Include the kids who will be the new “homeowners”—it’s a great way to teach them valuable DIY basics, give them a feeling of accomplishment, and share a hands-on experience together. Who knows? The new playhouse might inspire you to build a tiny house for your next project, or might be where your in-laws ask to stay during their next visit. Beth shares helpful tips for this playhouse hack on her blog—like using the large box in which the playhouse came as a spray paint booth. Influenced by traditional Malay stilt houses, Denis built a smaller version, with a roof suited for the tropical climate, harmonious proportions, and decorative, carved architectural details. His plans and photos of the project are available on Instructables. Woodhouse writes about her projects in her blog, The House of Wood, and is a self-described de-clutterer. Like many military families, the Woodhouses move frequently; the playhouse will come along wherever they go. Jennifer decorated the house with pretty details like planters, lighting fixtures, and ruffled pillows. The playhouse is used for tea parties, hide and seek, and as a hideout during nerf gun battles. At Christmas, it’s decorated with lights and a wreath for the front door. Measuring 8 feet by 8 feet with a 7-foot-high ceiling and 3-foot porch, the house can be customized for the tastes of your child and can be built as a clubhouse, fort, or playhouse. The downloadable booklet for the Moveable Playhouse is 30 pages and includes detailed sketches and step-by-step instructions to guide you through the building process. Movable Playhouse Blueprints, $19.99, PlayhousePlans via Etsy Bluebird Treehouse Plans, $890, Barbara Butler This one, the “Home Away From Home” cottage, requires precast concrete pier blocks for a sturdy foundation and suggests using redwood or Douglas fir. The Handwerker Gingerbread Playhouse, designed by John V. Handwerker in the 1890s, is a small Victorian playhouse built for his children and modeled after the stables that stood on the property of his home in Memphis, Tennessee. The basic floor plan exists, but you’ll have to improvise—if you have advanced carpentry skills, then go for it. This project is better suited for experienced DIYers or extremely talented beginners who catch on easily, interpret instructions well, and are creative. When your kids outgrow the Jungle Cruise, you can turn it into a man cave or she-shed. This particular house from BuildEazy stands 78 inches high, is 92 inches long, and 48 inches wide, with an additional 28-inch-wide porch or deck along the front. Instructions and blueprints are included on the website but a downloadable version is available for a small fee.
