10 Best Outdoor Playhouses

Getting kids outside is a great way to help them burn off some energy while enjoying the natural beauty of the outdoors. And you can keep them outside a little longer by investing in a one of the best outdoor playhouses!

A great outdoor playhouse provides a space for your child to hang out by themselves or with the neighbor kids and have some fun with make-believe play.

There are several factors to consider when choosing an outdoor playhouse for your child. Think about your child’s age, your budget, and the look that you want in your backyard.

Do you want a solid wooden playhouse that stands up to the elements, or would you rather have something more lightweight that can be easily moved around your yard?

Are you looking for an outdoor playhouse that has a lot of included accessories, or do you prefer to keep it simple so that you can maybe use it for storage later?

Would you prefer an open structure that allows you to easily see your little ones playing inside, or is it more important for you that they have a private space to call their own? These are all things to think about.

Top Outdoor Playhouses for Kids

There are lots of great options for the best outdoor playhouses, whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly or more expensive model, plastic vs. wooden, accessories vs. no accessories, etc.

Here’s our list of the top outdoor playhouses for kids right now.

1. Step2 All Around Playtime Patio with Canopy

The Step2 All Around Playtime Patio with Canopy is a pavilion-style outdoor playhouse that allows multiple kiddos to play at the same time.

Kids can “host” their own backyard party and their friends can join in the play, as well. Little ones can access toys from both sides, so there’s plenty of space to spread out. The open design also lends well to clear visibility.

The three stations include a built-in grill/kitchen sink area, a sand and water table with included accessories, and a snack table eating area.

One side has doors that open and close, and the opening is large enough to accommodate a wheelchair if your child or your child’s friend needs that extra space.

Besides the built-in features, this outdoor playhouse comes with accessories and a storage bag for extra fun and convenience. And PS – the sand area has a lid!

The overhead canopy shade helps keep your kiddos protected from the sun. It’s also removable for storage and/or washing as needed.

Parents like the neutral color palette and say that it’s not annoying to look at in the backyard. The sand/water sections have a drain, but there’s no drain in the sink. Reviewers also state that it’s easy to assemble and clean.

• Maximum height: 60”
• Product weight: 40 lbs.
• Recommended age: 24 months – 8 years

What we like: Open design, extra accessories with storage bag, lots of space for accessibility

RELATED: 8 Best Toddler Water Tables

2. Little Tikes Backyard Bungalow House

The Little Tikes Backyard Bungalow House is another outdoor playhouse for kids that allows multiple kids to play at a time due to the open design.

This playhouse features three roleplay stations for pretend play include a kitchenette with pretend stove and sink, a lemonade stand with a real chalkboard, and a gardening station with pretend flowers.

Kids can also have fun with the mailbox slot that opens and closes. More than 25 accessories are included to encourage imaginative play, and there is shelving inside to store items as needed.

It also has a working door, although the opening is not as wide as the previous playhouse on this list.

The cute adjustable fabric canopy opens and closes as needed. It’s probably not something you want to leave up all year long, but the light design allows for good airflow and moderate temperatures inside as your little ones play.

The recommended age and maximum height point to this playhouse as being best for toddlers and preschoolers.

Reviewers state that it’s easy to put together but seems a little flimsy. It also takes up a lot of space (which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your needs).

• Maximum height: 46”
• Product weight: 47.8 lbs.
• Recommended age: 24 months – 5 years

What we like: Fun accessories, built-in storage, open design to help you keep an eye on younger children

RELATED: 10 Best Baby Walkers

3. Backyard Discovery Sweetwater Playhouse

Prefer a wooden outdoor playhouse? The Backyard Discovery Sweetwater Playhouse is made of 100% cedar wood that is pre-cut, pre-drilled, and pre-stained.

Even though this house is wooden, it still comes with some fun play accessories like a sink with knobs that twist, a stove, a cordless phone, a working doorbell, a pot and pan set, and utensils.

The adorable design includes wide windows to allow for breezes and natural light to come in. Your kids can serve up drinks and treats and the side snack window.

There’s a half-sized door for fun and easy in and out, and even flowerpot holders that allow you and your child to put in real or fake flowers of your choosing (flowerpots not included).

