The Number 1 Most Powerful Thing to Know When Building an Outdoor Playhouse

By Sharon Marsh

Building an outdoor playhouse can be very rewarding for both you and your child, especially when the playhouse is finished. You get the satisfaction of completing an awesome structure and it’ll be a playhouse that your child will absolutely love and be able to play in for many years into the future.

But before you build an outdoor playhouse, what kind of advice can be given to the average do-it-yourself builder who is constructing a kids playhouse for the first time? The number one most powerful thing to know when building an outdoor play house is to check your local building codes before you begin to build anything.

This is especially true if you are considering adding a concrete building pad for the playhouse. When you lay concrete, you are increasing the non-drainage or impervious surface area on your lot.

Most municipalities have a defined allowable single-family residential impervious surface rules that are based on a property’s lot size. Impervious surface refers to the percentage of a lot covered by surfaces such as buildings, patios and driveway concrete that prevent or alter the flow and absorption of rain and snow.

In many areas, the residential property owners are limited to 25 percent impervious coverage. In some cases, older homes can be grandfathered in, but cannot exceed their existing percentage.

Usually, to be able to extend impervious surfacing beyond the minimum percentage, a homeowner must obtain a conditional use permit or a variance from the city.

You may have heard horror stories where impervious areas had to be removed or structures taken down to adhere to the local building code.

Don’t get into situations where you may or may not be following your local building codes. Don’t guess. A simple call to the local zoning office will clarify whether your proposed concrete platform for your outdoor playhouse will be following building codes. Once you know the building code requirements, you can figure out whether your specific property lot size falls within those requirements.

Moving forward with the construction of the outdoor playhouse will be less stressful once you know you are following and adhering to your local building codes!

Sharon Marsh, Ph.D., is a consultant in the food industry. She is an outdoor playhouse enthusiast. If you would like to know more about outdoor kids playhouses please check out http://www.OutdoorPlayhouseBlog.com for more information.

Get Your Child Gardening With an Outdoor Playhouse

By Sharon Marsh

Your child’s love of gardening can easily be combined with the love of their outdoor playhouse. Creating a garden that compliments your child’s playhouse may be a lot simpler than you probably thought possible. All one needs is a little time, some extra gardening space, and a lot of seeds! Yes, seeds.

Your child will be able to creatively reconfigure the area around their playhouse by starting a vegetable, flower or herb garden. Here are 3 great reason why you should consider helping your child convert that beautiful land directly outside their playhouse into something extra special:

Explore your child’s creative side! Have your child decide if they want a vegetable, flower or herb garden. Go to your local gardening center and have your child choose the seeds that they want to plant in their new garden. With some help, your child will be able to stake out where they will be planting their specially chosen seeds. Add a little bit of water and patience and in time your child will get a tremendous amount of satisfaction when they see the seeds begin to peek through the soil.

Gardening is great exercise! As you and your child dig, pull, and tend to the veggies, flowers and herbs, you and your child will be outside enjoying the fresh air and Mother nature at her best.

Your children will love harvesting their bounty. Imagine their glee when they pull up a carrot or pick a green bean for the first time knowing that they planted and nurtured it! Gardening will yield healthy foods and beautiful flowers that your child will be proud to say they helped grow.

When everything in the garden has grown, your child’s outdoor playhouse will be completely surrounded by what may look like an artist’s palette. Your child will never forget the experience of planning, planting, tending and enjoying their very own garden outside their very own playhouse.

Sharon Marsh, Ph.D., is a consultant in the food industry and a kid’s playhouse enthusiast. If you would like to know more about an outdoor playhouse please check out http://www.KidsPlayhouseBlog.com for more information.

If you are considering building your own playhouse, read this article describing a set of playhouse blueprints that will definitely help.

Playhouse A Place For Kids To Read

By Sharon Marsh

Everyone needs a special reading nook where they can unwind and get really interested in a book. Kids need the same. It’s hard to find a quiet place where a child isn’t distracted by the television, computer games, iPods or gaming systems. A kids playhouse can be just the place for a child to escape to read.

