Best outdoor playhouses for kids and toddlers for endless, outdoor fun

Holidays can feel extra long at times, especially when you’ve got the kids running around the house or telling you every three minutes that they’re bored.

Sometimes screens just don’t cure boredom, and excessive screen time can negatively impact your child’s health. That’s when you need to encourage them to get outside, play out in the garden, and enjoy some pretend play time. After all, playing outdoors has many benefits, for example, it can help improve children’s creativity, physical health, and mental well-being and leads to more independence.

But you can’t just expect your child to go outside and play; they need toys or something that can spark their imagination and keep them captivated. That’s where a playhouse for outdoors can be a saviour for parents who want to keep their sanity and their children busy. And, of course, a playhouse is great for children who want to have fun outdoors, enjoy structured playtime with friends or on their own, and bring their imagination to life through their games.

Luckily there’s no shortage when it comes to the shape, size, style and budget of playhouses - so there's something for every child and garden. We’ve got the low-down of the very best outdoor playhouses that are sure to keep your kids entertained, as recommended by our Mumsnet users.

How we chose our recommendations

Before sharing any recommendations, we first consult our Mumsnet forums to find honest, impartial recommendations for outdoor playhouses by parents who have bought one themselves for their kids to enjoy. Next, we consulted safety experts and consumer reviews to make sure we're only sharing the best of the best when it comes to outdoor playhouses.

What are the best outdoor playhouses?

• Best overall outdoor playhouse: TP Meadow Cottage Playhouse and Kitchen

• Best budget outdoor playhouse: Welplay Teepee Tent

• Best outdoor playhouse for infants: Eocusun Kids Play Tent

• Best outdoor playhouse for toddlers: Smoby Kids Garden Playhouse

• Best outdoor playhouse for kids: Plum Deckhouse Wooden Playhouse

1. Best overall outdoor playhouse: TP Meadow Cottage Playhouse and Kitchen

Price: £270 | Buy now from Argos

“This one is narrow [TP Meadow Cottage Playhouse and Kitchen]” Ricekrispie22 

If you only have a small garden or don’t want a playhouse to take up too much space then the TP Meadow Cottage Playhouse and Kitchen is ideal, as it’s more compact than most playhouses.

Despite the compact nature of this playhouse, it doesn’t compromise on playful possibilities or fun-filled days, thanks to the outdoor kitchen area, complete with a water butt, tap and stainless steel utensil set, and sheltered veranda.

You can be sure that this playhouse will last for many years, as it’s been made with environmentally friendly pine and spruce. And it comes with a one year’s manufacturer’s guarantee too.

The easy to follow instructions make it a breeze to assemble, but be warned that you’ll need to dedicate some time to painting or treating the wood with waterproof paint. However, you can recruit the help of your little ones when it comes to decorating, as the playhouse comes with multi-themed stencil sets for them to choose from.

Pros

• Compact design

• Comes with kitchen area and accessories

• Suitable for children three years old and over

• Can be customised with stencil sets

Cons

• Need to treat/paint the wood

• May need to add roof felt to make it waterproof

Read next: The best trampolines for every garden

2. Best plastic outdoor playhouse: Little Trikes Country Cottage Playhouse

Price: £270 | Buy now from Smyths

“We've had the Little Tikes country cottage for nearly 9 years and it is still going strong! Highly recommend it, unless you particularly want a wooden one.” DeanImpala67

The Little Trikes Country Cottage Playhouse has plenty to keep your little one busy, including a sink, stovetop with clicking knobs and a play push-button phone. So whether they want to cook up something delicious or play with their favourite dolls and toys, this durable plastic playhouse has endless possibilities for their imagination.

This brightly coloured and pretty playhouse is suitable for children over the age of three and is spacious enough that it will see your child through many years of adventures. With four windows, complete with shutters, a full-height door and a weatherproof roof, with a tall ceiling, your child can enjoy privacy as they play.

You will need to assemble the playhouse yourself, but many reviewers found that it took them an hour or less to build.

