Kids Playhouse Blog

In the fall and winter months, one reason a kids playhouse is a great place for children is because it can be an instrumental part in getting them out from in front of the television. However, another reason a kids playhouse is an awesome space for kids is because they can customize it completely for themselves. In customizing their own private space, a child may have a desire to do something cool online or to visit one of their favorite kid educational sites. Unfortunately, they cannot do that if they don’t have access to the family’s network or Wi-Fi.

A child’s playhouse experience can been really wonderful with the integration of wi-fi. Here are some things to keep in mind and to consider when setting up wi-fi in your family’s outdoor playhouse:

1. Always keep safety first and set those parental controls on high! While children should not have unsupervised internet time because of all of the junk out there, it is sometimes hard to keep some things from creeping before their eyes. So, be sure to turn up the controls and block sites that can be a little risqué at times, even if it is a search engine.

2. Provide your little one with a kiddy computer or a netbook that will hold up to being moved around their space. You may want to simply give them access to the internet while you are there, and use the netbook to download the games or videos that they like. Either way, there will most likely be a time when they will want to get online in their kids playhouse.

3. One of the coolest parts of making wi-fi available in your kids outdoor playhouse is that parents that are simply supervising their children as they play can be online and getting things done during the down times. Everyone in the family could benefit from having that access available.

A kids playhouse is a valuable and unique space on which your child can stake his or her claim. Give your children the tools that they will need to make it amazingly special. Wi-fi can be a useful addition for your children’s educational time while in their playhouse, and for you as well.

Technorati Tags: Education, Kids Playhouse, Wi-fi

Taking a kids playhouse from a simple fun hut to a place where your budding prima ballerina can practice is as easy as a putting on a tutu. Your little dancer will be able to hone her skills by leaps and bounds while still being able to have a good time with friends in her own little playhouse dance studio. Just setting that space aside for her will also make her one of the happiest little two-steppers that you have ever met. Here’s how you can create an amazing space for her:

You will need more than one barre, which is the railing type of equipment that dancers use for stretching, balancing, and dancing around. Consider placing one on an interior wall and also to have a free-standing one that she can move from one spot to the next, or even outside. If you are unable to find a “professional grade” ballet barre, then simply buy a railing from your local home improvement store and affix it to the wall! For effect, paint it pink.

She will need mats for stretching and comfort. While a hardwood floor or tiled floor works best for dancing, having soft yoga-type mats can make her time stretching a little less rough.

Keep her kids playhouse dance studio stocked with drinks including water and low- or no-sugar sports drinks. If she is going to dance a lot, she will need to stay hydrated. Why have it where she has to walk all the way to your house to drink? Just give her a little cooler and she will feel fantastic.

Mirrors are a must for a dancer. Not just to see themselves smiling, but to see themselves smiling and to fix or really enjoy their dance moves. You may want to tile a wall with small mirrors that have rounded edges if you are unable to find one large wall mirror. You may be able to find a mirror for cheap at your local thrift store or a garage sale.

Your daughter’s kids playhouse dance studio will need to be outfitted with music equipment, even if it’s just an iPod with speakers or a laptop. To encourage your little ballerina to really do her best, you may want to have a space with different types of dance and ballet gear that she can mix and match. Having her own studio will be a wonderful experience and the long term benefits could end up being “tutu” phenomenal!

Technorati Tags: Ballet, Dancing, Kids Playhouse

How can your child’s kids playhouse be morphed into one of the coolest, most amazing, most action packed fun centers in the universe? By filling it to the gills with super heroes, of course! Everything in it should have some type of “force field” glow, a power port, kryptonite, or web blaster to it. But, how can you meld all of these figures together to create a space that won’t overpower your little one?

Try a few of these strategies for maxing out the super hero décor in your kids playhouse:

Place super hero decals on the walls in a pattern, and not just randomly to get a color flow going. They don’t have to be all of the same characters, but a possible look may be a pattern that features a red hero, a blue villain, and then a black hero, repeat. This will give the space a cleaner look and things won’t seem so hodge podge.

Pick a rug that either has the look of a shield or star, which are indicative of a super hero’s cavern. Select a color that will hide dirt, because you know little boys can get pretty dirty and, in all honesty, that’s one of the best parts about being one. If you opt for a hardwood or tile floor, be sure to offer a few scattered rugs so that the space doesn’t seem too cold and hard.

