DIY Playhouses and Cardboard Castles for Kids

I’m Bored! Let’s Make a Playhouse

What parent hasn’t heard that “I’m bored” phrase over and over on days when outside play just isn’t an option?  (I’m aware that most of us also hear it no matter the weather!)

Children love DIY playhouses!  I’m sure you remember a time when you had an indoor playhouse as a child.

I remember making them with my kids; they were all slipshod because we did our best using whatever we had on hand.  

My daughter loved using the sofa cushions and would balance the cushions next to and on top of each other.  That was short-lived fun since it was constantly falling apart.

I also tried the popular card table playhouse, but the blankets we used wouldn’t stay put, even though we put pillows on them. 

(Nice, heavy pillows; mom was too tired to fetch something bigger and heavier, and the sofa pillows were right there in the living room!)

You can see I was not a very good engineer when it came to DIY playhouses.

We did have one successful cardboard playhouse that took up the floor space of our living room. I cannot take credit for it.

My parents came to visit from out of state, bringing with them all sorts of cardboard along with a huge refrigerator box.  

Grandpa could make anything, and my son wanted a pirate ship.  It turned out to be the most amazing cardboard playhouse, and we even pulled it outside for birthday party fun!

Why Make a DIY Playhouse?

DIY tents, forts, teepees, cardboard castle playhouses...they all offer a place for the kids to hide out and dive into imaginative play. Sometimes they just need a quiet place for alone time, and playhouses are perfect for that.

It gives parents the joy of quietness and an amazing fantasy world for the kiddos.

Having a playdate?  The DIY playhouses are so much fun for a couple of friends to play games of pretend.

AND….DIY playhouses are much more economical than buying a ready-made playhouse.

What Playhouse Shall We Make?

If you are not sure where to start, we have great ideas for indoor fabric and cardboard playhouses that you can create for your kiddos.

Many of the ideas are sewn playhouses that fit over the top of a card table. The tutorials we have found will have you making a wonderful place to play that is attractive AND doesn’t involve afghans and pillows! 

The Line Up of DIY Playhouses

Scroll down to see what we have found for you. We will start with the fabric playhouses:

We found you some perfect, easy to follow patterns that can be personalized with fabric that your child likes. Most of these drape over a card table, dining room table, or use PVC piping as the foundation.

Some sites show how to create exciting and unique DIY playhouses that begin with using an old sheet! 

If you want to get all in, there are fun, themed playhouses to sew with your favorite fabrics.

Looking for cardboard playhouses?  Check out the cardboard castle!

You can learn to create fantastic and budget-friendly DIY cardboard playhouses using giant boxes.  The sites below will show you how!

We even have very creative and fun dollhouses and playhouses for dolls! If you'd like to see more on doll crafts, take a look at our doll craft videos!

Trust me; you don’t need a superhero grandpa in order to make the perfect playhouse with the tutorials below!