Part of the fun of being a child is having your very own cubby house, but of course it’s up to parents to provide one.

So, if your kids are imploring you to build them a cubby house, how do you go about planning it? Careful planning is the key to creating the perfect cubby house for your kids. Planning a cubby house means considering budget, your child’s age and just how much DIY you want the job to include.

First, have a think about how much you want to spend. Children’s cubby houses, or the materials used to construct them, can be costly, so you need to decide how much you want to invest in building the cubby. Those with experience in DIY can save some money by building a cubby from scratch. Hardware stores often sell DIY cubby house plans that list the tools and materials you will need to complete the job, and provide detailed measurements.

If you don’t want to do absolutely everything yourself, it’s possible to buy DIY cubby house kits with pre-cut pieces of wood and instructions. These require some simple construction, slotting the pieces together and fastening with basic tools.

Then you might want to choose a prefabricated cubby. These come with fully assembled parts, and while they are more expensive than DIY cubbies, they can be up and running in a matter of hours.

When it comes to choosing a style of cubby house, there are three general types:

‘Fort’-style cubbies – these are open style cubby houses that often incorporate accessories such as slides, nets and a sandpit.

Traditional ‘house’-style cubbies – the most popular style of cubby, these are enclosed and look like a real house, with windows, doors and sometimes a verandah.

‘Play-centre’ cubby houses – these are semi-enclosed and might have one full-size wall and one half-height wall, as well as sandpits, slides, nets and other play accessories.

Consider what type of cubby would be best for your child’s age and developmental level. It’s important to make sure that you have enough room for the cubby in your backyard – drawing up a DIY cubby house plan with measurements is crucial.

There are often regulations governing the placement and height of cubbies, so it’s important to contact your local council prior to buying your cubby house plans. Once all these things have been considered, you’re on the way to building your children the cubby of their dreams!