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The Backyard Play House Plans Every Kid Would Love

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Today I am sharing the FREE Backyard Play House Plans we used to build our kids their dream play house.

Growing up, I always wanted an outdoor play house. I remember getting a cardboard play house at Christmas and we played with it until it would no longer stand.

We knew if we built our kids a backyard play house, there would be years of memories they would make together. 

Top Home Design Blog, Jennifer Maune, shares the outdoor playhouse plans any kid would love. Click here to see the build process!

The paint featured in this outdoor playhouse plans post was sponsored by Sherwin-Williams, however, all opinions are my own.

Backyard Play House Plans Your Child Will Love

Check out our outdoor play house decorating ideas and the outdoor wooden playset makeover for other ideas to make your backyard special for your kids. 

We started this journey by settling on the perfect wooden playhouse design plans. I knew we wanted this back yard play house to be versatile in use.

Whether it was a tea party, or a nerf gun fort, we wanted both our boys and girls to be able to enjoy this for years to come. We looked for a versatile back yard play house plan we could customize to be perfect for our family.

For the most part, these exact plans were used. When we met with the contractor, we asked him if he could modify the original outdoor play house plans with a few special touches.

First, we wanted to raise the ceiling to eight feet, so our kids could enjoy their back yard play house longer and my husband and I could also join in the fun. We also added working windows so the outdoor play house could be enjoyed (mostly) year round. In addition, I wanted to forgo the porch railing so the play house would resemble the dream home we plan to build in the coming years.

Top Home Design Blog, Jennifer Maune, shares the outdoor playhouse plans any kid would love. Click here to see the build process!

Top Home Design Blog, Jennifer Maune, shares the outdoor playhouse plans any kid would love. Click here to see the build process!

Adding Electricity to the Play House

We added lights on either side of the door, so we could run wiring for electricity and add a small chandelier for light inside as well. I also added an outlet to the back so we can can add Christmas lights or other decorations. 

Building the Backyard Play House

With our requests in mind, the builders got started building the back yard play house. Our yard is primarily flat, but there is a grade so they started the process by adding cement blocks to level the floor frame.

Next, they built the front and back wall and the right and left wall frame. They modified the plans to accommodate for the window sizes I found at Lowe’s. I ordered picture windows for the sides and working windows for the front of the outdoor play house.

Top Home Design Blog, Jennifer Maune, shares the outdoor playhouse plans any kid would love. Click here to see the build process!

Top Home Design Blog, Jennifer Maune, shares the outdoor playhouse plans any kid would love. Click here to see the build process!

Next, they added the four columns on the front porch. Then they installed the windows which really helped define the back yard play house.

I watched in amazement as they built the roof in pretty much one day. The next day they completely covered it in black shingles. The crew working with the contractor, Kevin Carson from Carson Designs were impressive and efficient.

Top Home Design Blog, Jennifer Maune, shares the outdoor playhouse plans any kid would love. Click here to see the build process!

Top Home Design Blog, Jennifer Maune, shares the outdoor playhouse plans any kid would love. Click here to see the build process!

The last step in building the outdoor play house was to create the door. 

Finishing our Backyard Play House

We chose a neutral color for the back yard play house so our boys would feel comfortable playing in it too. We chose Sherwin-Williams paint and used their Emerald Exterior Latex Paint in the color Pure White. I love the Pure White color because it’s a crisp white, and it looks great against the black shingles, the black sconces and lanterns we used for decoration. The white is a great contrast with the black planters we found for either side of the door on the outdoor play house.

kids playhouse being painted

My husband handled the painting of the outdoor play house and I was so pleased with how it turned out! He taped off the windows with plastic and he borrowed a sprayer from a friend. This made the entire process easy and we were so happy with the high quality of the paint.

He started with a coat of primer and finished with two coats of the Pure White paint. After lots of heavy play and hot temperatures, I’m happy to report the paint is holding up very well!

finished wooden playhouse

Is that not the most adorable little back yard play house you’ve ever seen? I hope you love these outdoor play house plans as much as we do! Our kids are having so much fun playing in their outdoor play house. It makes my heart so happy to know they will be able to enjoy this for years!