The only downside is that the box the playhouse comes in is very large. If you’re having it delivered to your home, it might not be an issue, but if you’re picking it up from the shop, then you might want to consider the size of your car.

Pros

• Pretty design and bright colours

• Fun features such as stove, sink and phone

• Durable and weatherproof plastic

• Easy and quick to assemble

Cons

• The box it comes in is very large

• No flooring included

• Playhouse can’t be placed on hard surfaces such as concrete

3. Best wooden outdoor playhouse: Poppy Tower Wooden Playhouse with Slide

Price: £770 | Buy now from Waltons

“We had a Walton’s playhouse many years ago. It was great and lasted really well. Even moved house with us a couple of times. They have lots of designs, shapes and sizes.” petalpower

What child wouldn’t want a playground in the garden? The Poppy Tower Wooden Playhouse has plenty of playing potential for fun that can last all day long. Complete with a slide, ladder, sheltered veranda, and a large wendy house, there’s a small chance you won’t see much of your child with this playhouse.

The playhouse, which is suitable for children aged three and above, is made from high-quality natural wood, including shiplap tongue and groove boards and solid sheet boards for the roof and floor, so you and your child can enjoy the wendy house for many years to come. The playhouse also comes with a one year manufacturer’s guarantee and a 10-year anti-rot guarantee.

No matter how your kids use the playhouse (whether they favour whizzing down the slide or creating a cosy den inside) you can rest assured that they’ll be safe. This playhouses includes 100% shatterproof styrene windows, a 12mm gap in the door (to prevent trapped fingers), rounded timbers (to avoid splinters), ladder treads, and ventilation holes. The playhouse also complies with the Toys (Safety) Regulation 2011 (EN71).

Due to the size of the playhouse and components, installation can take four hours and needs two people to assemble it - luckily, full instructions are supplied. However, if you want to save yourself the stress, you can opt for the company’s installation service for £369.99. And on top of the installation, you also need to allow time to treat the wood (to preserve it) and paint it.

Pros

• Playhouse comes with a slide and ladder

• Solid and durable

• Attractive and traditional wooden design

• Has many safety features

• Comes with a one-year manufacturers warranty and a 10-years anti-rot guarantee

Cons

• Expensive

• Installation takes at least four hours

• Need to treat and paint it

4. Best budget outdoor playhouse: Welplay Teepee Tent

Price: £36 | Buy now from Amazon

“You could get a play tent, then it can be used outside, inside or collapsed as necessary.” MinnieMountain

Parents looking for a space-saving, budget-friendly playhouse option can choose a play tent like the Welplay Teepee Tent. Made from cotton and pine wood, this tent can be easily assembled and collapsed when it’s not in use.

Although it’s not strictly a playhouse, it can be used outdoors and can accommodate up to three children (of three years and older). However, you can’t leave the teepee outside all the time as it’s not weatherproof - so don’t forget to bring it inside afterwards.

The teepee is great for decorating however your kids want, which means it can function as a den to play games in, a cost snug to read in or nap in, and a place for your child to enjoy endless imaginative play. With good ventilation and made from non-toxic materials, the playhouse tent is perfectly safe for children to play in.

Another reason to like the affordable playhouse teepee tent is that it’s lightweight and comes with a carry bag - ideal for transporting and taking with you wherever you go.

Pros

• Affordable

• Easy to assemble and disassemble

• Portable and comes with a carry bag

Cons

• Not suitable to leave outdoors

• Basic tent design

• No floor mat

5. Best outdoor playhouse for infants: Eocusun Kids Play Tent

Price: £15 | Buy now from Amazon

Playhouses are often suitable for children over the age of three, however, you can get them started earlier with a tent, such as the Eocusun Kids Play Tent - which is suitable for children from the age of six months old (with adult supervision).

Similar to the teepee tent, this brightly coloured tent can be played with inside and outside the home, however, you can’t leave it outdoors as it’s not weatherproof. The tent features a pop-up assembly, so it’s super easy to encourage play and creativity.

