Best Indoor Playsets & Playhouses
Your child has come of age. Well, not literally, but they have reached the age where as a parent, you have to give them as much room as possible to develop their brains. At this stage, they have the opportunity of discovering what is new to them in their surroundings, and also finding out what it is they are capable of.
A visit to the playground is always welcome. However, they won’t be able to go there all the time. Where else can they put their make-believe abilities to good use? Imagination is a powerful thing. A few pillows from your living room can act as props, but they won’t be as good a prop as an indoor playset would be.
Yes, with an indoor playhouse, your child will always be busy trying to make something out of what their mind can conjure.
As a parent or as a caregiver, it is your job to provide your child with the best props, and that’s where you turn to us. We have put together a list of the best indoor playhouses for you to choose from. Take a look at these. Also, make sure to check our guide on the best indoor playsets for toddlers if you need a set for younger children.
Due to increased demand and supply issues, among others, a lot of the indoor playsets may not be available at this time. One workaround is to take a look at the indoor playsets bestsellers list and check availability based on that list.
…In a Hurry?
Monobeach Princess Play Tent for Girls
Your little princess has come to an age where they need to have some bit of privacy to herself. They no longer follow you everywhere you go, and they can get some time to read by themselves, and generally explore the fantasies painted in her mind by fairy tales.
Here is a tent that has been built just for that. A tent that has just needs a little bit of imagination and your daughter will see a castle. A little bit of a tweak and they will see a cabana at the beach. All that will be missing is the feeling of sand on her little feet.
This tent is made from taffeta, which gives a crisp feeling of luxury, and also makes it easy to clean. The tent is large enough to accommodate your daughter and two of her friends. All you will need to do is to set up the tent and hand over the keys to the castle to your daughter.
To make things even more magical, the tent comes with a set of little lights, which work greatly to instill a feeling of wonder and magic to the tent.
Pros | Cons |
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The tent is large enough to fit a six-foot teddy bear. And what’s more, it’s durable enough to last until the child enters their teenage years. | The lights have to be held up either by using zip ties or by using tape. Tis may ruin a little bit of the aesthetic in the tent. |
The taffeta is stain-resistant and also very easy to clean. The support rods are made from PVC, which means they won’t rust from exposure to moisture, neither will they stain the taffeta. | Some packages come with support rods that are not of equal size, and need to be adjusted. |
Multicolor Tent by Pacific Play Tents
Your child may be the most active child out there. That will mean that they would absolutely love to go play outside every chance they get. But that’s not always going to be the case, especially during cold or rainy days. In some instances, you would want them to stay inside the house and get to spend their time with a book.
Here is a tent that has been designed to give your child a sense of imagination that not many will have in their younger years. This tent is designed to give your child the idea of what it would feel like to go on an archeological trip, or even just a trip to the woods and experience their first bugs. If you’ve been watching reruns of Raiders of The Lost Ark, don’t be surprised to find your child wanting to be a little Indiana Jones in this tent.
Pacific Play Tents meant for this one to last for quite a long time. The pillars of the tent are made of PVC, but then they are coated with fiberglass to give them considerable strength and durability.
The tent is large enough to fit your child and a couple of their friends. It also comes in a sturdy bag so when your child insists on going on a sleepover at a friend’s house, you can help them carry and set up the tent for the night.
Pros | Cons |
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The tent is large enough to fit yourself and your child. So, on the days when you want to have make believe camping, this will comfortably hold you both in it. | You may need to reinforce the poles after some time of using it. |
A safe indoor tent that can be set up and packed fast. |
Country Cottage Indoor Playhouse by Melissa and Doug
As a child, growing up in the countryside had to be one of the best experiences that you may have gone through. However, with the changes that came as you grew older, you found yourself away from the place that you love, and in the middle of a concrete jungle, or a suburb that’s too perfectly manicured, that feels unreal at times.
While you may not have the choice, or ability to go back to where you enjoyed your earlier years in life, that doesn’t mean you should let your kids lead a drab life. Instead, some children’s tales on a farm and this wonderful playhouse are what you can give them. Let their imagination do the rest.