Get Your Free Play House Plans

If you’re ready to create a fun back yard play house for your own kids, check out these diy kids playhouse plans and step-by-step instructions. Whether you decide to do-it-yourself or use a contractor, I think you will be happy with plans and instructions.

For more inspiration, follow me on InstagramPinterestLIKEtoKNOW.itFacebook,  and Twitter.

Here is a pin to save this for later! Get your FREE outdoor playhouse plans

Arkansas Lifestyle Blogger Jennifer Maune from Maune Legacy Blog

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43 Comments

  1. I’m definitely saving this – my hubby and I want to build a playhouse for our kids and this one is so cute!

  2. Wow how luck are your children to get a playhouse built like this. I would like a playhouse for me. Turned out beautiful.

  3. this is the cutest playhouse ever! I want my husband to build one of these for us!

  4. Whaaaa??? This playhouse is dreamy! I want to play in it NOW! So cute!

    XXOO Sunny

    1. So cute! What did it end up running coastwise?

  5. I love this idea. I’m currently looking to buy a home soon. And a playhouse is the cutest idea for my little one! I’m also a residential planning student and this would make a great portfolio project! Thanks for sharing.

  6. Wow! When I was a little kid, I could only dream of having something like this! Great job!

  7. this is such a great idea! I wish I had a builders talent .

  8. What a success! It looks fabulous. My kids would have loved this when they were younger!

  9. That’s the cutest playhouse I’ve ever seen! I wish I had something like this when I was a girl!

  10. Wow That is so thoughtfully made. I am sure the kids will enjoy this.

  11. That’s amazing. Could be a cool she-shed if you wanted with the lanterns and flowers.

  12. I can’t believe you guys made this from scratch! It’s sooooo freaking cute and I can’t wait to see the interior.

  13. So cute! My husband built one from scratch for our boy, it has a full height roof so we can also go play with him too

  14. Kathy Parsons says:

    Can you give me the actual size, is it 8’x 8′ or larger/smaller???

    1. It is 8×8 around the bottom, and the ceiling walls go up to 6 feet and the pitch of the roof is 8 ft so my husband and I can walk in it.

  15. I didn’t see the total cost, can you share that or would you prefer not to? I’m trying to decide if we buy one or build one!! Ps: I LOVE this so much!!

  16. Marissa Canales says:

    I can’t get the link for the plans to work.. any ideas on how I get or purchase them..I love the wall you’re house turned out and would love to build one for daughter..

    1. I am also having trouble finding the plans and would LOVE to try and do the same! GORGEOUS!

  17. Teresa Castillo says:

    I would like to get a set of plans as well. Can you send me the link please.

  18. Candice C. says:

    Could this be moved if you were to buy another house? I would love this for my kids now, but we could be moving to a new house in the next year or so. My kids are already 6 & 8 so I would rather do it now and move it if possible?

    1. It could technically be moved but may need a forklift or similar machine for lifting.

  19. Hi Jennifer,

    Thank you for posting this wonderful playhouse. We’re about to start on one of our own! Do you happen to know what size the door and front windows are? Thanks so much.

  20. Could you please send the actual plans? Thanks! This is so cute. I’d love to build it for our Grands!

  21. What size windows did you use in the front?

      1. I am wondering on the size of the windows also please if you have it. thank you!

  22. Allison Mangelsen says:

    Would love the door and window dimensions! Thanks!

  23. Ryan Woodham says:

    I stumbled across this post and presented it to the local Farm Bureau that was looking for a playhouse to auction off. I’m the Building Trades teacher at our local high school and the students started building it today. I was wondering what you thought about the overall size. We’re debating on cutting the front porch down to 2’-6” instead of 3’ like the plans call for. We’re afraid the inside will seem small with 8’ walls. Look forward to your response.

  24. Do you have interior pictures? Is there a loft inside or is it just an open room?