We’ve reviewed quite a few cardboard playhouses in the past. Usually these house are small, maybe allowing a toddler inside. My children alway enjoy figuring out how to put them together and decorating them, but the size is limiting to the imagination. Not so with Cascades’ Children’s Cardboard Playhouse:
Lightweight, strong and mobile, this corrugated cardboard playhouse will win over the hearts of your children, who will use their creativity to decorate it to their own taste, with crayons, paint, paper and other materials.
- Dimensions: 36″ x 50″ x 48″ height (97cm x 152cm x 136cm)
- 3 years and older
- Biodegradable, made with 100% recycled and recyclable cardboard
- Easy to assemble
- Safe
- Easy to store in the transportation box
- Includes 2 doors, 4 windows, 2 skylights, a chimney and a mailbox
- Shipping fees may vary according to your postal code
- Made in Canada
My ten-year-old and seven-year-old figured out how to assemble this cardboard house all by themselves. It is large enough for them both to fit inside, as well as the dog. Their imagination was sparked and dramatic play ensued as soon as it was assembled! Coupled with the refrigerator box they had also just acquired, there has been hours and hours of serious cardboard play on our back deck.
It’s been two weeks, and my children have not tired of this cardboard playhouse (neither has the dog). They have yet to even decorate it!
Would I buy this product? Maybe. $48 is a lot of money for a cardboard box, but how often do you actually buy a new appliance with a large box that will inspire such play. It’s cheaper than buying a wooden playhouse, which we have, and will get just as much use. The great thing is that once your children outgrow the cardboard playhouse or tire of it, you can recycle it if it is no longer worthy of passing on.
Disclosure: The products described above were sent to us as free samples, unless noted differently in the review. Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given. No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews. The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.
One alternative I can recommend is going to your local Home Depot and seeing if they’ll save you a big box. My husband used to work there, and had the night crew save him a large, double thickness cardboard box. That thing made a great playhouse for my kids and lasted a few years. Best of all, it was free. It was a bit difficult to cut into a playhouse, but well worth the effort.
Almost all cardboard contains formaldehyde (unless it specifically says that it does not). Formaldehyde is a carcinogen and is not eco-friendly. In fact, in June of 2011, the EPA declared formaldehyd to be a known human carcinogen: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsroom/releases/2011/june10/. The World Health Organization classified it as a carcinogen in 2006. It contributes to indoor air pollution and can also cause allergic reactions. Before buying a cardboard product for children, it’s a good idea to check with the manufacturer whether it contains formaldehyde. If the product is made of recycled materials, it may be impossible to verify whether it is formadehyde-free.
Thanks Kathy! I did not know that. That is one thing I love about blogs is how we can share knowledge to keep our families safe.