Here is the wonder that only a cardboard playhouse can give. The playhouse is printed in bright colors, with flowers being the main feature of the design and the background of yellow meant as a catalyst for imagination.
Melissa and Doug have outdone themselves with this product. They added in a functional door and shutters. They actually open and close quite well. Whenever you child is in there with their friends and you don’t want to disturb them, you can write your message on a piece of paper and slip it in through the mail box that has been printed on the side of the wall.
Pros | Cons |
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The playhouse is large enough to fit your child and three of his closest friends. Apart from just being a conduit to express their imagination, this nifty playhouse can also encourage the development of social skills/ | Assembling it will require at least two or three people to get it right. |
The vibrant colors that adorn this playhouse will immediately catch the eye of your child, and when combined with the privacy and homeliness that they will feel inside this playhouse, it will immediately become their favorite. |
Coloring Playhouse by My Very Own House
Children will come up with all sort of things, and do all manner of things. As a hawk-eyed parent though, you have noticed that your child will lean towards certain things. If they like banging on pots and pans, no, they will not become drummers, they might just be trying to find out how sound works. You are looking at the next Beethoven or Pat Metheny.
Others like scribbling around things in the house. And this is something you don’t particularly like. What you can do instead is focus their energies in a more appropriate way. Here is where Coloring Playhouse comes in.
This playhouse is designed as a stencil. On it, you can make out the outlines of the roofing, the windows, doors, trees and animals that are all waiting for your child to bring color into their drab black and white world. With a set of colors or crayons, you can focus your child’s energies towards turning this incomplete work of art, and turning them into a master piece worthy of hanging next to some of Van Gogh’s famous works.
This is the perfect playmate for your child. Not only does it offer them privacy whenever they need it, but it’s the perfect way to help them develop their sensory skills. There are dozens of hidden features where finding them will just drive their imagination wild as to what color to use on them.
Pros | Cons |
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If you are looking for something that will engage your child for hours on end, then look no further than this lovely playhouse. | The house has a reputation of being flimsy, especially if a child is a bit too enthusiastic about getting their ideas onto the house. |
The growth and development opportunities this house offers your child just cannot be understated. |
Food Truck by Melissa and Doug
As a connoisseur, you might have taken your child around with you. They have seen how much you enjoy the delicious meals that the world has to offer. You probably are an entrepreneur who has several food trucks in your operation. Your little one definitely sees how hard you work.
You could also be your own personal chef, whipping up delicacies from the cookbook library you’ve sprouted next to your kitchen. Lately, you’ve also noticed your child absolutely getting interested in everything that you do. That means, they would also want to try out making some of your delicious meals.
While they are not exactly at the age where stepping into the kitchen to pull out some flambe that Gordon Ramsey would be proud of, it doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy some spot of imagination to make up for it.
Here is a playhouse that has ben designed to be the perfect playhouse for the child that loves the ice cream truck and the taco trucks that you love taking them to. In this playhouse, they can play out their fantasies of providing people with delicious nourishment, and still grow and develop.
The best part about it is, your child can call their friends into the playhouse, and they can begin to run their own operation. Whether it’s the ice cream or the sandwich truck, the awnings and the loudspeaker up top will make this as close as to the real thing as it can get. The only missing thing is their imagination.
Pros | Cons |
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This playhouse is perfect for the child who requires hours of imaginative play and it is sturdy for a house made of cardboard. | You may have to check your playhouse for damage and sturdiness after receiving it. |
Step2 Charming Cottage
It’s no secret that children are easily impressionable. That’s why as a parent, it is your job to keep them away from what may hurt them or lead them down the wrong path. In your efforts to keep them innocent though, you introduced them to various storybooks and TV programs that introduced them to the story books that you grew up with.
From the Snow White and Cinderella that you read to them at bedtime, to the day time binge watching of Shrek and Snow White, every one of those stories has a cottage somewhere in it. Your little impressionable child will definitely want something like that for themselves.
The Step 2 Charming Cottage Playhouse is a beautiful and charming cottage that is sure to spark the creativity and imagination of your children! The Step2 Charming Cottage playhouse is a magical place where fun and adventure will be around every corner. This charming playhouse is a safe haven for your little one to play and grow. The Step2 Charming Cottage Playhouse is a wonderful and exciting place to play.
