Top 7 Best Playhouse Plans – Build a Castle in Your Backyard

1 outdoor playhouse for children

Now that summertime is here, you should encourage your kids to spend as much time outside as possible. What better way to do that than to look for some playhouse plans and build them a tiny castle in your garden or backyard? There are plenty of playhouse plans online that provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to build your own playhouse. Today, we’re going to provide you with 7 of the most creative ones. That way, you can choose the one your kid would like most.

7 Playhouse Plans for a Backyard Castle

1. Reading Nook

If you child enjoys reading, you should take advantage of this opportunity to encourage him or her to read even more. Building a reading nook in the backyard and decorating it according to your child’s preferences is a great way to motivate him or her to catch up on their summer readings. As you can see in the image below, you don’t need a lot of materials to build this nook. All you need is wood, rope, and some type of fabric to cover the structure. You can find the instruction for building it on the Vintage Revivals website.

girl reading outside

What we like most about the reading nook in the picture above is that it’s decorated in a very creative manner. If you plan on using it for the same purpose, we recommend bringing in a shelf where your children can keep their books, as well as a comfortable chair where they can sit while reading. The rest of the decorative items are completely up to your child. Of course, you can also use this space for something else entirely, like a place where your kids can paint or just play.

2. Summer Studio

If you’re willing to invest more money and effort into the best playhouse plans for your children, then we absolutely recommend this one. Due to its size and the things you can bring in it, this playhouse can become a real studio where your children can spend most of their time in summer and spring. Just keep in mind that you’re going to need quite a bit of space in your backyard in order to build this. Not only that, but you’ll also need various materials.

large playhouse in a tree

As you can see, the playhouse was built on a taller structure. Even so, you can also choose to build it straight on the ground. However, building it in the air gives the impression of a tree house or a secret hiding place. This might be even more exciting for your children. The people at The Handmade Home have gone all out and created this playhouse as a real home, paying attention to details such as railing and flowers. What you put inside of it depends on your children’s desires, as well as the space you have available. Additionally, you can also build a table with two benches to place outside of the studio.

3. Real House Playhouse

Another one of the playhouse plans that take quite a bit of time and energy to accomplish, this one won’t only be a great space for your child to spend time in. It will also serve as an awesome decorative structure for your garden or backyard. This is a particularly interesting playhouse for girls and boys who enjoy fairytales and who like to pretend they live in their own castle. That’s because this miniature house actually resembles a castle.

two children standing in front of a playhouse

We’re not going to lie, you will have to put in a lot of work to complete this design. Even so, the enthusiasm your kid will look at it with will definitely be worth your time. You can furnish and decorate the playhouse as you would an actual home, except with smaller furniture and decorative items. If you want to encourage more time spent outside, you can also place a bench in front of the playhouse. The white vintage one in the image above is particularly lovely. Learn how to build this playhouse by accessing Instructables.com.

4. Slide Playhouse

This playhouse is also built as a treehouse (even though it’s not actually in a tree). Still, the fact that it’s not on the ground allows you to be creative with the way you create the exit and put a twist on the typical stairs. What do we mean by that? Well, how would you feel about replacing them with a slide that your kids can use to get out of the playhouse? This is guaranteed to be great fun for them. Moreover, it will make this a real playhouse, similar to the ones you can find on the playground.

outdoor playhouse that includes a slide

You can build the entire structure out of wood. Then, place stairs on one side for easy access and the slide on the other for a fun exit. If you’re interested in going through the instructions required to build this awesome playhouse, you can find them on the Instructables website.

5. Gothic Playhouse

We couldn’t talk about playhouse plans without mentioning one for children who are fans of gothic buildings and the Gothic style in general. This playhouse that looks just like an old gothic church is bound to become your child’s favorite place in the world if he or she is a fan of older designs. The playhouse is definitely something not many people can say they have in their backyard. So, your child will have a unique space to play in that celebrates old gothic charm.

gothic-looking playhouse

We particularly like the details on this one, such as the railing and the spike on the roof. Of course, you can choose not to use the spike or skip some of the decorative items. Ultimately, the gothic feel of the playhouse comes from the shape of the building and the details surrounding its roof. You can find a detailed account of how to build this gothic playhouse on Southernpine.com.

6. Pirate Ship Playhouse

Is your kid a fan of pirates? Then he or she is going to love this playhouse designed just like a pirate ship. The first thing you should know about it is that it requires a lot of space to build. So, if you don’t have a large backyard, you won’t be able to recreate the playhouse in the image below. However, you could create a smaller one with similar features. That is if you really want a playhouse shaped like a pirate ship.

playhouse that looks like a pirate ship

Going back to the design in the image above, you can notice how varied this playhouse is. Your kids can go in the ship and hang out in the shade or play some games. They can also get down and sit at the table or use the swing set. Naturally, these are just a couple of options you can choose to incorporate in your playhouse. Additionally, you can also come with your own ideas and make this space as welcoming as possible for your children. Learn how to build this playhouse on Instructables.com!

7. Chic Outdoor Playhouse

The reason this playhouse is so chic is because of the attention paid to the details and decorations. They all work together to create a homely and cozy space. Your children can use it to read, play, paint, or simply hang out during hot summer days. The structure in itself isn’t difficult to build, since it’s made entirely of wood. Even though you can use any type of wood you want, we recommend using one with a light shade to it. This will make the playhouse less hot in summer, and more solar and luminous. The rest of the materials and decorations are completely up to you.

small and chic playhouse

Now, we have to talk a bit more about the playhouse in the image above. That’s because it’s one of the most detailed ones we’ve ever seen. Just consider the fact that there’s a small chair outside, flowers in the windowsill, a small mat at the entrance, a wreath next to the door, and so many other small and interesting details that make it a treat to look at and be around. You can make the interior equally as beautiful by paying attention to details and using pastel colors. If among all the playhouse plans we’ve presented today, this one attracts you the most, you can find the instructions for building it on The House of Wood.

Summing It All Up

All the playhouse plans we mentioned in today’s article have something that makes them unique and interesting. The trick to finding the one you should build is to consider your child’s preferences and ask him or her what would their dream playhouse look like.

As you were probably able to tell from the brief descriptions above, as well as from the instructions we provided the link to, some of these playhouse plans are more complicated to build that others. Before starting to build one for your child, we recommend considering the space you have available, the amount of money you’re willing to invest, as well as the time you’re willing to sacrifice building this playhouse. Other than that, we hope you enjoy building a playhouse for your children and that your children will also enjoy their time there.

If you want to buy your child a playhouse instead of building one, make sure to check out our guide to choosing the best one!

Image Source: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts