If you want your children to grow into confident and independent adults, I strongly recommend buying them a cubby house. You don’t have to wait for them to ask for one when you can surprise them with a place of their own yourself. If you have a spacious yard, or even one big enough to fit in one of these houses, then you have no excuses.

It was the best purchase my husband and I made in terms of Matthew’s overall development, role play, imagination, and creativity no thanks to screens and devices. Sure, toys have also had their role in this, especially Montessori, but I can’t downplay the advantages of providing him with a place of his own. And although he’s getting rather big for it by now, he still likes to visit it from time to time.

What Age Do Kids Like Cubby Houses?

It’s usually somewhere around the period between 2 to 6 years old. However, there are exceptions, as this could go as low as 1, and as high as 10. It all depends on the design you choose, as well as the items you fill it up with. My advice is to look for the bigger or even the biggest house the kid’s shop is stocked with, and do some décor changes with every stage of childhood to make the most of it.

How to Choose the Ideal Cubby House?

Let me point out the importance of finding a sturdy design to withstand all the energetic play kids would put it through.

Choose Where You Buy From

For that reason, my first tip is to choose a reliable kids shop to be certain you get a quality product that’s truly worth the price. Another reason is to have peace of mind the house you buy is designed according to the Australian Safety Standards down to the last detail. Safety first!

Choose the Material

This is a crucial consideration as it’s related to durability and ease of maintenance. One of the best choices you can make is purchasing a wooden design because it’s durable, fit for use year-round, and overall a great option regarding indoor air pollution.

Still, if it’s the price you’re concerned about, there are some more affordable plastic options you can pick from. However, keep in mind they may not last as long as you want them to for all those years of play you intend to buy them for. And, depending on the quality of the plastic, they may also be affected by exposure to UV rays.

Choose the Type

It’s a fact there are various types of cubby houses a well-stocked kids’ store can provide you with, which may be where most parents’ confusion stems from. I find it useful here to discuss with the child what their preferred design is because after all, it’s something they’re going to be using.

Besides the houses that are replicas of actual houses, on the inside and out, some are equipped with playful features such as slides, and those with huge windows for more fun interaction that could also serve as shops for all the ranges of imaginative play your kids would come up with.

Choose the Size

In addition to choosing based on your child’s size, you also have to take your yard’s space into account to be sure this playful feature would fit right in. If you have sufficient space, I’d advise you to go on the bigger side, because then your kids would have more areas to use. And, this way, they can use the house for years as well, even when they get to school age.

What Are the Benefits of Having a Cubby House?

As I said, first and foremost they’re your crucial means to work on your child’s confidence, and independence, along with imagination and creativity. If you’re constantly with your kid, day in and day out, always there watching over, you can’t expect him or her to be in charge. With a place of their own, they get the chance to be in charge of a change, without constant parental supervision (even if you’re just outside watching over from the garden).

It also allows them to explore more of the world that surrounds them, get to know the social norms, and act out daily conversations and situations they’ve seen adults in. This way, as a result, there’s development on the language level, as they learn and use more words, and work on their social skills – especially if they have siblings, cousins, or friends to play with. Don’t be surprised if you’re also invited into this world occasionally, as they love bonding with parents over games.

Cubbies are perfect kids’ products both for active play and quiet time when they need some alone time to read their favourite stories, draw and paint, or have a tea party with their toys. Speaking of parties, this is their chance to learn how to take care of a house too, and the importance of tidying up after creating a mess. All useful skills for adulthood. As far as the benefits for you as a parent, you get to have a nice little break allowing you to put your feet up and do occasional pampering for the duration of their cubby house play.