Many times, parents complain about the assembly of these larger products – this one comes with 3D interactive assembly instructions via a free app. The assembly is also panelized to accommodate people of all skill levels.

• Maximum height: 55”
• Product weight: 76 lbs.
• Recommended age: 24 months – 6 years

What we like: Timeless wooden design, extra accessories, detailed assembly instructions

4. Step2 Charming Cottage

The Step2 Charming Cottage is just that – charming! It has an open-concept design that allows multiple kids to play together both inside and outside, with lots of fun extra features.

There’s a molded-in sink with a swivel faucet, an outdoor eating area tabletop with two molded seats, and molded-in storage shelving for small toys and books that your kids want to bring inside.

This outdoor playhouse even has a skylight, a “fireplace,” and a battery-operated doorbell chime! Use the attached window boxes for real or fake flowers of your choosing.

Parents like the neutral color palette and large open windows that allow kids to play inside while still being easily observed by their caregivers. They also state that it can withstand outdoor temperatures very well.

• Maximum height: 58”
• Product weight: 80 lbs.
• Recommended age: 24 months – 10 years

What we like: Lots of homelike features, sturdy plastic material, indoor shelving

RELATED: 10 Best Play Kitchens

5. Swehouse Clubhouse Indoor and Outdoor Play Tent

Sometimes you just need a budget-friendly, easy to transport option for an outdoor playhouse. The Swehouse Clubhouse Indoor and Outdoor Play Tent is perfect for those situations.

Maybe you live in an apartment building or townhome that doesn’t allow you to keep play equipment outside. If that’s the case, a play tent like this one can be a great fit!

This small outdoor playhouse gives children their own space but also has enough room for multiple small children to play inside.

Children can roll the window and door up and down as needed for privacy and secure it in place with the hook and loop.

If you want, you can attach the floor underneath with the elastic hooks on the corners. Some reviewers state that they just use a blanket as the floor, though.

When you’re ready to come inside, just pick this up and move it in as it’s super lightweight.

• Maximum height: 43”
• Product weight: 2 lbs.
• Recommended age: 3 years and up

What we like: Flexible indoor/outdoor play, great for families that can’t have a permanent outdoor playhouse, door and window that opens and closes

6. Step2 Seaside Villa Playhouse

The Step2 Seaside Villa Playhouse encourages your toddler or preschooler to host a pretend dinner party on the coast! Kids can check the mail and pretend to cook.

There’s a working Dutch-style door, but your little ones can also climb in and out of the open design very easily, so it kind of works as a climbing toy as well as an outdoor playhouse.

Interactive features include a kitchenette that has a molded-in sink area and prep space, a pass-through mailbox, and a sweet little porch bench for the youngest kiddos to sit on.

Reviewers state that it’s easy to put together, but you may need to use an electric drill to get the screws in the holes. Parents also like the simple styling with soft colors.

• Maximum height: 45”
• Product weight: 45 lbs.
• Recommended age: 18 months – 5 years

What we like: Neutral colors, fun styling details, toddler-friendly openings

RELATED: 9 Best Outdoor Baby Swings

7. KidKraft Modern Outdoor Playhouse

Isn’t this KidKraft Modern Outdoor Playhouse just adorable? It’s made of reinforced wooden panels that are designed to prevent warping and weather-related problems. So besides looking cute, it should also last a while!

It’s set up for play both inside and outside the playhouse. The full front door opens and closes, allowing children to play inside and then have a bite to eat at the attached picnic table with two benches outside.

This outdoor playhouse comes with fabric curtains and a mailbox with a flag for extra realistic yet imaginative play. The play sink and outdoor “grill” with a removable lid are extra fun touches as well.

Besides the Natural colored picture above, it’s also available in White.

KidKraft provides preassembled components to help reduce assembly time along with detailed, step-by-step instructions. Even with the instructions, though, reviewers state that it takes a long time to put this together.

Still, once it’s up, you’ll find that it should hold up well through the different seasons, especially with the water-resistant roof panels and substantial weight.

• Maximum height: 62”
• Product weight: 125 lbs.
• Recommended age: 36 months – 8 years

What we like: Neutral wooden colors (in both versions), attached seating area, solid design

RELATED: 10 Best LEGO Tables

8. Giant Games Evermeadow Playhouse with Floor

If you want a wooden playhouse that will hold up for years to come, the Evermeadow Playhouse with Floor is a great choice. It’s made from high-quality fir wood that is naturally beautiful as well as long-lasting.

