As your children grow older, they require some space away from you to develop their independence and creativity. While you need to ensure that you are not stifling them with over protectiveness, you also need to ensure that they are safe.
One way of doing this is building a playhouse in the garden for your children. This will let them play independently while having some protection from the elements.
Repurposing Existing Garden Structures
While a playhouse is a terrific idea to provide children with their own secure space, most homeowners have space and budgetary concerns about this. One way to overcome the problem is to convert an existing garden structure into a playhouse.
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You can convert any garden structure such as the garden shed, gazebo, or arbor into a charming playhouse for your children.
Check the Sturdiness of the Structure
Before you begin the conversion process, you need to check the sturdiness of the garden shed, arbor, or gazebo. Check that the foundations, walls, and roof are strong and can handle vigorous play by the children. If there are problems, reinforce the foundation, walls, or roof to ensure that they are strong.
Ensure Adequate Ventilation
Since the children are likely to spend a lot of time playing in their playhouse, you need to ensure that it has adequate ventilation. You also need to ensure that it can be weather proof if needed to ensure that the children’s treasures, toys, and other possessions are not damaged by moisture or exposure to sunlight.
Paint the Interiors and Exteriors
Next paint the interiors and exteriors in washable paint. Choose bright and cheerful colors and trim to make the playhouse stand out in the garden and appeal to the children.
Provide Furniture
Depending on the size of the room, the number and age of the children who will be suing the playhouse, place suitable furniture. These can be low chairs and benches as well as tables. If possible, include seating and other furniture that can be cleaned easily and also double up as storage. A chest for toys can also be used as a table or seating if needed, ensuring that the small space is well used. You can also use child size furniture that will make the place more comfortable for the children. When putting in furniture for the playhouse, make sure to include individual storage areas for each child.
Add Furnishings
Once you have placed a few pieces of furniture in the playhouse add furnishings. This can include curtains, a rug or two, and a few colorful cushions.
Decorate the Exteriors
Once the interior has been fixed and decorated, you need to decorate the exterior. As the playhouse is situated in the garden, you can cover it with growing vines, place flowering plants around it, and so on. Another incredible way to make the playhouse appealing is to install a short wooden picket fence around the playhouse and place a swing or hammock in the garden.
Convert an Arbor into a Playhouse
To convert an arbor into a playhouse, ensure that there are plenty of vines growing up the walls and roof of the arbor. Create a green wall on three sides of the arbor, by either using vines trained on trellises or by planting a tall hedge along one side. Leave space for a doorway.
In the interior of the arbor, place a few benches or chests that can store toys and double up as seating. Cut a few window openings in the walls of the arbor to let in light and let your children enjoy time in the arbor. You can spread a canvas sheet on the floor of the arbor to keep the place clean. Well, that will enable cleaning more easily at least since the canvas sheet can be swept.
Convert an Gazebo into a Playhouse
A gazebo can also be converted into a playhouse or play pavilion by hanging cheerful curtains or blinds along the sides. This will provide a cozy and covered place for the children to use in the summer.
As the gazebo is likely to have some seating space, just include a set of lockers for each child and provide your children with hours of fun in their own space. Make sure they lockers are tight so no bugs can gain access to them.
Providing a playhouse for your children will enable them to become more independent and creative while you can enjoy quiet time indoors or in the garden. Any existing garden structure can be converted into a playhouse by adding furniture that provides both seating and storage and a few rugs and cushions. The cushions can have bugs on them if left overnight so this option is up to you.
Before you furnish the playhouse, you do need to check that the structure is sturdy and that there are no sharp edges or ledges that can injure children when they are playing. A playhouse with very basic furniture will encourage the creativity of your children since they can convert it into whatever they wish – a castle, a ship, theater, Optimus Prime, and so on.
