Welcome to the FUNHOUSE!

TIP

Note that the playhouse in these pictures differs from the plans in at least one important characteristic: instead of 6x6s, these cottagers wanted cedar poles for the superstructure. The 12-footers are not easy to find and are more complicated to build with. Dimensional lumber is the most practical way to go.

Some projects are simply fun to build. This is one of them.

“We wanted a structure that was not only a tree house, but a place for the kids to hang out independently,” says Mylène Tomkin, who asked me to build this playhouse for her two daughters, aged eight and nine. “I wanted it to be a hub, so if they want to have friends over, they can congregate there.”

We tried to include everything we could in this playhouse project to maximize kids’ delight: zipline, swing, fire pole, climbing wall, monkey bars, bunk beds, folding table, secret escape hatch. It’s all here.

This is a big project and really only possible with help—at least one other person with decent carpentry skills. But one of the benefits is the longevity it offers. It’s kind of a mini bunkie that could provide a retreat for the kids, even into their teens. “Rain or shine, the kids are