As a parent, we need to encourage our children to read on a daily basis, but it’s hard when there are so many things competing for your child’s attention. A kids playhouse can be set up to be a comfortable and quiet environment that encourages quality reading time. It might be so inviting, that your child will actually choose to go to the playhouse to read without a battle. How many parents would love to be in that situation?

Here are several tips to make an outdoor play house into a reading nook that your child will want to go to for their reading pleasure:

1. Make it inviting. Place comfortable furniture in the playhouse like bean bag chairs or a comfortable rocking chair to sit in to read. Round it out with a favorite blanket and pillow and it would be hard for any child to resist coming to read in the playhouse. If you’re very ambitious, consider putting a window seat in the playhouse that has a soft cushion and perhaps a curtain that can be drawn around the window seat for privacy. How cool would that private area be for getting away to read? Don’t forget to have their favorite snacks on hand!

2. Have good lighting. It’s important to have good lighting when your child reads. This could be via electric or battery powered lights or it could just mean that the playhouse has bright, natural lighting. Battery operated lighting can be an added “fun” factor because it’s like camping and totally different from what their used to in the main house.

3. Encourage even more reading. To encourage even more reading, have additional books in the playhouse so that once a child is done with one book, they can easily pick up another and begin to read that book too. There are some great recommended reading lists available at the library or online that help parents or young readers choose age appropriate books. Or take your child to the library to have them pick out their own books. Make a rule to have the books stay in the playhouse so that the playhouse is considered the designated reading area.

4. Remove distractions. It may be obvious but if the children’s playhouse will be used as a private reading space, you need to remove toys, electronics or other items that may potentially distract your child. Check the kids play house periodically to remove distractions that may have made their way into the playhouse.

Following these tips will make both your life easier and your child’s life happier. You and your child will feel good when it’s time to fill out your child’s reading time log with extra minutes or even extra hours. You may want to pass the secret of your kids playhouse reading nook idea on to other parents too!

Sharon Marsh, Ph.D., is a consultant in the food industry. She is a kids playhouse enthusiast. If you would like to know more about a kids playhouse please check out http://www.kidsplayhouseblog.com for more information.

If you would like to learn more, go to how to build a playhouse.

This is a year and a half in the making. First, a slideshow to show you how we got to this point then yesterday, my good friend Brian sided and finished the outside. Mostly build from scrap. Enjoy!

Some Unique Designs In Children’s Homes

If you want to build an outdoor structure for your child to enjoy, you can find the instructions you need online. Whether you print off those that are free directly from the site or you have to pay to get exactly what you want, online is the place to find all the choices available. If you are a skilled carpenter who can easily follow directions, then you also have the option of creating something completely unique that the entire family will enjoy just by looking at it! It’s a great way to entertain the children and provide an attraction to keep them busy for hours and hours. It is also a wonderful tool to encourage children to use their imaginations to help develop the socializing skills they will need as adults.

Just imagine their delight when you provide a huge boulder for your children to spend their time in! This is one of the unique designs you will find available online that will be a joy to see in your backyard! If a plain wooden building can inspire their imagination, then just imagine what a cave can do!

If you want her to feel like she has a real home of her own, then there are lots of models that have two stories and all the features you would see in the real-life model! Victorian styles are very popular and you will also find directions for building an impressive Victorian castle! Upstairs balconies are a common feature and she will love being able to walk out and look around the neighborhood. Inside, the features are more amazing. Not only are there spacious rooms where she can put lots of Victorian style furniture that is made just the right style. She can also enjoy a fireplace, stairway, and a treasure of windows to provide sunlight and a view!

Another great choice that works well for boys or for girls is a castle. Choose the medieval castle where he can spend his time warding off dragons or where your little princess can enjoy living a life of luxury. There are many, many different versions of this style in a variety of styles and complexity. You can get free directions or choose from the many that are available for a low price. Of course, the more realistic the castle looks, the more difficult it will probably be to build!

