The History of the Children’s Playhouse
It is difficult to say when the first children’s playhouse existed. I suspect it was at the same time as the first child because children, as we know, are the most inventive people we know and as soon as they are left to play they will create their own space, a sheet over the sofa or an old door leaning up against a tree.
A large number of England’s great stately homes have small “imitation” houses in the grounds mostly built from stone in much the same style as the house.
Throughout the world different names are used. In America a children’s play structure is likely to be called a clubhouse or treehouse.
In Australia Cubby houses or colloquially Cubby or Cubbies were historically built by children from found or scrap materials made just to last the school holidays.
The most famous playhouse is probably that which belongs to Wendy Darling in J M Barries’ play “Peter Pan”. Wendy was injured soon after her arrival in Neverland so Peter Pan and the lost boys build a small house around her where she had fallen. Thus we are given the phrase “Wendy House”. J M Barrie himself designed the first Wendy House for the first production of the play in 1904.
If you have any playhouse tales or have seen old examples of playhouses please do let us know.
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