There’s plenty of room to play in the tent for your little one to take their favourite toys in too. And you can be sure that they’re safe as the tent has two large mesh windows, is well ventilated and is made from non-toxic fabric. The fabric is also infant-friendly as it’s easy to wipe clean.

At an affordable price, this tent is a good option for those looking to keep their little ones busy. However, the tent is quite small so it won’t last for years and is mostly suitable for children under three.

Pros

• Suitable for children six months and up

• Brightly coloured design

• Affordable

• Safe for little ones to use

Cons

• Not weatherproof

• Too small for children over three

• Fabric isn’t very durable

6. Best outdoor playhouse for toddlers: Smoby Kids Garden Playhouse

Price: £300 | Buy now from Amazon

“We have a smoby one which is fab.” Kit2015

Get your kids excited about gardening and all things nature, with the Smoby Kids Garden Playhouse. Made for children over the age of two, this beautifully designed playhouse features a trellis, planter, six flower pots, water butt and watering can - to help your child find their green fingers.

Other gardening accessories include a mini shovel, rake and dibble, gardeners booklet and slate potting labels, so along with growing your child’s imagination you’ll also be able to assist them in growing real flowers and plants.

Not only can your little ones practise their gardening skills, but they can also create a variety of games as the playhouse also has two half doors (complete with a mail slot), two windows (with shutters) and two porthole windows. Inside, the playhouse is spacious and has a standing height of 1.35m - making it ideal for both independent playtime and for when your child has friends over. Let's just say this particular playhouse everything - all that's missing is a working doorbell!

Smoby has used high-quality, non-hazardous anti-UV plastic to make the playhouse, so parents can rest assured that their child is safe and that the wendy house is durable. Assembly is needed for this playhouse, which some reviewers found difficult due to all the pieces, so do allow several hours when putting this one together.

Pros

• Comes with gardening accessories

• Spacious playhouse with multiple doors and windows

• Durable wendy house

• Safe for children aged two and up

Cons

• Self-assembly may take four hours or more

• No flooring

• Not suitable for children under two

7. Best outdoor playhouse for kids: Plum Deckhouse Wooden Playhouse

Price: £500 | Buy now from Amazon

Suitable for up to four children (aged three and up) to play in, the Plum Deckhouse Wooden Playhouse is a great garden den for your little one and their friends. This cute playhouse comes with a swinging door, perspex windows and a veranda.

Pre-painted in a grey and whitewash finish, the playhouse looks the part for any modern garden. And it can be decorated to suit your child’s taste and purposes, for example, you could add bunting to the roof, add some chairs or beanbags inside and put up some indoor fairy lights.

Many children’s playhouses don’t have floors, but this one does and will help to make the outdoor wendy house cosier. The playhouse is made from wood and has an apex roof, however, some reviewers have found that they needed to add felt on top because the roof is only water-resistant (not waterproof).

You may also need to apply waterproof outdoor paint or varnish to help protect the wood. On the plus side, the playhouse comes with a one year manufacturer’s guarantee.

And on a final note, self-assembly is required with this playhouse and it will take two people to put it together, but many reviewers found that it only took them two hours to build.

Pros

• Spacious playhouse

• Attractive and modern finish

• Playhouse has a floor

• Comes with one year’s manufacturer’s guarantee

Cons

• Roof is not waterproof

• May need to apply waterproof outdoor paint

• Self-assembly required

8. Best outdoor Wendy house: Chad Valley Farm House

Price: £140 | Buy now from Argos

The colourful and spacious Chad Valley Farm House, complete with a green picket fence gives the perfect place for your child and their siblings or friends to play and create role-play stories and adventures. They could even enjoy a meal on a picnic table thanks to the space this Wendy house offers.

Although the design is more basic than other playhouses in our list, in that it doesn’t have additional accessories such as the Smoby Playhouse, we’re sure your little one will love making this playhouse their own and will spend many hours in the Farm House.

The playhouse is fully waterproof, however, it’s recommended not to leave it in direct sunlight or outside during winter months - which may be an issue for some, but thankfully the wendy house can fold up easily and be stored away when not in use. We also found that many reviewers found it easy to assemble - which is ideal for parents who don’t want to spend hours agonising over putting a playhouse together. Some reviewers commented that the plastic wasn’t as sturdy as they expected it to be, but all agreed that for £140 it was good value for money.