Have fun with the window treatments! Once again, the outdoor playhouse will benefit from a bevy of stars, which can symbolize some type of super power. Make the window treatments big stars! Simply cut out a piece of bright yellow fabric or felt. Glue it onto a plain or super hero patterned fabric panel. Hang and watch your child’s eye light up! Another option for the window treatments is to add glittery or shimmery fabric paint or sequins.

Give your kids playhouse the feel of a hero’s welcome for your little super kid! A few flashy features, some pictures of their favorites, and space for them to run, jump, and get the bad guys is all that your child will need to have a fantastic time. Saving the planet has never been easier!

Technorati Tags: Kids Playhouse, Super heros

Did you  know a kids playhouse can be decorated with butterflies to suit any butterfly-loving little girl or boy?! In fact, butterflies are very gender neutral and are easily adapted for boys or girls when it comes to using them to make a play space more personalized and fun. When most people think of butterflies, they only consider its use for “girly girl” type of designs, but that is not the only way to accessorize with them. Check out these really cool ways to deck out a kids playhouse with these wonderful winged creatures:

For boys: Select butterflies that are true to life to create a very natural look for the kids playhouse. Your playhouse walls can pop in 3-D by adding those “life like” butterflies to the wall. It will look as if the butterflies are hanging out with your little boy in his playhouse. To make it blend even more, paint the lower half of the wall to look like tall grass and fields. Then, stick those funky butterflies to the walls.

Use colors of brown, tan, green, gold, and blue to give the kids playhouse a more masculine look. Set up an area where he can do some scientific investigations with real butterflies that includes a microscope and bug boxes for capturing butterflies. He will need a net and possibly even a camera.

For girls: Let pink and purple butterflies charge their way into her kids playhouse. There are so many fun and abstract butterfly decal sets that you won’t have to paint the butterflies on the wall yourself because you will be able to find a set at places such as the local dollar store. Go for really cool butterfly inspired curtains, rugs, knob and door pulls. Get really creative and let some sparkly butterflies hang down from the ceiling to look as if they are flying and flitting around the room.

Your girl will need her own butterfly wings, of course. Set up a dress up area where she can change into her butterfly costume. You may be able to find wings and a more elaborate costume at your local thrift store or at a yard sale, or you could always make her a set using your own creativity and craft skills.

Butterflies will make any kids playhouse a beautiful sanctuary for play, research, or just for admiring these graceful insects. Your child, whether it’s a boy or girl, can have a fantastic butterfly inspired kids playhouse. Just be creative, choose colors that are more suited to your child, and watch as hours just fly by because your kids will be having the time of their lives!

Technorati Tags: Butterfly theme, Kids Playhouse, kids playhouse ideas

Since when did a kids playhouse become the hottest, coolest fashion boutique in the area? Since you and your children added flair, along with plenty of fun clothes and accessories to your child’s beloved play place. It doesn’t have to be expensive to set up. Your little fashionista and her friends will be the best dressed kids on the block, and they will have a ball doing it!

Try these strategies for filling your little one’s kids playhouse fashion boutique with fab finds:

Make trips to the thrift store a weekly event. Your child will love going out shopping and buying wild, exciting, and “new” clothes. Set a low budget and let her pick one or two pieces. If your thrift store has discount days, then, shop during those times for even more deals. Often, you can find items for a dollar or less!

Ask people you know for clothes. Women generally have lots of clothing and accessories. It shouldn’t be a problem getting a few female friends to “donate” to the boutique. In fact, you may end up with TOO MUCH!

Keep the selections fresh. Your child’s kids playhouse does not have a limitless area to work with, so, you need to constantly discard things that your child no longer wants in the boutique. These clothes can be donated to local animal shelters or other places where they recycle them or resell them to help local non-profit programs.

Give your child and her friends some play money to work with. This will encourage them to practice counting and get them used to handling money. Before you know it, your little girl could end up being an ace cashier!

Provide a few totes, shelves, and racks for displaying and storing the items that your child keeps in her kids playhouse. Also, look for really cool displays like mannequin parts or hat racks.

Don’t limit the kids playhouse boutique offerings as you may not understand how your child uses different things in the name of fashion. You may be surprised what your little fashionista can do with silk flowers, old hats, gems, and junk jewelry. Just think…this first venture into fashion could lead your child into a world of amazing adventures and creativity.

