Pretend play is integral to your child’s development and learning. Backyard playhouses provide children with a safe play opportunity to create their own games and play experiences. It’s an excellent way to encourage creativity and imagination as they burn energy and get some sunshine. This article is a useful guide in picking the best backyard playhouse to make your child’s playtime more fun.
Comparison Chart
IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | PRICE |
---|---|---|---|
OUR TOP PICK | AIR FORT Inflatable Fort for Kids | AIR FORT Inflatable Fort for Kids builds in seconds and doesn’t require any assembly. It inflates in less than 30 seconds, sets up and cleans up in no time. It is perfect for parties, playdates, and sleepovers. | |
RUNNER UP | Sunny Days Entertainment Pop Up Play Cube | Sunny Days Entertainment Pop Up Play Cube is one of the best backyard playhouses that encourages creativity and imaginary play. It is spaciously designed that allows children to enjoy hours of fun, and it is a perfect space to hang out. | |
ALSO GREAT | Pal Play M780P Kids Outdoor Playhouse | Pal Play M780P Kids Outdoor Playhouse is one of the best backyard playhouses that stimulate kids’ imagination. It has a lovely design and spacious feature, resembling a real house for pretend play and backyard fun. | |
Playz 5-Piece Kids Pop up Play Tent Crawl Tunnel and Ball Pit | The Playz 5-Piece Kids Play Tent Crawl Tunnel and Ball Pit is waterproof and durable. It is one of the best backyard playhouses that features a premium maze of unique tents and tunnels. | ||
FoxPrint Princess Castle Play Tent with Glow in The Dark Stars | The FoxPrint Princess Castle Play Tent with Glow in The Dark Stars is one of the best backyard playhouses that provides a comfortable shelter for outdoor or indoor playtime. This tent house is designed with hearts and glow-in-the-dark stars. | ||
Intex Playhouse Jump-O-Lene Inflatable Bouncer | Intex Playhouse Jump-O-Lene Inflatable Bouncer is perfect for jumping and playing. It is a fun play gym for young kids and designed with a crawl-thru door. | ||
Emily Rose Incredible Colorful Dollhouse | Emily Rose Incredible Colorful Dollhouse has an attractive design made to fit toddlers and multiple doll sizes. It is an excellent and fun full-color cardboard playhouse with door and windows, and a functioning roof hatch. |
Detailed Reviews of the 7 Best Backyard Playhouses
AIR FORT Inflatable Fort for Kids
AIR FORT Inflatable Fort for Kids builds in seconds and doesn’t require any assembly. It inflates in less than 30 seconds, sets up and cleans up in no time. It is perfect for parties, playdates, and sleepovers.
Product Highlights
It features durable and spacious construction measuring 6.5 ft. in diameter and over 4 ft tall. It is made from lightweight, breathable fabric. It is also designed large enough to fit several kids and adults and encourages hours of fun and independent playtime.
The Good
It is a safe and worry-free playhouse for kids of all ages. It works with any standard box fan. It comes with a carrying bag, four adhesive square fan tabs, and an easy to read instruction safety manual. This playhouse easy to store when not in use and won’t take so much storage space.
The Bad
Users complain that the playhouse is expensive. Some customers said that it smells awful inside. Other parents find it impractical because it has no floor.
PROs
- Builds in seconds
- Durable and spacious construction
- Made from lightweight, breathable fabric
- Large enough to fit several kids and adults
- Encourages hours of fun and independent playtime
- Works with any standard box fan
CONs
- A little expensive
- Smells awful inside
- It has no floor
Sunny Days Entertainment Pop Up Play Cube
Sunny Days Entertainment Pop Up Play Cube is one of the best backyard playhouses that encourages creativity and imaginary play. It is spaciously designed that allows children to enjoy hours of fun, and it is a perfect space to hang out.
Product Highlights
It can be used as a place to play with toys. The playhouse also strengthens fundamental motor skills. The bright and engaging colors help promote creative play, and children can crawl into the cube through three entrances.
The Good
It is made of durable and child-safe materials. Its openings allow for increased supervision or fun peek-a-boo play. It features round corners, durable stitching. When playtime is over, the tent folds flat for secure storage.
The Bad
Users complain that it is not durable and gets torn easily. Some customers said that some of its wires aren’t appropriately coiled, and it has no floor.
PROs
- Encourages creativity and imaginary play
- Spacious design
- Bright and engaging colors
- Made of durable and child-safe materials
- Round corners and durable stitching
- Folds flat for easy storage
CONs
- Not durable
- Some wires aren’t coiled properly
- It has no floor
Pal Play M780P Kids Outdoor Playhouse
Pal Play M780P Kids Outdoor Playhouse is one of the best backyard playhouses that stimulate kids’ imagination. It has a lovely design and spacious feature, resembling a real house for pretend play and backyard fun.
Product Highlights
There is enough room in this playhouse for several kids to play at the same time. Kiddie table and some chairs could also fit inside. This vibrant pink and purple colored house is a perfect gift for pink lovers. It has hinged windows that open and shut, and working doors that open and close soundly.
The Good
Every detail of this playhouse is sculpted for a real-house feel. It features an open design with unobstructed views, a door mail slot, and a balcony. It is made from the highest quality raw materials and designed to last. It is perfect for children ages two and up.