There are also two different styles of buildings made to look like boats. The first one is the typical sail boat complete with the sail! The second is the pirate ship that is a dream home for many little boys. Many of these designs have incorporated areas where children can climb, slide, and swing for their entertainment. Although they are a bit more complex when you have to follow directions to make them, they offer children even more options for entertainment that encourages them to be active!

When you search, you will find a variety of unique buildings that will make your child a “home away from home” where he/she will want to stay all day!

Fun Outdoor Activities For Healthy Kids

Too many kids today are content with staying inside and playing video games with all of their free time. Trying to get them outdoors gets more and more difficult and requires some creativity. For kids of all ages, you will need to offer a variety of things to entertain them for any period of time at all. Don’t try to restrict activities to the backyard. Instead, find some activities that the whole family can enjoy or that will allow you some special time for just the two of you to enjoy together.

Whether you live in an urban area with a zoo or a rural area with historic landmarks, there are bound to be nature walks that you can enjoy. Your child will enjoy the opportunity to get to know their surroundings and learn about animals, plants, and historical events that are pertinent to the area. At the same time, you can both enjoy the fresh air and the exercise. Take your child’s age into account when planning walks and don’t expect too much from the younger ones.

Build a playhouse or tree house. You can find free plans online complete with the material requirements and a skills level rating. Playhouses are a great way to keep kids playing outdoors and create imaginative play. When they play a part in designing and constructing the structure, it will be a great achievement that the two of you enjoyed together!

Go fishing. This is an event that not many children have the opportunity to enjoy but it is a great summer activity. You don’t have to invest in lots of expensive equipment, just keep it simple. Pack a picnic lunch and you can enjoy a full day of relaxing fun!

You may have let your children grow a garden before but this time let them have the opportunity to learn even more. Start working on building a compost before it’s time to grow the garden. Make sure they plant things that they enjoy eating so that they get to take part in the experience from beginning to end.

For older children who enjoy a little more adventure, consider going to one of the thousands of zip line parks and attractions that are popping up all over the country. These are lines that are run from different points that you are suspended on to transport yourself to different areas. Depending on what is available in your area, there are some of these attractions that allow you a unique way to view the wildlife and get a new perspective on nature! Just make sure that the trails are age appropriate for your children.

There is a whole world outdoors that your children can experience and learn about. Find out what kinds of activities are offered in your community during the summer and sign up for something different than either of you have ever tried before. Encourage your children to learn new things and get to know about their communities in the process!

Create A Getaway For Your Child With Online Plans You Don?t Have To Pay For!

If you want to create a dream home that your child will spend many enjoyable hours in, go online and find the instructions on a number of different styles right at your fingertips. Be honest with yourself about your skill level before you begin to ensure that you choose a design that you are capable of completing.

If you are looking for a chance to improve you do-it-yourself skills, this is the perfect opportunity. Practice framing, sheathing, and roofing skills and save a lot of money at the same time. Many of these homes that are already constructed are several thousand dollars. By making your own, you will choose the design you want and save a bundle at the same time.

To download the blueprints for your child’s dream home, most will require you to have Acrobat Reader. They should also tell you the list of materials needed with the details like whether they should include treated lumber. Also, make sure that you have all the tools needed before you start so you don’t end up in a jam.

While you should easily find the directions for a simple pretend home, you will also have access to some that are a little different from the others. Let your child or children take part in choosing the design you will use. After all, it is their imagination you are trying to encourage and they should have a say in what their home will be.

One of the designs offered online is the American Gothic Playhouse. This design has an old world charm and offers thirty-five square feet of interior space in addition to a two-foot wide front porch. It is painted white in the example and has an overall design that includes elaborate trim which makes it an accent that appropriate for any home.