Technorati Tags: Fashion, Kids fashion boutique, Kids Playhouse

Your family’s kids playhouse is an ideal place for your budding veterinarian to begin his or her career. Children love demonstrating the type of care and love that they can give, to people and to animals. It may not have been your original intent when you purchased your child’s kids playhouse, but seeing your little one use it for such an altruistic activity will make you feel great.

If your child has a deep love for helping animals, here are some ideas for assisting your little one with his or her “life’s work” as a veterinarian and running their first pet hospital.

Give your child a ton of bandages! They will want to stick bandages all over every possible “boo boo” that their patients will have. From shark bites to fleas, if your little vet wants to make their patient feel better, they will most likely want to put a bandage on the place that’s causing the pain. So, go to the dollar store and stock up. You will probably be able to get a box of about 100 different size bandages for only one dollar!

Be sure to provide him or her with a table and chairs for their waiting room and examination area. Their “patients” will need a place to sit while they wait to be seen with their animal friends. A small table, whether it’s a fold up card style table or a kid-sized butcher block table which works phenomenally in a kids playhouse, your child will love being able to lay his or her patient out on the table for their exam, and for completing “paperwork”.

Supply your little vet with a doctor kit that contains the basics like a stethoscope and pretend needle. If you can’t find one of those toys kits for a good price, go online to a site like eBay and try to find a used one for cheap.

Decorate the kids playhouse with lots of health related or animal inspired décor. Your child could have a menagerie of animals all over the walls and doors, or your little one may opt for health inspired stuff like nurses hats, bandages, and ambulances.

Provide plenty of stuffed animals to your child. If he or she doesn’t have a lot, then, you should canvass your local thrift store or area garage sales.

Also, keep your family’s kids playhouse stocked full of books about animals and their health so that your child can actually learn as they play.

Turning their kids playhouse into a veteranian’s office can be done very cheaply and simply. The important thing to remember is that the space needs to be just right for your future doctor as he or she does the legwork to begin building their “practice”!

Technorati Tags: Kids Playhouse, Pet hospital, Stuffed animals, Veterinarian

Love a show? A kids playhouse will be the main attraction as your little ones convert it into a theater fit for any playwright or actor. Someone once said that life is a stage. For kids that enjoy making their playhouse a stage, this adage is even more true. For the parents and friends that will giggle, laugh, and smile as their children perform, this adage is priceless.

While it’s relatively easy create this theatrical environment, young children may need a little help from their parents. Here is how you can assist your little one with making sure that the show does go on:

1. You have got to have costumes! The kids with a box of dress up clothes. If you don’t have extra clothes lying around, then take them to a thrift store or garage sale where they can find plenty of clothes to use for putting on a play in their kids playhouse. Another option for costumes is to have the children make their own out of form, paper, and bits from around your home.

2. You have got to have scenery! The kids playhouse is a great setting for plays like Hansel and Gretel, The Three Pigs, or Little Red Riding Hood. Otherwise, use big posterboards, which cost roughly 30-50 cents each and create your scenery. The children may decide to make the scenery with a sheet or just to use the kids playhouse as the backdrop.

3. You have got to have performers! Your little ones will relish the time that they get to spend entertaining the audience. One of them can be a master of ceremonies, a narrator, and of course, an evil villain!! The sky is the limit as to what they can do when they take to the stage. By keeping the clothes inside of the playhouse, the children that are performing can run in and out of the playhouse, changing costume for each scene. That makes for an amazingly exciting production!

Putting on a kids playhouse production may be an event that your kids will never forget. Just provide them with a few items for costumes, scenery, and props and your little Thespians are sure to make everyone in the audience see their awesome talents. Don’t forget to record their works for future smiles!

Technorati Tags: Acting, Kids Playhouse, Theater

Pirates are popular with children and turning a kids playhouse into a pirate’s hideout cove is easy to do.  There are plenty of pirate movies and engrossing books like “Pirates Don’t Change Diapers” that kids have a hard time putting down.  So, bring that trend to your family’s kids playhouse!

Try these awesome tips to bring the playhouse up to p-AARRHH:

1. Add a telescope to the window ledge or porch railing of the kids playhouse. For any sea-faring pirate, a telescope is a necessity. Imagine all the foreign lands your child will see! Of course, don’t forget watching out for approaching pirate ships or spying on others that may be after their treasure chest.

