Do you remember your childhood cubby house?  A place where your imagination could run free, a way to express yourself and play with your friends in your own world.  A castle, a fort, a place to host a tea party for your dolls.  A sanctuary. Somewhere which was your own space, your own playhouse or cubby to read, to think, to play, to learn and to grow.

These days’cubby houses come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, colours and materials.  From a basic wooden cottage cubby to a whole mini high street for your kids to play in!  Whatever your budget, this buying guide will help you to find the right cubby house for your child. 

Firstly, lets start with the types of cubby you can buy; A Classic Cubby which is simpler and often made of wood.  Cubby Playcentres, which have added, play features, such as a slide or a bench.  Themed Cubby’s come in all sorts of wonderful shapes, from trees to castles to shops and even boats.  At the top of the tree sits the luxury cubby.  A complete miniature house, or even a whole line of shops, including a petrol pump to fill up the toy car!  Whatever your budget, your child’s imagination will fill in the rest, so lets delve into the different types of cubby house in a bit more detail.

 Classic Cubby

The Classic Cubby is often made of wood and perfect for outdoor use.  Simple in design with a quality finish.  A blank canvas for any child’s imagination.  These cubby’s are great for smaller gardens or courtyards and they also fit into the garden decor too.  Choose between wood and hardwearing poly.  If wood is your option check that the edges are rounded, smooth and the panels are free from splinters, nails and screws, which may catch or harm your child.  A wooden cubby will weather well and look better as it gets older with the right care and protection.  A poly cubby is a good choice to keep clean, and easy to assemble, although over time in strong sun the colours may fade. 

The classic cubby is ideal for younger children and toddlers who can turn any cubby into a world of excitement and imagination.

Cubby Playcentre 

The next step up is a Cubby Playcentre.  These cubby’s have all the features of a classic cubby but have extra, interactive features great for little adventures.  This could be a slide, a picnic bench, a hatch or rooms inside the cubby.  Ideal for older children who have developed play and want to play ‘house’ or act out scenarios such as mummy and baby or host a tea party in their cubby.  Look for a cubby, which will house a growing child or toddler comfortable and fit more than one child.

 Themed Cubby

 If you have a little princess or a future pirate then a Themed Cubby is a great choice and a sure fire winner for your child.  A themed cubby will come in any shape you can think of.  A castle, a treehouse, a Pirate Boat.  Let their imagination run wild.  A great choice for older children who have established play and growth traits.  Look for a cubby, which is big enough to house more than one child, as themed play is often interactive and great to keep the kids occupied when friends are over. 

 Luxury Cubby

The best of the best is a Luxury Cubby.  These cubby’s are carefully designed and have many little features to make these cubby’s stand out from the rest.  Almost like miniature homes these luxury cubby’s have extra rooms, petrol pumps, kitchens and attached slides all in one!  They can also come as a set of shops in a whole miniature high street.  Great for playgroup, large gardens and multiple child families.  These luxury cubby’s encourage shared play and are perfect for older children.

 So, now you have chosen the cubby for your child its time to choose the material.  Most cubbies are made from one of two types, wood and durable double wall poly plastic.  There are benefits to both choices and it really comes down to personal and practical needs.  A wooden cubby will look great in your garden but ensure you buy from a reputable toymaker where the wood is smooth and fixtures are safe.  With the right weather protection a wooden cubby will look great in your home for many years to come.  A strengthened double poly plastic cubby is light, easy to assemble, safe, and very easy to clean.  Keep out of strong direct sun to stop the colours fading over time and you will have a much loved cubby until the little ones grow up!

Ultimately any cubby is a welcome addition to a child’s play.  Encouraging role play, development, sharing, creativity and imagination.  Whatever your budget and whatever style and shape you choose, a cubby house will fast become a favourite place for your child.