The Bad
Users complain that the playhouse is thin and flimsy. Other users reported that it is hard to assemble, and some packages arrived with missing parts.
PROs
- Resembling a real house
- Spacious and lovely design
- Stimulates kids’ imagination
- Hinged windows and working doors
- Open design with clear views
- Made from high-quality raw materials
CONs
- Thin and made of flimsy material
- Hard to assemble
- Arrived with missing parts
Playz 5-Piece Kids Pop up Play Tent Crawl Tunnel and Ball Pit
The Playz 5-Piece Kids Play Tent Crawl Tunnel and Ball Pit is waterproof and durable. It is one of the best backyard playhouses that features a premium maze of unique tents and tunnels.
Product Highlights
It has vibrant colors and interchangeable pieces that allow you to customize it into dozens of different combinations. It can be used as an outdoor obstacle course on the playground or an indoor playhouse filled with ball pit balls. The fun tent features 4-way access and connection capability.
The Good
The playhouse features five mesh net holes and a basketball hoop with a ball return funnel so kids can play various games. Its soft and thick fabric, breathable mesh walls, and flexible padded structure give your child the safest enjoyable experience.
The Bad
Users complain that it is not so strong and stable. Some parents said that its tunnel has a small dimension, and its wires may hurt kids while crawling on it. They also noted that the ball pit is flimsy.
PROs
- Waterproof and durable
- Premium maze of unique tents and tunnels
- Vibrant colors and interchangeable pieces
- Soft and thick fabric
- Breathable mesh walls
- Flexible padded structure
CONs
- Not so strong and stable
- The tunnel has a small dimension
- Wires may hurt kids while crawling inside
- The ball pit is flimsy
FoxPrint Princess Castle Play Tent with Glow in The Dark Stars
The FoxPrint Princess Castle Play Tent with Glow in The Dark Stars is one of the best backyard playhouses that provides a comfortable shelter for outdoor or indoor playtime. This tent house is designed with hearts and glow-in-the-dark stars.
Product Highlights
This playhouse helps develop creativity and imagination among children. It includes sturdy fiberglass poles concealed on its sleeves for maximum safety and stability. It is also easily cleaned.
The Good
It is excellent at encouraging role play, adventure and fun, and suitable for ages two years old and up. It is quick and easy to assemble. This colorful and kid-friendly playhouse folds compact for secure storage.
The Bad
Users complain that the tent house’s fiberglass poles easily break. Some parents also noted that it has a thin fabric, and its glow-in-the-dark feature doesn’t work.
PROs
- For outdoor or indoor playtime
- Designed with hearts and glow-in-the-dark stars
- Develops creativity and imagination
- Child-safe and stable
- Quick and easy to assemble
- Folds compact for easy storage
CONs
- Fiberglass poles easily break
- Thin fabric
- The glow-in-the-dark feature doesn’t work
Intex Playhouse Jump-O-Lene Inflatable Bouncer
Intex Playhouse Jump-O-Lene Inflatable Bouncer is perfect for jumping and playing. It is a fun play gym for young kids and designed with a crawl-thru door.
Product Highlights
It features reinforced net sidewalls that provide a safe enclosed play area. Its inflatable floor and high sidewalls provide a reliable bouncing platform for ages three-six years old. Its approximate inflated dimension is 68-1/2” L x 68-1/2” W x 44” H.
The Good
It is made sturdy for jumping and playing. It is easy to pop up and easy to clean as well. It can also be used both indoors and outdoors.
The Bad
This playhouse has a limited weight capacity of 120 lbs. Users complain that the base does not stay inflated. Some parents said that the net sidewalls easily tear apart.
PROs
- Perfect for jumping and playing
- Reinforced net sidewalls
- Safe and sturdy enclosed play area
- Easy to pop up and easy to clean
- Can be used both indoors and outdoors
CONs
- Limited weight capacity
- The base does not stay inflated
- Net sidewalls easily tear apart
Emily Rose Incredible Colorful Dollhouse
Emily Rose Incredible Colorful Dollhouse has an attractive design made to fit toddlers and multiple doll sizes. It is an excellent and fun full-color cardboard playhouse with door and windows, and a functioning roof hatch.
Product Highlights
This fun playhouse is designed with a colorful wild safari theme graphics with cute images of lion, giraffe, zebra, and monkeys. It is child-safe and requires easy assembly. It is also spacious and durable.
The Good
It works great at stimulating imagination and creativity through pretend play. It makes a favorite hideout spot, too. It is suitable for kids three-six years old. It has passed all consumer product safety standards.
The Bad
Users complain that it is not stable and falls apart quickly. Other customers noted that it is hard to put together.
PROs
- Has door, windows, and roof hatch
- Designed with colorful wild safari theme graphics
- Requires easy assembly
- Spacious and durable
- Stimulates imagination and creativity
- Passed all consumer product safety standards
CONs
- Not stable and falls apart easily
- Hard to put together
Conclusion
The best backyard playhouses are big and deliver big benefits as well. Getting your child to play and pretend in a playhouse has an excellent long-term effect in life as it teaches them valuable skills like creativity and independence. It will also help them to burn energy outdoors. Your kid will love spending time in one of these playhouses because they can be anything they want to be. Find out more about play pens.