DIY houses for children: 10 fantastic ideas to build in the garden

Having a little house in the garden where you can go to play, read or even just hide away, I think is one of the greatest wishes of children.

If you are lucky enough to have a garden or even just a small outdoor corner to be transformed into a play area , and you want to give your little ones a nice little house, this is the best time to start getting organised.

The first thing to do is decide whether to buy a ready-made garden shed (in wood or plastic), or whether to  create a do-it-yourself house.
Certainly the first solution is the quickest but also the most expensive and least creative.

The do-it-yourself solution , on the other hand, is certainly the most demanding, but also the one that will give you the most satisfaction. Designing a small house together with the children, involving them in its construction, putting themselves to the test with manual work and being all outdoors together will be an unforgettable adventure!
You can indulge your imagination and create splendid colored garden houses , or simple huts using wood, pipes, pallets and other materials. But if your manual skills are limited, you can also create nice shelters and hiding places for children in the garden  using easily available materials such as branches, sticks, old sheets or tablecloths.

10 DIY huts and houses for children to build in the garden

If you like the idea of ​​getting to work in the open air but need some inspiration, below you will find 10 examples of DIY houses, huts, shelters and hideouts to build in your garden. They are perfect for keeping the kids playing all summer long!

1. Log cabin

This is an amazing wooden playhouse for kids , one of the traditional ones, made with wooden planks, saw, nails and hammer. A great challenge for dads and moms who love DIY! Here you will find all the tutorials to follow in order to make the same one → wooden garden shed .

2. Small house with the pallet

Pallets are usually used to transport goods but with a little imagination they can be recovered to create a beautiful garden shed like this one. The expense is minimal and the results can be extraordinary!

3. Tree house

The little house to be built on the tree is a project that always has a particular charm and for this reason children but also mum and dad like it so much. They are not easy to build but I found a pretty simple example that explains how to build the ladder and the platform of the house. You can then make the side protections according to your imagination and needs.

4. Wood and cloth hut

Look how beautiful this DIY hut is ! This is a pretty easy job to do with wooden planks and fabric. Isn’t it wonderful in its simplicity?

5. Canopy tent-hide

If crafts with wood are not your thing, you will find this project very interesting! It is in fact a  beautiful canopy tent / shelter  to be placed under a tree. All you need is an old tent or sheet, a hula hoop and a rope. You can keep it in the garden all summer long.

6. Arched hut-box

Here’s another original idea to do with little expense and little effort. It is a beautiful box-hut made with flexible electrician tubes positioned in an arc and a cloth sheet to slide according to where the sun is turning. Below you can organize a play area with sand, gardening games for children , a small inflatable pool or any other activity.

7. Small house with pvc pipes

PVC pipes are not only used to make electrical systems but also to create garden houses for children as beautiful as this one! You will need a little patience to cut and fit the tubes together, but then a sheet or an old curtain is enough and… voilà! the hut is ready!

8. Tenda Teepee

This is the teepee, the classic Indian hut , much desired by children and easy to make. All you need are wooden sticks (broomsticks are fine too) and a cover of fabric to sew on.

9. Small house with a clothesline

And if you don’t know how to do anything with manual work (but absolutely nothing) this project is for you! Go into the garden and spread a couple of sheets on the clothesline in a V shape. Fix them to the ground with stones and lie down under a nice blanket. The kids will love this fabric hut !

10. Hut-shelter with bean seedlings

If you don’t know how to work with nails and a hammer and you’re not even good with a sewing machine, here’s an original “all-natural” DIY hut ! Just place the poles like building an Indian tent, plant bean seedlings around and… wait for them to grow! Easy isn’t it?