2. Fill up treasure chests in and around the kids playhouse. Pirate costumes and plastic or foam swords can fill up one treasure chest while another may be used as a drink or snack container. To create a drink container “treasure chest” purchase one of those foam travel chests from a local dollar store. Together, with your child, paint it and embellish to look like a real treasure chest. Fill it with ice, drinks, and fruit snacks! Of course, you can’t forget about having a treasure chest that holds all of the real “treasures”. Your child may get really creative and keep their favorite books, games, or trinkets in the treasure chest or they may go the more traditional route and keep fake jewelry, golden coins, and dazzling crowns.

3. A flag pole and pirate flag readily transforms a kids playhouse into a fierce and mighty pirate strong-hold. You can purchase a ready-made pirate flag or you can make one. Making a pirate’s flag is simple. Purchase an inexpensive black pillow and some white felt. Cut the pillowcase down to the desired flag size. From the white felt, cut out a skull and cross bones and glue it to both sides of the black pillow case. Now, string it up the flag pole and everyone will know to beware of pirates!

Your little pirate’s kids playhouse could be the talk of the neighborhood.  You may even want to provide a water slide or water sprayer on the outside for those that have to “walk to the plank”. Have fun with it and let your children be as “arrhh-tistic” about it as they would like.

Technorati Tags: Kids Outdoor Play, kids play house, Kids Playhouse, kids playhouse ideas, Pirates, Treasure

Your kids playhouse could be the nucleus of a wildly cool neighborhood carnival. Using your child’s playhouse is naturally a fab place for holding such a fun event because everything is kid-sized and easily accessed. There are so many different activities that you could do to make this colorful event happen in your area. It takes a little prep work, but the end result will be a memory that lasts a lifetime. Here’s how to get the fun started:

Decorate the kids playhouse for the occasion. Use lots of balloons, streamers, banners to identify each game, and ribbon. The more festive it looks, the more the kids will want to stay around and play. Be prepared to use the area around the wooden playhouse also.

Along with your children, select activities that will keep kids excited and engaged. You may want to set the spaces up as stations. Some ideas for games include silly games like having kids eat fruit from a string while blindfolded, fishing for ducks or plastic fish in a little swimming pool, or using a water gun to shoot an empty can off of a ledge.

Dress up for the carnival. Whether you don a clown outfit or a master of ceremonies type of get up, the kids will love it! You may even want to have a station where the kids can get dressed up or get their face painted. Face painting takes a little while to do and could really work well in the loft area of a wooden playhouse.

Set up food stations. Kids love cotton candy and popcorn. One of the windows of the wooden playhouse can be transformed into a concession stand. This will be an event favorite for sure.

Your kids playhouse could be the stage for the best neighborhood kids carnival ever! Don’t forget to post signs and to enlist other neighbors. You may be able to get some people to donate their time or possibly even some prizes!

Technorati Tags: carnival, Kids Outdoor Play, Kids Playhouse, party

What does a kids playhouse and pink lip gloss have in common? They are perfectly paired, along with a cadre of other girl-friendly beauty supplies, for a make-shift day at the spa right in the comforts of your family’s backyard!  Your daughter’s next “girls day out” with her friends can take place in her special play space with a little pre-spa-day leg work:

Plan out each beauty station with your daughter.  For example, set up a place for the “manicurist” to work on nails, while the “make-up artists” has a designated space for slathering on gobs of gloss. One really fun place for the pedicures is the loft part of a kids playhouse.  There the “pedicurist” can paint those little toe nails, and afterward, girls can let their feet dangle and swing as the polish dries without having worry about them getting messed up!

Choose styling tools and beauty products that are hypoallergenic and really made for children.  Whether you opt for cheaper dollar store products or fancy items from the upscale or mall stores, be sure to keep things age appropriate.  A little light blush can go a long way on a fresh faced young girl.

If you are going to allow them to do facials, you may want to have them use natural ingredients that are also edible.  That way, you won’t have to worry about someone accidentally eating any chemicals! There are many recipes that you and your daughter may find online for all-natural facial masks.

Even though a kids playhouse is being used, be sure to give the girls plenty of freedom to play and experiment as they give each other beauty treatments.  Part of the fun of having a girls day at the “spa” is that they can enjoy each other’s company.  After you get them all set up, let them play, sit back, and enjoy the good laugh that you may get when one of them emerges with rainbow colored toes!

Technorati Tags: beauty, daughter, girls, Kids Playhouse, outdoor play house, spa