Little Dutch doors. That’s what I remember most about the playhouse I had as a little girl. I believe it was partly used by my Mom to keep her gardening supplies, but I didn’t need more than little Dutch doors to make me happy. When the bottom was open, I could walk through pretty much standing upright. When the top was open, I was ready for business taking orders or serving up refreshing drinks. When we moved to the farm, I lost the Dutch doors, but gained a little red poolhouse with a playroom up top. Summers were spent playing there with cousins and friends, at times attempting the brave sleep-over (but mostly not), or jumping out of the doors onto the grass below.
Now that I’m the one with kids, I try not to forget the importance of having nooks and crannies they can call their own. Little nesting spots that don’t confine a child’s creativity, but expand it. Dreams and imaginations unfold, as tea is served, pirates battle on the high seas, and Picasso’s are born. Childhood may be fleeting, but the memories of these spaces are not. To the forts, hideouts, play houses, and tree stands we come!
Clockwise from top left:
-
Hats off to this completely DIY playhouse. The limited use of materials and colors give this a clean, modern feel. Let the kid chaos happen on the inside.
-
Peek inside this easy, breezy playhouse for a palette of thumbs-up colors and accessories.
-
From playing pirates to watering pansies, this playhouse fits the bill for all ages and stages.
-
Coordinating the yellow beams of this two-story playhouse with the sunflowers in the garden creates a cohesive, peaceful retreat.
Images (clockwise from top left): Natalme; The Handmade Home; Anita Behrendt; Apartment Therapy
(Left) Don’t let your kids have all the fun. Ditch the entrapments and dive into the blissful life of simplicity. The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company sells both the tiny houses and the plans to build these wee things. (My tiny house would look like Horders on Wheels — I love my stuff too much.) Fam won’t budge? You’ll have to resort to the original use — a playhouse in the backyard. Check out the full range.
(Right) Part summer camp, part cabana, this playhouse is a complete summer vacation. Added bonus — pull the curtains to play bug-free.
Images: Tumbleweed Tiny House Company; The Handmade Home