Pros

• Colourful and spacious (fits up to 4 children in)

• ‘Private garden’ green picket fence

• Fully waterproof

• Comes with one year manufacturer’s guarantee

Cons

• Basic playhouse design (no additional accessories)

• Not to be left in direct sunlight or left out over winter

• Plastic is a bit flimsy

9. Best outdoor playhouse with slide: Big Game Hunters Evermeadow Tower Wooden Playhouse with Slide

Price: £289 | Buy now from Amazon

Save yourself money by combining your child’s playhouse and slide, with the Big Game Hunters Evermeadow Tower Wooden Playhouse. It’s ideal for children between three and eight years old, but it’s also been fully safety certified for kids of 18 months and up.

There’ll be no time to get bored with this playhouse. Kids can split their time between relaxing in the playhouse, crafting stories and letting their imagination run wild, and climbing the ladder and whizzing down the slide.

Made from natural wooden panels, this playhouse will look right at home in any garden. And what’s more is that the wood has been smoothed and carefully finished, so you can decorate or paint it however you wish. It is recommended that you apply a clear and non-toxic wood preserver to the exterior, to extend the life of the playhouse.

We like that this playhouse puts child safety first, as seen with the two child-safe glazed windows and safety fence, and that it is both durable and attractive. But be warned, due to all the different components it may take two people and up to four or five hours to put it together.

Pros

• Comes with a slide (that can be attached to either side)

• Fully safety certified to EU standards for children aged 18 months and over

• Attractive design that can be decorated

Cons

• Need to treat with a wood preserver

• May need to add roof felt

• Takes four to five hours to assemble

10. Best outdoor playhouse for active kids: Wickey Garden Playhouse With Swing Set and Slide

Price: £580 | Buy now from Amazon

Bring the whole playground home with the Wickey Garden Playhouse With Swing Set and Slide. With a slide, two swings, a climbing wall, a ladder, a racing steering wheel, a sandpit, and a telescope, this is the thing that kids’ dreams are made of.

As well as all the many features of this playhouse, your kids will love the colourful design that lends itself to a whole realm of creativity and imagination. Trust us, you can expect the summer holidays to be filled with plenty of fun games, whether it’s playing pirates, racing cars or swinging all day long.

We also love that this playhouse, which is suitable for children of three and over, comes with safety features such as four plastic handles and two-piece safety caps to cover the screws.

You might pay a bit more for this playhouse but unlike other wooden playhouses in our list, you don’t need to paint it as the solid wood comes already pressure-treated, so you can save time. However, despite the clear and easy to follow instructions, it may take five hours (or more) to build due to all the components.

Pros

• Comes with swings, a slide, a climbing wall, a ladder and more

• Colourful design

• Pressure-treated solid wood - no need to paint it

• Durable and quality materials

Cons

• Can take five hours to assemble

• Expensive

• Doesn’t have an indoor playhouse section

What age is best for a playhouse?

Most playhouses are suitable for children between the ages of two and 14 years old, however, it does depend on the individual playhouse and your child.

For example, the smaller plastic playhouses are often designed and better suited for younger children between two and eight years old. Whereas, larger wooden playhouses are better suited for older children between six and 14 years old.

Alongside age, another thing to consider is whether your child will need to be supervised while they’re playing. Children under six should be supervised when they’re in the playhouse, while older children might be ok to play by themselves with minimal supervision.

What is a good size playhouse?

Choosing the right sized playhouse will depend on the size and shape of your garden.

Smaller gardens might benefit from a narrower playhouse, such as the TP Meadow Cottage Playhouse and Kitchen so you have room for other things in your outdoor space. Whereas if you’re lucky enough to have a large garden then you might decide to treat the kids to something that’ll keep them busy and active, like the Wickey Garden Playhouse With Swing Set and Slide.