The wood comes untreated, so it’s highly recommended that you paint, seal, or treat the wood before keeping it outside. Make it a family project and have some fun with it!

This outdoor playhouse is small, though, so you’ll want to paint and/or stain before assembly if you want the inside decorated. Otherwise, you’ll have a tough time fitting in there as a grownup!

One thing that makes this outdoor playhouse different from most of the others on this list is that it has a floor. The additional flooring helps keep out water from precipitation or the ground and provides a clean and stable base.

This playhouse may look complicated to put together, but the manufacturer and reviewers state that it’s easy to do, with an average assembly time of about an hour.

Reviewers state that this playhouse can also be converted to a chicken coop or doghouse, so that’s an option for when your kids or grandkids are done playing with this.

• Maximum height: 51”
• Product weight: N/A (but it’s heavy)
• Recommended age: 18 months and up

What we like: Long-lasting construction and design, able to use for other things later, floor adds to stability

9. Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage

We’ve mentioned a few Step2 playhouses on this list, but the Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage has a feature the others don’t – a floor!

This outdoor playhouse has a molded-in floor with drain holes for easy cleanup. You may want to add a mat or outdoor carpet section to the bottom just for comfort’s sake.

Your little ones will love taking care of their own home, just like adults. They can answer the phone, cook meals, and even check the mail.

Other accessories include a doorbell, play phone, sink, grill, table/counter space, and an indoor seat.

The charming design includes a Dutch-style door, movable shutters, and a stacked stone look in a neutral color palette. Parents like that the open design allows them to easily keep an eye on their little ones.

Reviewers state that the flower box doesn’t lock down and there’s no holder for the phone, so there are a few moving parts you might need to note. They do say that the plastic is durable and holds up well to regular use.

• Maximum height: 53”
• Product weight: 27 lbs.
• Recommended age: 18 months – 10 years

What we like: Molded-in floor with drain holes, imaginative play elements, neutral color scheme

RELATED: 10 Best Toddler Climbing Toys

10. Backyard Discovery Scenic Heights Wooden Playhouse

The Backyard Discovery Scenic Heights Wooden Playhouse looks like it would fit in well as part of a larger play structure. But its compact size makes it great for small backyards and small kiddos.

This outdoor wooden playhouse is made of 100% wood cedar which has a small, tight knot structure. The structure of the lumber makes it less likely to develop small cracks. It’s also pre-stained.

We like the upper deck that sits at 3’ above the ground. This allows for some climbing fun as well as extra space for multiple kiddos to play.

It’s not just an open structure, though – this playhouse comes with spring-loaded saloon doors, a play kitchen with a mounted sink, two boxes for toy storage, a wooden cot with a fabric cushion, and a 5’ growth board for tracking height.

Backyard Discovery offers 3D interactive assembly instructions through a free app to make the process easier. Still, you can expect assembly to take a while due to its size and the number of pieces to put together.

Note that reviewers state that the back and side windows are wide open, so you may want to add safety nets, wire, or extra boards across them to prevent your littlest ones from climbing and/or falling out.

• Maximum height: 91”
• Product weight: 256 lbs.
• Recommended age: 24 months – 10 years

What we like: Two levels of play, solid structure, fun imaginative play accessories

Additional Considerations

Remember that just about any best outdoor playhouses can be customized and tweaked to fit your family’s needs.

Want some extra accessories for your kids’ outdoor play grill in their playhouse? This grill play food set will help you out at a reasonable price.

Does your favorite playhouse not have a floor, but you’d like one? You can purchase a set of playhouse floor tiles to easily add this feature.

You can even buy an outdoor playhouse cover for extra protection from the elements, especially if you live in colder climates or ones that receive a lot of precipitation each year.

Or add a set of battery-operated hanging lamps to extend your child’s play a little longer in the evening hours. Be creative and have some fun with your customizations!

Summary

Time spent outside is always wonderful for kids, especially when they can use their imagination and get away from screens. Hopefully one or more of these best outdoor playhouses for kids fits your family’s needs and your budget.