With one of the biggest selections of playhouses online, WhatShed works with almost every major brand and retailer of playhouses in the UK. We appraise & review each playhouse using an impartial and objective 0-100 Expert Score developed by industry experts. This helps you compare the market to find the best playhouse for you, at the right price, from the right retailer. If you are new to playhouses and you want to find out what sort of things our experts think you should be looking for when choosing one then you might want to check out our “Playhouse buying guide”.

We show you the best playhouses as rated by well-known industry experts, we also show you how we calculate our ExpertScore and our lists are sorted by what is the best for you, not by what makes us money.

New to buying a wooden playhouse?

If you’re trying to make sense of playhouses — why there seem to be so many similar options, what actually affects safety and lifespan, and why some parents regret their choice within a year — we’ve put together a clear, evidence-based guide on our main playhouse hub.

Rather than repeating that information here, we’ve linked you directly to the most useful sections below so you can jump straight to what matters most for your situation.

Explore the key playhouse buying insights

How the UK playhouse market is structured →
Why a handful of base designs turn into hundreds of listings — and how understanding this helps you avoid weak or overpriced builds.

Why size mistakes are the most common regret →
How children outgrow small playhouses faster than expected, and why internal volume matters more than footprint.

What actually makes a playhouse solid →
The wall, floor, and roof details that genuinely affect strength, stability, and lifespan.

Understanding real playhouse safety →
Glazing types, door design, finger-trap risks, and what “child-friendly” really means in practice.

When features add value — and when they add risk →
Raised platforms, towers, and accessories explained from a structural and safety perspective.

How long wooden playhouses really last →
What typically happens after 2, 5, and 10 years — and why some models fail far earlier than expected.

Seeing past marketing claims →
Which specs and images are genuinely meaningful — and which are mostly sales noise.

A simple way to choose confidently →
A practical decision framework based on real inspections and buyer outcomes.

Once you’re ready, you can browse and filter all reviewed wooden playhouses on our main page above — using size, construction, safety features, and format to narrow things down properly.