Is a playhouse a good purchase?

[Beeperbird]

I’m really not sure on this so I’d like some advice. My DS is turning 2 in a couple of weeks and my dad has recently retired and been made redundant at the same time - so has a bit of a extra cash to splash and wants to buy DS something that we would never buy him.
He took DS to a park that had playhouses - and came back raving about how much DS loved them. DS’s friends don’t have them so I don’t have anyone else to ask if they’re worth it.
Are these playhouses worth the expense? Have your kids got lots of use out of them?
I don’t want my dad wasting money on something that looks good on paper but not in RL!
I get most things second hand normally but haven’t managed to spot any decent playhouses near us

Really only used for the kitchen, I'd buy a good toy kitchen and accessories instead tbh esp as it can be used all year round.

Or a trampoline if you have the space as it will last for years.

Yeah I was thinking trampoline but we don’t have enough ‘free’ space outside unfortauntely - thanks for your advice

We have a summer house and it is used all year round - my DC are now 13, 10, 7 & 7 and we’ve had it for 3 years. The twins are in it the most but the older two use it too - even for sleepovers in the summer.

We used to have a trampoline but this is far better use of money because the trampoline didn’t get used in winter and this does. We have carpet in it, battery-operated lights, a wee table and chairs, cushions and even mattresses (sun lounger cushions) for sleeping on.

It’s definitely been worth it for us, but I would say that it is worth getting the biggest you possibly can. The small ones might seem cute now but in a few years your DC will have outgrown them and then they are redundant.

Ours is used for hanging out with friends, doing homework, art and craft, practising guitar and couriers leave parcels in it if i’m not home which is really handy!

I’ll see if I can find a link to the one we have.

This is the one we have - we didn’t pay this much for it though -

We bought it ex-display from Dobbies - it was purchased aroubd July/August time and they delivered and built it for us in Dec that year. We got it for just a little over half price if you took into account the delivery/building costs

Ds (3) loves his. However due to our garden (terraced, lots of stone/concrete/steps), we built in the playroom so he can use it all year around. Had a few people think we're mad but it's worked great and I would recommend if you have the space inside.

Thanks! Yep I can imagine the wooden ones are a lot more long-lasting... good to know your DC have had so much fun in it!

Ah didn’t even think about building it inside... prob not enough space now but we’re moving house in 6 months ish so I’ll keep that in mind!

I bought my daughter a wooden play house for her 2nd Birthday. She really loves it and spends most days playing in it and eats her lunch in there everyday

We had a wooden playhouse for our dc and they loved it. They used it every time they played outside. We only got rid of it because we needed better storage for bikes etc so we bought a small shed and a bigger summerhouse so all 4 of us can use it. It's almost the same as the wooden playhouse (bought from B&Q iirc) but bigger. They like to have their suppers out there.

Ah great thanks - looks like wooden is the way to go then!

We got given one from a friend as her daughter never played in it. My boys have been in it hmmmm maybe half a dozen times in a year. Thank god we didn’t pay for it!

I brought a 6x4 shed for DD, brought an offcut of carpet for about £8 and hung with some fairy lights and she can decorate it with her artwork. There's plenty of room for a shelving unit with her toys on, bean bag, and some room to sit and play on the floor. Brought it for her when she was 6 so didn't need as much supervision as your DS might do, but it should grow with her, get rid of the toys and add more bean bags etc as she gets older as a space for her and her friends and then when she completely outgrows it I can use it as a storage area. It's completely weather proof and it's even quite cosy in the winter and she likes to sit and read with a blanket over her even on the chilliest days.

We had a little plastic playhouse that was handed down to us - but to be honest, my kids are very very tall for their age so they were bent double to get in there very very quickly. Rather than get a wooden playhouse - we got a wooden summerhouse for the garden that has a play kitchen and assorted other stuff in it which has worked well the last couple of years.

I would say yes actually but with a few conditions. Get a decent sized one that he can still use when he’s much older as well. I have 3 dc from 7 to 14 and they all used the playhouse went through periods of not using it and then it became a den/hangout place as they got older again. It has a table and chairs in it and blankets get taken in and things as well.
And yes a wooden one. It is one of those things that will get used in fits and starts.

We bought a massive wooden playhouse/slide/swing combo and my dc rarely use it but my friend's kids all love it! My two are terrified of spiders and I think that's what stops them as it is often a bit cobwebby. They love the trampoline though and wish we'd bought that sooner.

Dc are 4 and 6 for reference

Thankyou! Yes it seems like buying a bigger one now is worth the investment as hopefully he (and his soon to be arriving little brother/sister) will enjoy it for years.... well fingers crossed anyway!

Get one you can stand up in. Those little ones are cute but a bugger if you have a bad back.

DD got hers for her 2nd birthday and lives in it most of the year. We also use for storing her outside toys.