The Step2 Charming Cottage is an adorable playhouse that is perfect for any child. It is a charming cottage that has a working doorbell, a dutch style door, and a fireplace with a sitting ledge. The Step2 Charming Cottage can easily be assembled by one person, and it is made with high quality materials that will last a long time.
Pros | Cons |
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There is plenty of room in this playhouse for your toddler to invite a couple of friends. | Setting up this playhouse will require an adult who is technically gifted. |
The playhouse is built from sturdy materials, making it one that will last for quite some time. |
Cape Cottage by Little Tikes
We all did it at some point in our development. We pretended we are either of our parents, and we are living in a happy and healthy home. During one of these sessions, one of our friends would be the child in the family, and we would treat them in the same way that our parents treated us.
Yes, everything you say, or do, to your child, they will manifest in one way or another. The most likely place it will come out is when the make-believe session is in full swing. You will notice it with the way they handle their toys and how they speak to them. If you love what you are seeing, why not let their imagination run free and as far as it can go?
While kids would be content to work with whatever they have in front of them, why not enhance their imaginative play with this exquisitely built contemporary playhouse?
This is a playhouse that is built to help the little one’s imagination spark by representing what they see in everyday life, but with the distinction that they can do whatever they please while playing in the house. Whether it is reading their favorite storybook, or having some heart-to-heart time with the family pet, this house will be the perfect accomplice to aid their growth.
With two fully working doors and 2 windows that are complete with shutters, your child can recreate and have their friends over for some excellent time of make-believe.
Pros | Cons |
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The playhouse is lightweight and very easy to put together. It doesn’t matter whether you are technically adept or not. | The playhouse is made of plastic that may not hold up well to excessive pressure, or shipping in poor conditions, so make sure to check it after delivery. |
Colorful Fun House by Pal Play
As your child is growing up, you as a parent, are very eager to download all the information that you have onto that child. You know the amount of information and knowledge that they will need to become successful in this life. You do know, however, that this child still needs to undergo various stages of development before they are ready to conquer the world.
One of those stages that you have a clear idea of is play. Play is fundamental to the growth and development of a child, but you don’t need us to tell you how important it is. You already know that setting foot out the door to the playground, or your garden is not going to be feasible every day.
Of all the things that they need to learn, they should be able to differentiate between the various colors that exist in this world. By now, they may have expressed a favorite color to you, whether it was the red in their favorite cartoon, or even the color of their favorite toy or blanket.
But there are still others that they need to learn, and Pal Play made sure you can introduce to them different colors in a package that they will love. That of course, is the Colorful Fun House and it comes in a variety of colors.
The red roof, the green walls and the blue door make for excellent contrast, one that they will scratch their heads in wonder as to why that is so, and you will be there to satisfy that curiosity. But that’s not the only thing that this house does. It is a functional playhouse with a door that allows access, and windows that open to allow their brightness to escape into the world.
And it’s not just a bland design. The detail that has gone into it is amazing, from the tiled roof to the bannisters under the window, to the sidings that are accurate. Your child will have a lot to explore and learn from this playhouse.
Pros | Cons |
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If you are worried about your budget, this is a playhouse that will comfortably slip in unnoticed. | Though the price may be amazing, the playhouse may not hold up to repeated abuse. |
Things to consider before buying aN INDOOR playSET
As a caregiver, you know it is your job to give that little one in your care the best that they can get. It doesn’t matter whether you are a parent, a guardian or a doting aunt or uncle. But the best that they can get is subject to a lot of factors in your life. Sometimes, it’s not about what you can provide but rather, what they can do with.
What this will mean is that you will have to take into consideration your own position, as well as the child’s before you get to decide whether a particular playhouse is better for them. While it is true that a child can conjure magic out of thin air, the tools at their disposal can sometimes lead them in the wrong direction.
So, before making a commitment on a particular playset, here are things you need to look at before buying an indoor playset.
The Price
Not all indoor playsets are standard. Some are built with the most premium material that the manufacturer could get their hands on, while others were built with more modest materials. Also, not all are the same size. Others will be large enough for your child to invite their friends for a party, while others are just enough for the child to express their creativity.
