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A playhouse is one of the most charming and family-friendly additions to a yard. Kids will use their imagination to create rich, fun worlds in the smallest spaces. Playhouses can be decorated in any style or function you’d like.
If you’re concerned about the effect a playhouse can have on the environment and your kids’ health, such as harmful paint fumes and plastics, don’t worry! You can create a sustainable, eco-friendly playhouse with green materials and construction practices. You can even teach your kids the value of eco-friendliness.
Metal Playhouses
Metal is a good choice if you’re looking for durable, natural materials. It’s cost-effective, sturdy, and doesn’t rot or deteriorate. You may deal with rust, but routine care makes it easily preventable and removable. Metal can get quite hot in the sun, which requires children to play carefully.
Metal isn’t as customizable in appearance after construction, so you likely won’t have as interesting of a playhouse design. However, windows, gardens, and colored metal can spruce up a metal shed if you’re interested in the material. Most metal is recyclable and can be repurposed.
Wood Playhouses
Wood is the best choice if you truly want the classic playhouse feel. While timber and wood require cutting down trees, you can use sustainable sources. Wood can also be easily repurposed and recycled. You can customize a wood playhouse with various styles, windows, and colors.
Wood does require some maintenance in terms of insect treatment and repainting but is otherwise beginner-friendly. Wood can deteriorate or rot after a while, but maintenance can prevent this. As a bonus, many house-like wooden sheds are readily available and can easily be converted into playhouses.
Repurposed Materials
Whether constructing your playhouse or purchasing a prefabricated option, you can customize your playhouse with repurposed materials. Materials like wood can be reclaimed to reduce resource waste, contribute to recycling, and avoid further deforestation.
Repurposed materials are just as sturdy as their original forms, but reclaimed wood may come at a higher price due to the labor required to prepare it.
Eco-Friendly Paint
A playhouse should have various vivid colors to boost your kids’ fun and imagination. You can paint your playhouse any color you’d like using eco-friendly paint. This type of paint doesn’t use any toxic or harmful materials for your kids or the environment. Eco-friendly paints don’t have any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that increase carbon footprints or contribute to health concerns.
Natural paints are even biodegradable and made with natural elements such as clay. As a bonus, eco-friendly or natural paints don’t have harsh fumes that can bother you, your kids, or the ecosystem as they dry.
Support Local Businesses
A sustainable way to construct a playhouse is to utilize local, eco-friendly businesses for your materials, sheds, landscaping, or construction. You can find local companies online through simple searches (I found success by searching for storage sheds near me).
As a bonus, local companies may be able to provide customized construction for your playhouse, making it tailored perfectly to your kids’ tastes and preferences. Going local means you can compare costs and quotes at your own pace.
Solar Power
If your playhouse features lighting, you can use solar power. Solar energy is clean, renewable power that won’t add to your energy bill or carbon footprint. Since your playhouse will be right in the yard, there is usually prime access to sunlight, making it easy to feature solar lights. Solar panels can power many different playhouse features, such as fans for warmer months.
Playhouse Garden
A small child’s garden can complement a playhouse very nicely. You can teach your kids how to garden or grow edible plants. Edible or sensory gardens provide a lot of hands-on fun for kids. Butterfly gardens are also a great option to teach kids the importance of harmony with the environment.
Consider adding some plant window boxes or hanging plants to the playhouse for charming ‘curb appeal.’ When teaching your kids how to care for the plants, they can learn the importance of water for plant life and conservation. They can even collect some rainwater to provide a natural water source for the plants with zero waste!
Conclusion
Playhouses are tons of fun for kids and can look great on your property. If you’re not interested in mass-produced, harmful plastic-filled playhouses, some alternative ways exist to construct or purchase a playhouse that resides in harmony with the environment. Wood or metal are less toxic materials, and repurposed or reclaimed options can reduce resource waste. Solar energy is great for lighting or other power sources. Native plants can teach your kids about gardening and spruce up the playhouse. Consider hiring a local, eco-friendly company to source materials, construction, or playhouse.
Image Credit: depositphotos.com