The Sturdy Dream House is made like a real home to ensure it has the durability to last a long time. It has four windows that really open and provides light and airflow that make it a joy to play in. Or, your child may prefer the simplicity of a rustic old cabin. Not only does a log cabin offer lots of indoor space to play in, but it also provides children with the structure that they will want to climb on.

If your woodworking skills are a little unpolished, the Frontier home will be a good option for you and one that your kids will enjoy. This is an easy to build choice that is unique in style. The directions instruct you to use sections of blockade fence as walls to make it simple. That keeps you from having to cut out windows and doors from existing fence panels.

You will find something to please any child and that will meet your level of skills if you just look around. Just keep in mind, this is your child’s dream home, not yours!

Building Your Own Kids Playhouse Is Easy

Playhouse Plans

I know sometimes it is difficult to pick out a theme for their wooden playhouse, people might go for a Disney theme instead of the bungalow playhouses, chances are it’s not going to mesh with your homes color scheme. Swings, ladder, and children’s play areas can always wait, but are never the less important to your child’s development. She/he learns and develops to climb, grasp, coordination, balance, fun, and more. They can also be easily added later on.

Playhouse Design Options

The most notable component about the functionality of a kids playhouse is that children play in a safe, secure environment, and thus the parents can rest at ease, and we know they have enough worries. With a playhouse a child is getting fresh air, exercise, and the use of the creative imagination, and it’s all because of the construction of a children’s Playhouse. When you put the packages together yourself it becomes an economical children’s playhouse, for the kids, and, I personally put a few of them together myself. They’re not hard at all, to put it together, and you should be able to put it up in a day or less, assuming it’s pre-fabricated. You may also take the option, and buy a playhouse plan; and build it yourself, and try saving money. You can also obtain inexpensive software that can make this task enormously easy with thousands design templates. You’ll not only be able to apply design software to the building process of your playhouse, but you can apply it to the shed, carport, steps, outdoor fireplaces, and the list goes on and on.

The program that I would recommend is SDSCAD Specialized Design Systems. It is geared to the “Do It Your Self-er”, so the functions are very user friendly, and that’s why I have recommended it. You can also claim a Free shed/garage plans, if you go to the site and claim it. It also has functions of calculating for materials, amounts, and cost pricing of those materials and a few more options. The 2D, 3D Drawings that it produces are Clear and decisive and, they show you how the structure is fastened together, so if you are a visualizer then this should be a snap. I found being well organized and accuracy with materials was quite simple; eliminating a lot my of time (frustration).

I found this to be very enticing and addicting, Id look at my watch and two hours would have past. It really is fun, putting your playhouse creation in front of you to life, for your neighbours to admire. If you wish to do the work entirely on your own, you can see it does have its perks, one of a kind originality, add whatever accessory(slide, swing, etc…) you what, and potentially “more bang for your buck”.

This option is for the creative, splendid, and the one who wants a playhouse that no-one has or can get.

Beneficial To Child Development

A lot of brilliant memories will last a life time that will last into adulthood, and will be past down to their children.  Maybe their children’s children will have the opportunity to make brilliant memories at the same place if they’re fortunate enough. This type of activity is a sure breath of fresh air if you

Compare it to all the video games, television, and related type devices that occupy our youth today. The adventure that a wooden outdoor playhouse gives only makes their creative side come alive through acting and improvising creative scenes. They might have a tea party, play dolls, and pretend to build, have a little picnic, or have a little birthday party. These are a few examples of creative growth for their future development.

Small Buildings – Big Returns!

The idea that if you build a playhouse in the garden for your kids, it may improve the value of your property might sound outrageous, but at the very least it will increase the saleability of your home. Small buildings in the garden can be the added ‘plus’ that swings a deal!

It is not just appeal to young families with children either, even grandmas like to have a play area for the visiting grandchildren.

Many kinds of extras in a property can often clinch the deal for an undecided buyer. If two homes have the same appeal, but one has a small garden shed with a nice big window overlooking a workbench – guess which one will sway the deal!

