If you have children, you might want to consider purchasing an outdoor playhouse for them. The outdoor unit is a child sized item that allows them to utilize their imagination in creating their own playtime stories. The various structures available for use as this type of unit can be purchased as already existing items or as kits you can put together yourself. If you have not seen these items lately, you will be amazed at the designs and details incorporated into these miniature houses for children. You will find everything from a log cabin design to a cozy cottage playhouse.
The new styles of the wooden playhouse have replaced the old traditional fort that used to be put together using spare pieces of lumber. The kit comes with all of the items you need to assemble the unit for your children to use. This is much more convenient than trying to piece together odds and ends of left over wood materials. These structures are also much safer for children because all of the items have been finished with safe edges, and hardware that is designed to fit together so there are no protruding nails to hurt a small child.
In addition to having all the necessary materials, these kits may include roofs, porches and railing to make a realistically styled house. The Sunflower design comes complete with a wood porch in the front and a rail, which goes around it. The unit has three small windows, which are completely functional to use. It also comes with a front door styled in a Dutch design that can be opened and closed. It consists of cedar and mahogany and does not require any additional cutting to fit the boards together. This particular playhouse measures 6 feet by 9 feet and retails for around $2,500.
If your child loves storybook characters, you might purchase the gingerbread playhouse. This is a roomy structure measuring a full 8 feet by 12 feet and comes with a porch, rail and chimney. It is designed to have scalloped edges around the roof, windows and door area giving the whole piece a true storybook feel. It even includes a flowerbox for the window to allow children to grow and care for their very own flowers. This item includes safety glass for the windows and retails for about $1,700. It is also available in two smaller sizes that cost a bit less than the full sized unit.
There are also several styles of these playhouses that are made to resemble actual residential homes. You will find this in the Victorian Mansion, the Cape Cod and the Grand Portico. These larger homes have a two story type of construction without the extra flooring added to actually make two levels. Some may include a loft with ladder area to access a smaller portion of the second story, which resembles more of a porch than an actual room. You might find various options when choosing a playhouse kit such as whether or not you want to include a floor for your playhouse.
You can also buy several smaller pre-assembled units for use as an outdoor playhouse. These are generally geared for very small children and are made of a durable molded plastic material. They may have some assembly required for pieces that are generally easy to snap into place. This style will be much less expensive than the full size home designed items. You will find the molded plastic items available at most major department stores. You can find the larger type of playhouse kits available from retailers online who specialize in children’s play houses and outdoor equipment.