How to Maintain and Adapt Your Wooden Playhouse as Your Children Age

Children’s playhouses are enduringly popular and a welcome addition to lots of family gardens. The many hours of fun and frivolity that children have in a playhouse is so special and something that is becoming pretty rare in a world of overwhelming technology. Having a playhouse to escape to is such a lovely thing for little ones, allowing them to venture off into their own little world full of fun and imagination is something that they’ll never forget or time they’ll get back. 

So if you want to coax your kids away from their ever-present screens and gadgets, investing in a playhouse is a fantastic way to encourage them to get back to basics a little bit! 

The fact that they have their own area away from the ‘main house’ is often enough to excite them, of course, but we all know fleeting children’s interest in toys can be… So, if you want to ensure they stay interested, you’re going to have to work a little to ensure that the playhouse is as inviting to them as possible. With this in mind, we outline a few maintenance tips and adaptations for you. Let’s get started!  

Finding the right playhouse 

A playhouse is a lovely place for a child to get lost in their imagination and have fun but also be safely within the vicinity of your home. Having the space and freedom to just play is something that allows them to become more independent, expressive, allowing them to participate in pretend-play and gain other developmental skills. 

These kinds of skills also include learning to play with other children in an independent setting, this could even be with siblings or family friend’s kids when they have playdates. Inside of the playhouse, children have a sense of freedom – this is their space. As well as this being a nice environment for them, it’s also highly practical for you, giving you a little downtime from the kids too while ensuring they’re safe.  

What is so perfect about building a playhouse rather than buying one pre-designed is that there are no limits to what can be constructed. Does your child favor more traditional things? Then a cottage-style playhouse may better suit them as they still have plenty of room to role-play. Or maybe the kids want something to keep them active? Then a playhouse designed like a playground is more beneficial to their needs.

Maintenance tips: where to begin?

Here we have compiled a few simple and effective maintenance tips you can easily carry out to help ensure your playhouse is in tip-top shape for your little ones all year round: 

Keep on top of cleaning 

You don’t want to run this risk of your kids’ playhouse becoming a dumping ground for toys and debris. The playhouse should be an enticing place for your children to be so encouraging them to keep it clean and orderly is a good idea. If you find that they’re not using too much, it’s probably because it’s not in such great shape. It may be the case that it is time to give the playhouse a good clear out. 

You can get the kids involved with this! It’s advisable to wait for a day when the weather is okay and it’s sunny and dry to do this. Once everything is cleared out of the playhouse, you need to give it a good once over with a brush and use a duster to remove any cobwebs present. Then, take a bucket of soapy water and clean the internal surfaces, giving them a good wipe down. You can even add essential oils to the water to give the playhouse a nice scent and to repel insects and pests – eucalyptus oil and tea tree are ideal for this. 

Check for rotting 

You must make sure you build your playhouse on a proper base – a wood, patio slab, or concrete foundation all work well. As well as keeping your playhouse clear of the ground, you should also ensure it’s no closer than 2ft from a wall or other structure. That’s because keeping rot away relies on having good air circulation so that after it rains, the water dries up quickly. If you have a tower playhouse that’s raised off the ground, be sure to check the structure carefully, along with the stairs or ladder. 

Take a look at the windows and doors 

Kids playhouses share a few similarities with the classic garden shed and if you have one and already know how to care for it, this should give you a good idea of how to care for your playhouse. Bearing this in mind, it’s always wise to give the windows and the door a good once over when you’re doing some other maintenance checks. Take a look at the frames and gaps which maybe don’t open as easily as the wood shrinks over time. You only have to apply filler if you think there’s a danger the wood will rot or if you notice water ingress. You need to use a specialist wood filler that expands and contracts with the wood. 

Adapting the playhouse 

The great thing about the playhouse is that as your children grow and change, the playhouse can evolve with them – into whatever they want it to be. Here are a few of our favourites for adapting your children’s playhouse. 

A Clubhouse

You can adapt the playhouse to be a kind of clubhouse-style den for your children. We recommend using a revitalised colour palette with bright accents, fused with wooden furnishings. Your kids can also put their own touches on it to make it feel extra personal and special to them. Evolving the playhouse to be a fun hangout spot is a fun way to create something that your children will love and always look fondly back on.

A treehouse 

You certainly don’t need an actual treehouse to create a treehouse vibe in your kid’s playhouse. If you have a 2 storey playhouse it’ll most likely have a bit of a treehouse-feel to it already but you can even give the standard playhouse the treehouse treatment… use fairytales as your influence and drape solar fairy lights and bunting or flags around the playhouse, this is something that is going to add a really magical feel to the playhouse. 

A chillout zone 

If your kids are a little older, then perhaps using the playhouse as more of a chillout space is a good idea. This could consist of putting some comfortable furnishing such as beanbags and cushions in there and neutral, relaxing colours. Mood lighting is also a great idea and can create a truly calming feel, particularly cooler tones such as blue and purple. 

A great idea may also encourage children to make their own sensory relaxation toys. A popular DIY relaxation tool is making your own ‘calm down bottle’. This consists of: 

1. Add a dollop of glitter glue into the jar. 

2. Add hot (not boiling water) water to the jar (with the help of an adult) and stir it in with a spoon to dissolve the glitter glue. 

3.  Once the glue has dissolved, wait for it to cool down before you screw the lid back on. You can now shake and watch the glitter storm settle and calm down.

A playhouse needs to be special and feel personal to the children playing in it so whatever you decide to do with yours, it’s sure to be filled with magical and special memories. Let your children’s imaginations run free let and let them decorate the playhouse in any way they like! 

A1 Sheds & Garden Buildings – We Can Provide You With Everything From A Quality 2 Storey Playhouse To Wood Paint 

Here at A1 Sheds & Garden Buildings, we are an independently run business and proud to offer beautifully crafted playhouses in a range of sizes and designs. Whether you’re looking for a country-style cottage or something a bit compact such as our 5×5 Playaway house – we’ve got you covered. We can offer free assembly and installation by a professional team on many products, and you can rely on us for a cost-effective and efficient solution.

We stock playhouses in a variety of categories so that you can access the benefits of each material, whether it’s wooden or plastic you’re sure to find the perfect playhouse for you. Explore our full range of playhouses online – we’ll have the right option for your requirements. Feel free to contact us today to find out more about our wide range of products and services. We’d be delighted to help with any questions or enquiries you may have.