There are always jobs wanting to be done on moving in, and a ready made workshop area will appeal to both Mum and Dad.

Mum will think ‘How great that he won’t mess up the counter tops because he has his own place for repairs’! Dad will probably think slightly differently: ‘How great that I have a place to escape to and work in peace.”

To add to the aesthetic appeal of the natural wood look of the shed, you can group a matching bench, table and a few trees nearby to make a pleasant feature in your yard. If you are a carpenter and can make your own shed, it is probably worth the cost of the extra wood to build an extra one foot in length for a wall of storage shelving. This way it will also appeal to non DIY buyers! The better your shed, the harder it will be to turn down.

Likewise the playhouse.

You can make one wall of blackboard so that can draw all they want on the walls, and another of cork board, to pin up artwork. They can also make as much noise as they want, and the cork will deaden it slightly. All the mess and the spilt drinks and cake crumbs can stay in the playhouse. Some clever carpenters even build a little home that is identical to their own big home.

The playhouse will give them a lot of creative freedom, which is one way of fostering their own resourcefulness. Many a mother has slung a blanket over the clothes line and made a ‘house’ which has kept the children happy all day.

There is still a demand for this type of traditional playhouse, but also on the market, in both plans and kit form are forts, castles and log cabins. A tree house is also another possibility. These can have ropes and rope ladders hanging down, and will keep a kid amused for hours on end! Definitely a realty plus!

Whatever you chose to build, make the structure an asset to your garden, it should look good with shutters and its own deck and have trees planted around the entrance. Such a building really can help to sell your home, it is very difficult to ignore the repeated pleadings of, “Oh, can’t we have it, please mum?”

Wooden garden play houses are certainly popular with a great many parents of young children because they come in a wide range of different sizes and shapes.  Yes parents can go for those that are traditional such as a Wendy house, but they could also consider purchasing a playhouse which looks like a pirate ship or castle.

If you do build your children a garden play house you are providing them with a place to escape from the stresses of modern life because you are allowing them to let their imagination take flight.  Plus you can also have hours of fun just sitting watching them play in it and all from the comfort of your own living room.

But even before the process of building a garden playhouse can begin there are certain things that you will need to take into consideration first and below we look at just what a few of these are.

1.  What Size Garden Do You Have? – There are many things we discuss in this article when it comes to buying and building a garden play house and this is the most important one of them all.  You need to build a playhouse that will give your children plenty of room inside but won’t actually take up the whole garden, otherwise where are you going to sit when the weather is good.  Plus you also need to look at the size of the play house you are considering building because if it goes over a certain size (about 100 sq ft) then planning permission may be required before construction of the garden play house can begin.

2.  Location – This is another thing that needs to be considered very carefully before you actually buy and then start building a garden play house.  Ideally you need a spot in the garden where it gets lots of sunlight as well as providing you with uninterrupted views of it from anywhere in your home.  Also make sure that it is situated in a position in the garden that means that your children no matter their ages can get into it easily.

3.  Prefabricated Kit or Custom Made? – If your budget for buying and constructing garden play houses is somewhat limited then opting for those that come in prefabricated form are best.  As well as these including all the necessary materials to build the playhouse they also come with instructions that are very clear and easy to follow and it shouldn’t take that long to get it built.

If you would like a garden play house that will be suitable for your children as they grow older then it is worth considering spending a little more on getting a custom made one.  Not only will you be able to create a truly unique play house for your children to enjoy whilst they are growing up at home, but once they leave you may find it can be used for other purposes say converted to use as a summer house.

You also need to be careful that certain members of the family do not end up using the playhouse as garden storage for their tools and lawn mowers!  It can be an easy option to throw bit and pieces in there but try to resist the temptation!

In this article we have looked at just a number of things to be considered before purchasing wooden garden play houses.  If you keep these in mind when looking for a garden play house then you are likely to find one that not only will your children love playing it, but which won’t cost too much and won’t mean you have no garden to enjoy yourself.