Whenever we're at Toys "R" Us, my son is fascinated with the various playhouses and plastic mini-playground structures. Although he enjoys the climbing things, we take him to various parks & playgrounds every nice day anyway. He also really loves the houses, and I'm trying to convince my MIL to get him one for his 2nd b'day. However, she thinks he won't want to play in it more than 6-12 months. What experiences have you had? What would you tell her?
My advice is that the playhouses are fun, but your MIL is probably right. They never want to play with these things once they have them. I have had a playhouse, a pirate ship, and a slide with tunnel, and a zoo, and an activity garden. I could really keep going. When we moved recently I chucked everything but the pirate ship. We use it to store toys in. Ultimately, this is your decision. I would still probably get one.
My son is 3. We do not have a play house. He has a Discovery Toys firetruck pop-up tent, which he thinks is an absolute riot. Rather than buying a playhouse we got one of the wooden swingsets from Wal-Mart that has the little tree-house area at the top. He loves it and it is multi-functional.
E.,
My only experience with these are at my current daycare provider's house. My daughter has been attending her daycare since she was 3. (She's now 8.) My provider has 3 of the playhouses, and my daughter still climbs on them and plays with them to this day. Yes, she has to crouch down, but she's still right in there playing. :-)
J.
E.,
My kids are still pretty small (3 and 6 mos.), but I have a 1/2 sister who is 12 and she used her playhouse for a LONG time. As they grow older, it becomes a little "clubhouse" and kids love to have a place to hang out that they can call their own. I actually think that now is the ideal time to get one!
S.
My mom bought my son a playhouse (the plastic sort from TRU) when he was 2. He is now five and still plays with it as well as our daughter who is 2.5.
It's not a big one, just the basic (about $100) but they both love it. Especially since the doorbell really works and has a dozen or so different sounds.
It's a great investment!! However, if you've got room inside for it I'd suggest that vs. putting it in the yard. Since these are mostly hollow molded plastic they are great places for spiders.
Good Luck!
