joined the blogger trend: the kids have their very own playhouse. It was a gift from my mom for their shared spring birthdays — our seven-year-old and three-year-old agreed on one thing: they wanted a small outdoor house of their own. “No grown-ups allowed” was part of the request, so we shopped for something both kids would love that stayed within Nonna’s budget. We found a cedar playhouse that was the right price, made of solid wood, and even included little flower-pot holders out front.
We sent the link to my mom, and she replied with enthusiastic emojis and a note: “It’s going to be delivered in seven days, and it says you have to assemble it. Hope it’s not too complicated!”
Assembly was fairly straightforward though it took a couple of hours. The instructions featured a confident “Adult Helper” character wielding tools — amusing and a little intimidating — but every piece arrived pre-cut, pre-drilled, and labeled, so the process felt much like putting together Ikea furniture. My only tip: lay all the parts out first so you can quickly find pieces by their labels instead of digging through the box for L2.
Once assembled, the playhouse feels very solid. The roof slats interlock securely, and inside there’s a full little kitchen — burners with knobs and a sink — which I hadn’t even noticed when we picked it. The kids have imaginative uses for it (washing squirrels, apparently). The “no grown-ups allowed” rule remains a favorite.
At first the playhouse sat on the deck (you can see some spring pollen in the photos), but the kids quickly asked that we move it down to the grass so they could be farther from adults. So we relocated it to the yard, where it looks tiny and charming.
To protect the base from ground moisture, we placed a few inexpensive pavers under the playhouse. The kids appreciate having a clean floor to sit on — you can spot our daughter inside, happily pretending to do chores.
The playhouse doesn’t include flower pots, only the holders, so I used faux blooms in a black pot I already had. Planting seeds could be a fun activity to do with the kids, though local deer might nibble anything tempting — lavender might be a better bet if you try planting.
Before it arrived I wondered how often the kids would actually play together in such a small space, but they fit just fine and use it a lot. Sometimes they hold hands inside and pretend the kitchen knobs and spouts are controls for “driving through space.” It’s delightful to watch.
One small but popular feature is the real doorknob with a latch — the kids always make sure it’s firmly closed when they leave. Giving them something that truly feels “theirs” has made them care for it and treat it with pride.
This playhouse is simpler than some elaborate makeovers and decorations you might see — there are houses with doormats, flags, bridges, and painted finishes that transform them — but the natural cedar complements our brick house nicely. We like that it will age naturally outdoors instead of showing wear from paint. Ultimately, whether simple or fancy, once the kids have a space of their own they will love it. Ours looks charming as a little log cabin where they escape adults and occasionally pilot imaginary spacecraft.
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