Another thing to consider when choosing the best-sized playhouse is how many children will be using it. If you only have one child and expect only the occasional play date then you can save yourself space and money by opting for a smaller playhouse. Whereas, if you have several children or your child loves inviting their friends around to play, then choosing a larger playhouse might be a good idea.

Size guide

For a toddler or child younger than six, a playhouse that is 4 x 4 or 5 x 5 feet should be spacious enough to fit in a small table and chairs or several toys and up to four children.

For children over six, it might be more cost-effective to choose a playhouse that is spacious and that they won’t grow out of too quickly. These are often larger, such as 6 x 6 or 8 x 7 feet. Another alternative is choosing a wooden playhouse with other play features such as a slide or swings.

What do you put in an outdoor playhouse?

There’s nothing specific that you have to put in an outdoor playhouse, but it should be a place where your child feels safe and at home. You can also design the space in a way that allows and encourages your child to express themselves (which is why it might be fun to decorate the playhouse with your child).

You might choose to put in a small table and chairs in the playhouse so your little one can hold tea parties. You could add beanbags, curtains, a rug, blankets and fairy lights to make it feel cosy and snug. Alternatively, you could use the playhouse as a place to store their toys in storage boxes or on shelves and then your child can play to their heart’s content in their own space (and you get to keep a clean house).

As well as putting things in your outdoor playhouse, you can also decorate the inside and outside with your child’s favourite colours, stencil artwork or even bunting.

How do you waterproof a playhouse?

Some playhouses are waterproof, but not all of them - so make sure you check before you buy. Many playhouses are weatherproof, but not necessarily waterproof, which means to protect them you will need to buy additional waterproofing solutions.

For plastic playhouses, you can cover them with a tarpaulin sheet or disassemble them during the winter months and store them indoors (such as in a shed).

For wooden playhouses, you can apply wood treatments to preserve, waterproof and protect the wood. If your playhouse hasn’t been treated, we recommend first applying some wood preserver and then applying a layer or two of wood protection paint.

Another thing to consider for wooden playhouses is if the roof is waterproof or not. If the roof isn’t waterproof, then you might want to consider adding some roof felt too.

How to protect a wooden playhouse from rotting

When wood gets too much moisture trapped in it, it can start to rot. Nobody wants to spend hundreds of pounds on a playhouse for it to only last a year or two, so one way to protect your wooden playhouse from rotting is by sealing it with a wood preserver.

You should apply a wood preserver straight away after you’ve assembled the playhouse, and then every year to ensure moisture is kept out. When applying the wood preserver make sure that the playhouse is dry.

What is the best outdoor playhouse?

We think the best outdoor playhouse to buy is the TP Meadow Cottage Playhouse and Kitchen. It offers a solid and durable wooden playhouse, and is perfect for any sized garden, large or small.

Despite its compact design, it doesn't compromise on fun for kids thanks to its outdoor kitchen area, complete with a water butt, tap and stainless steel utensil set, and sheltered veranda. Plus, you can be sure that this playhouse will last for many years, as it’s been made with environmentally friendly pine and spruce.

How we picked the best outdoor playhouses

To ensure your children can safely enjoy the outdoors more this summer, we thoroughly researched the best outdoor playhouses for kids available to buy in 2022.

Recommendations from real people on Mumsnet

To begin with, we took to our Mumsnet forums to discover honest, impartial playhouse recommendations from real people who have bought and seen the joy that these outdoor wendy houses brought their kids. As well as positive playhouse recommendations, we also relied on Mumsnetter’s who had negative reviews too, so we could compile a list of the best outdoor playhouses that spark children’s imagination and that are durable and are good value for money.

Expert guidance

With the above list of recommendations, we then sought out the latest advice from experts. Every playhouse recommendation in our list was thoroughly checked to ensure they follow safety standards, expert advice and stand up to scrutiny.

Consumer reviews

We then cross-referenced the products with online reviews, from the likes of Amazon and Argos, to learn what real parents thought about the playhouses. Using both positive and negative reviews, we were able to identify the best playhouses in terms of durability, ease of assembly, cost, size and extra features for children to enjoy.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.