Here are our favourite playhouses. Decorate your ‘country cottage’, Tudor house, castle or tower and let your kids imagination run riot.

Make sure you buy one that you can build yourself or one with installation included in the price.

Wendy House Tips

• Weather proofing is key. Coat Cuprinol
• every three years for damp proofing. 
• Keep a gap between any garden walls otherwise you’ll get a build up of leaves.
• Emply an electrician to drag a mains cable either under or overground.
• Go to salvage centres for wood offcuts for your floor; you could also try laminates (B&Q), carpet tiles or rugs (Habitat and Ikea have some fun designs).
• An oil filled radiator of between 1.5 to 2 KW with a frost-free setting for night will keep help avoid condensation.
• When it comes to decorating, scale up: larger prints and patterns make a room bigger. For retro chic try Marimekko; for historic prints try Hamilton Weston.
• Experiment: try a Just William look – old maps, vintage tennis rackets, caps on hooks (scour Ebay or markets) or for beachhut chic: gingham curtains, deck chairs, storm lanterns, shrimp nets, jars of shells.

King of the Castle

No doubt who'll be King with this play castle from Urchin. Supplement the castle with a tower, gatehouse, slide and turret. The companies listed below sell one or more of each.

From £1,500 www.gltc.co.uk - Tel: 0844 848 6000

www.urchin.co.uk - Tel: 0870 112 6006

www.justoutdoortoys.co.uk - Tel: 01425 639404

www.alloutplay.co.uk - Tel 01453 755161

Adventures galore

Branching out from its traditional houses (one even has a thatched roof), The Children's Cottage Company now has a range of treehouses. This one is our favourite.

From £5,500. The Children’s Cottage Company.

www.play-houses.com  - Tel 01363 772061.

Cottage chic

This gorgeous country cottage is a dream to do up. 

Cottage with slated roof £1,250–£2,000.

www.playchildren.co.uk. Tel 01568 709103.

You’re nicked!

This two-storey jail style play house is dead cool. The door is a fun stable door design, the top section has a small glazed window, perfect for Cath Kidston’s ‘Western’ fabric or gingham curtains. Finished in sadolin superdec antler brown, it can be painted any colour.

Jailhouse £2000–£3500; www.playchildren.co.uk.

Tel 01568 709103.

Live like Henry VIII

Imagine your very own Tudor House. It could be yours for a not insignificant price tag. Made from sustainable wood.

From £10,995 - www.flights-of-fantasy.co.uk - Tel 01485 600809.

Also available from Harrods.