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The answer to fitting a playhouse into your small garden is simple: find the right kids’ playhouse in terms of size and design, and choose the right space for it. Here’s a list of the best options from our BillyOh collection that are worth considering, and we’ve shown them in real customer gardens! You’ll definitely find something here even if your garden is smaller than 20 metres. Ready?
A Wendy House Style Small Playhouse
Wendy Houses are designed for toddlers, so you can expect them to be small. Have a look at our BillyOh Bunny Max Playhouse, for instance. Its 4×4 foot dimension is perfect for kids aged 1 to 3 and makes a great starting point for small gardens. Your little ones can enjoy playing without running around too much, and focus on playing.
Despite the compact size, you can fit it in a mini shelf and a small toy box in the corner. This still leaves plenty of room for the kids to play, maybe even sit with their plushies.
Size aside for a moment, a Wendy House is sure to add a magical charm to your humble outdoor space. It’s designed with a peaked roof and cottage-style windows with flower boxes and shutters. A picket fence is available as an extra for extended play, but the structure alone should do the trick. Your kids can decorate it in a Neverland style—that’s where the name comes from, after all!
BillyOh Gingerbread Junior Playhouse
The BillyOh Gingerbread is offered in a size of 6×4 feet, making it an upgrade from the Wendy House. Measure how much of your garden this is likely to take up, and you might be surprised to find that it can fit just fine.
The Gingerbread has the same traditional cottage-style design as the Bunny Max. What sets it apart is its stable door, which splits in two, and its opening height of 3’1”.
This doesn’t affect the overall dimension but makes it more suitable for toddlers. For one, they can crawl in and out freely with the bottom half open. When closed, they won’t be able to wander off, but the open top half lets them see out—and you can still keep an eye on them.
A picket fence addition could work too, if space allows!
BillyOh Lollipop Max Playhouse
This small wooden playhouse is a bit bigger than the first two, measuring 6×7 feet, and should fit in a small garden. This size range can work if yours is under 20 square metres, but you’ll need to plan the space well.
One idea is to place the playhouse in a corner to maximise the open area for other activities. And if you look at the unit’s details, you’ll notice the ‘platform’ option. While it’s a great addition, you may want to opt for one without it, as it could take up more room (from 178cm to 266cm).
Inside, a larger table can be squeezed in, leaving enough space for kids to rule their tiny kingdom. The BillyOh Lollipop Max might be a good fit for your children if they want a bigger unit that suits your garden.
Note: A junior version of the same unit is available in 6×5 feet, just in case you want a scaled-down model.
BillyOh Tower Playhouses
The term ‘small’ can be subjective, so we’re not limiting the options for gardens smaller than 20 metres. However, we won’t go too far, as we still want to help you maximise your available space. That’s where our tower playhouses come in!
Rather than take up more of your horizontal garden space, tower playhouses create more vertical play space. They feature a platform that kids can climb using the built-in ladder. Both models also come with slides as an extra for added fun.
Keep in mind that the total size includes the raised platform and the play area (the playhouse itself) on top. For reference, the BillyOh Bunny Tower Playhouse measures 6×7 feet (including the tower). The BillyOh Lollipop Max Tower Playhouse, in contrast, is 6×5 feet (including the tower).
Nevertheless, both sizes can work in small gardens. Not to mention with a design that helps maximise the space even further. For instance, you can use the base, ground level, or lower deck as a mini garden for shade-loving plants. Or better yet, add a sandbox so your kids have more options for where they want to play.
Planning Where to Put Your Outdoor Playhouse
If you have a small garden, it can be difficult to decide where to place the playhouse, especially as it means sacrificing space for other things. The good news is that, as long as you put down a flat and solid surface for the playhouse to stand on (see our example images above), you can place the playhouse almost anywhere: on the patio, on the lawn, or even among a planting area.
Most families choose somewhere at the edge of the garden or in a corner. This means that the children inside can see a good distance through the windows, and that you can easily look in when supervising from a distance. It’s important, however, to not build too close to a fence, trees, or any other structures. With wooden playhouses, they need airflow on all four sides in order to stay dry and protected from mould. Plus, you need to be able to fit around the back in the event of any maintenance being needed.
Where to Buy a Wooden Playhouse
Garden Buildings Direct has provided British garden playhouses for over 25 years. Check out our playhouse buying guide for help on where to get started, and open up a new world of fun for your little one.
