Playhouse - yay or nay?

[fullofwonder]

Hi there

We have just turned 2 year old twin boys and a 7 year old boy and a fairly small garden. Have been given some money by grandparents to get some play equipment and I am going round in circles on it!

We don't have the space for a trampoline or climbing frame, so I thought a playhouse could be good but not sure if it will end up an expensive mistake?

They already have a mud kitchen, which they love.

I asked the 7 year old last night and he said he would love a playhouse and I have seen a couple of taller ones that he should be able to fit in for a couple of years and obviously the little ones would have plenty of years worth of play.

I just don't want it to become an expensive shed, which we don't really need.

Would I be better off getting a sandpit and slide that can be moved easily?

Any thoughts very much welcome!

What about a swing? In my experience play houses only get used for a while - then they get overtaken by spiders and everyone refuses to go in them!

Sandpit will also fill up with wildlife, dirt, and other non desirable stuff, and is a pita quite frankly. You'd need to be so careful that it doesn't become the local cats' toilet too.

Swings are always good, or a football net or a basket ball hoop might get more use.

I agree with pp, our big wooden playhouse had very little play and ten years later it's still at the bottom of the garden, full of spiders!

Agree about sandpits becoming swamps and/ or cat toilets. If they fancy a den in the garden why don’t you go for something cheap and moveable like Crazy Forts and a camouflage net? We’ve got a couple of Crazy Forts sets and my boys (7 and 4) and constantly building and rebuilding. They’re fab and you can put them away after. Then you’ll still have plenty of money left for other bits.

We got a playhouse nine years ago and it's still in regular use by our DCs (aged 15 and 10). It's used as more of a den these days or sometimes for sleepovers. Ours is one that is taller and has an upstairs bit - that bit is carpeted so is extra cosy and DD2 likes to take a book, some music and a drink out there and chill. The under the stairs bit is used for garden toys.

Mine adored their play house. Some days it was a house, a school, a shop, a princess castle, a potting shed, a camp etc. They got years of fun from it. We went for a decent quality one that lasted. They had various props to encourage imaginative play eg curtains, blankets, cushions etc.
That and a swing/slide set were firm favourites.

Thank you everyone - much appreciated!

I think I am going to go and have a look at some and then make a decision.

Great advice about avoiding a sandpit! Hadn't considered cats!