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Original poster

wooden v's plastic playhouses? help we can't decide

27 replies

greyriver · 11/06/2006 21:57

DH and I have been looking for ages, we get to the point of ordering one or the other then go back to square one......DD is 17 mo btw....

Like the idea of the safety of the plastic houses (and the little kitchens and doorbells) but DH prefers the wooden ones, and says we can put a little play kitchen etc inside it ourselves....argh help us decide please we are going around a very big circle...

tia

OP posts:
Flum · 11/06/2006 21:58

Wooden looks nicer and can double up as wood shed in winter time as ours does.

plastic fades in sunshine

in grand scheme of things does it really matter

MerlinsBeard · 11/06/2006 22:01

agree with the does it matter thing. You can obviously afford a wooden one, its just not in our reach financially(neither are at mo). Idf i had teh choice i would choose wooden and seal it so creatures couldn't get in(spiders etc) because cats pee up the plastic ones, they fade, they get HOT and static-y in summer too

Fillyjonk · 11/06/2006 22:02

oh god, wooden if you can afford it, definately.

It looks nicer and that is the main thing.

Original poster
greyriver · 11/06/2006 22:06

it does matter which we get really, as we have saved for ages to buy this and it really does have to last her Smile we have 2 cats (interesting about cats peeing in them!!) and I have a major spider phobia regards wooden ones, I didnt think about the static and heat in the summer....hmmm, swaying towards wood now i think

OP posts:
Fillyjonk · 11/06/2006 22:07

remember, you will have to look at it for years

Flum · 11/06/2006 22:08

Play houses would be no fun without the spiders though would they.

mine is usually used for creepy crawly soup cooking!!!!

MerlinsBeard · 11/06/2006 22:10

ds1 has a a friend with a HUUUUUUGE wooden one and her dad has spider proofed it somehow, prob just sealed all possible entrances but i don't really know, so they are spider proof-able. Have seen cats peeing up a plastic one, not nice.

handlemecarefully · 11/06/2006 22:10

Wooden

neena28 · 11/06/2006 22:23

Have you seen these

\link{http://www.wingreen.co.uk\if money is no object?}

Just a thought but I think they are lovely esp the girls ones.

Other than that i'd go for wooden without a doubt.

handlemecarefully · 11/06/2006 22:44

great little trading company also do some good ones.....

(bit stunned though at nearly £300 for a bit of cloth neena.., not really vfm)

brimfull · 11/06/2006 22:50

wooden if you can afford it,plastic lump in the garden for yrs will dive you mad....I know from experience.

handlemecarefully · 11/06/2006 22:52

Plastic also shows dirt and grime very easily

emkana · 11/06/2006 22:53

£300 for fabric ones?

Oh - my - god. Shock

TooTicky · 11/06/2006 22:54

Wood! Apart from looking nicer and being greener, it smells lovely in the summer.

crunchie · 11/06/2006 23:00

Wood without a doubt, once your dd is 5 the p;astic one will be 'babyish' and you will feel obliged to buy a wood one. We have had ours for about 4 years and it is now a 'chill out zone' with pink curtains, soft cushions etc. I can imagine it continuing to be used for another 4 or 5 years in this way (DD1 will then be 12, so I'll let her paint it black and put her music in it!!, it will probably be her secret smoking room by then!!!) :o

handlemecarefully · 11/06/2006 23:02

We didn't get them a wooden playhouse - we got a summer house instead and decided that they could monopolise it as an outdoor playhouse whilst little kids, but when they are older and disinterested we will reclaim it for it's proper purpose

perfumelady · 11/06/2006 23:04

definatly wooden , plastic are a lot of money and they out grow them too quickly

FillyjonktheFluffy · 11/06/2006 23:16

cloth ones are lovely though.

My kids get to play in one regularly

\link{url\www.cafejunior.co.uk/}

HarpsichordCarrier · 11/06/2006 23:19

fillyjonk will knit one for you Grin
personally, I would get a wooden one if you can afford it and have the room

Spatz · 11/06/2006 23:22

I'd also go for wood - we have a plastic one and are sick at looking at it. We are now thinking of upgrading, which is such a waste of money.

sunnydelight · 12/06/2006 18:43

We bought a wooden one for DD last year (2 at the time) and it's been great. Have had no problem with spiders (and I'm seriously arachnaphobic!). It looks lovely under the trees and DD adores it. I think it was about £175 but in terms of play value well worth it.

MrsBadger · 12/06/2006 18:46

have been recommending \link{http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3681543.htm\this one} to all and sundry - wooden but as cheap as plastic. Not suitable for use as shed admittedly, but v good for the smaller garden.

hulababy · 12/06/2006 19:01

We went for a plastic Little Tykes one. No spiders in it, or if they are they are easier to see/get rid of. Easy to keep clean, and moveable. No need for a permanent base. We actually keep all of DD's outdoor toys (bar bike and scooter) in it too.

NomDePlume · 12/06/2006 19:03

I'd have wooden everytime. They age better

BamboozlesLover · 17/06/2006 19:48

get a tree house - they are much more fun!!