Depending on the configuration you go for, the prices of the playset will vary. Certain materials will cost more to acquire, and the size of the playset will also affect the price that the playset or playhouse will be sold for.
Materials
As mentioned earlier, some materials are more expensive than others, and that means making a playhouse out of them will be more complex. This is one reason why certain prices are higher than others.
That being said, here are the materials that you are most likely to encounter while you are looking for the best playhouse for your dependent.
Wood
In general, wood is quite an expensive material to acquire. When you factor in the labor and other costs, the price will soar.
These are some of the longest lasting playsets in existence, they can be passed down your family, and will also go on to serve other members of the extended family. Wood has the advantage of being eco-friendly. The only thing they will need is a finish in child-friendly paints, and you have yourself a product that will last decades.
The downside of wooden playsets or playhouses is that they can be really heavy. If your child would want to move them to a location they would like, they would require the help of an adult to move them.
A good compromise with wooden playhouses is getting one that has been constructed from plywood. Plywood is light, but still as durable. The best part is that plywood playhouses are considerably cheaper in comparison to other wood houses.
Plastic
This quintessential product has been absolutely vital to how we do things today. They can be molded to be just as strong as wood, but still be able to keep the price down. The other interesting thing with plastic is that it can come in a variety of colors straight from the factory, unlike wood which would need various coats which may not be child-friendly.
The downside of plastic is that it is not environmentally friendly. Plastic is not also good for the health and development of your child as some forms of it have been known to contain chemicals that are harmful.
Fabric
Here is a material that most parents tend to go for, and perhaps the best out of all of these. With fabric, you can get a variety of indoor playhouses that are in the form of tents or teepees. These allow you to set up make believe camping expeditions right inside your house.
The beauty of fabric is that they can be printed, and thus can have a variety of colors and shapes that your child would absolutely love, and be beneficial for their overall growth and development. They are also very easy to set up as they are lightweight and can be good to work on as a project with your child.
Cardboard
Here is a product that comes direct from mother nature, just a few tweaks and voila, you have yourself a cardboard playhouse. What this means is they are also very easily recyclable. They can also be excellent for your children as they plain colors they come in mean your child can express their creativity by drawing or painting all over them.
The downside of cardboards is that they are very flimsy. A moment of inspiration powered by sugar rush and your child will bulldoze through the cardboard playset like it is… well, it is paper. Even if they are not too rough, they tend to lose shape after some time.
A cardboard playhouse may be a good idea if you just want something temporary, or you are waiting for the right time to get your child something more permanent.
Safety
It’s not just enough to buy a playhouse and say your job is done. You would also need to look at the product to determine whether they can be a safety hazard to your child. The playhouses are built to adhere to laws and regulations regarding what a playhouse can be. These regulations mean that the doorways and other entrances allow for the body of your child to fit through, and also prevent injuries to fingers and toes.
The thing to consider most is the kind of paint on the playhouse. There are a variety of kid-friendly paints, but you still have to ensure that the playhouse you are looking at has these paints on.
Creativity
As a parent, your main purpose in this life is to see that child grow up with everything that the child will ever need. With this in mind, many parents tend to splurge on extravagant playsets. A playhouse is just meant to be a fun place to be.
Your child will absolutely have fun in whichever the of playhouse they are in. It doesn’t matter whether it is the most highly rated or the most expensive. All they need is a place for them to express their creativity, explore and learn from whatever they come across.
Conclusion
It is not everyday that you, as a parent, will get to do some things for your child. You also have other responsibilities that you have to attend to in your life. That doesn’t mean that you abandon one or the other, it just means that you can do little things that will completely improve the kind of learning experience that your child has.
While regular visits to the playground are highly recommended, it’s not every moment that you would want your child to go outside. This is especially true in places where the weather is just not conducive to having them outside.
So, when they are in the house, running amok with all the energy they can muster, you don’t have to lose your mind trying to stay calm. What you can do instead is engage their brains and have yourself the peace you needed.
A playhouse is one excellent way to keep your child occupied and it has several benefits. The growth and development your child will experience just from letting their imagination run free is one of the greatest gits you will ever give to your child. That’s why an indoor playset is a must have, as a prop to aid their imagination.