I Scout Toys All Year, And These Are My Favorite Outdoor Playhouses

Best for: Parents who want a large backyard playhouse that encourages climbing and sliding, good for little and big kids up to age 10.

Why we like it: Backyard Discovery's cedarwood playhouse sits 3 feet off the ground and features a 6-foot slide as well as a ladder for kids to climb up. The fort/clubhouse provides kids with their own little escape. Because it sits up high and doesn't have easy sight lines into the house, we think this is best for kids who are at least age 3.

There's a play kitchen inside with a toy blender that spins, plus a working doorbell. Outside, one of the structure's posts has a growth chart where you can mark your kids' growing height, a super-sweet touch.

Things to know: Read the 77-page instruction manual/owner's guide before getting started, taking care to read about putting this on a level surface and possibly applying a sealant to the wood. The build is estimated to take about 8 hours, and some customers say it took them a few hours longer.

You can access the Bilt app for guidance, and should consider getting help—reviewers say it goes much more smoothly with two people.

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Best for: Disney Princesses fans and any kid who wants a pink castle for pretend play.

Why we like it: Between the fancy round windows that open up and the jaunty royal flags on top, this play castle can dazzle young kids. I've seen it in person, and it's impressive! It's made of plastic, and the brand markets it for indoors and outdoors.

Things to know: There are two half-doors, one on each side, and a mail slot on each side, too, which can be good if you have two kids sharing the space. But other than the two little ledges under the outside windows and two corner ledges inside, there aren't any play accessories that come with this.

Delta Children promises minimal assembly with this one—many pieces that just snap together. Walmart reviewers agree it is easy to assemble, though applying the vinyl stickers can be a little tricky, one reviewer says. It comes with a 12-page instruction booklet.

The brand does this same structure in other designs, including a Spider-Man playhouse and Mickey Mouse playhouse.

Best for: Toddlers who love pretend-playing with food. (And that seems to be all of them.)

Why we like it: This looks like a camper or a food truck rather than a house, making it a little different. The highlights are the 50+ accessories and bonus features, including a working doorbell and play food, a pretend grill, stovetop, and sink, all of which keep toddlers happily occupied.

Toddlers can play in the camper's interior or they can stand outside. Inside is a little seat that can hold a child up to 35 pounds. It's definitely toddler-sized, and most Amazon reviewers buy it for a child age 5 or younger, with ages 2 and 3 seemingly a sweet spot.

Things to know: Step2 says this should take about 2 hours for two people to build. Customer reviews say it can go faster if you have a power drill, and slower if you are doing it solo with only a manual screwdriver. The instruction manual is 16 pages long.

You can sit this outdoors, in the grass or on a patio, or indoors.

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Best for: Something extra charming, and a little larger, for outdoor use.

Why we like it: More than others, this playhouse looks straight out of a fairytale. The faux thatched roof, two flower boxes, and hinged door with a battery-powered doorbell outside are matched with a fake fireplace, skylight, and pretend sink on the inside. There are two little seats on the outside for visitors, which also makes it easy to use this to play "restaurant."

It's nice that the colors of this blend into nature a bit more than those of some other plastic playhouses. This and the Naturally Playful Storybook Cottage, also from Step2, are waterproof plastic but come in earth tones.

Things to know: While this costs a bit more than other plastic playhouses, it comes with more accessories and is also physically larger, nearly 5 feet long and 4 feet wide, and nearly 5 feet tall. The vast majority of its Amazon user reviews are five-star ones. If you need to spend less, however, there's a bright-white version with many but not all of the features called the Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage Kids Playhouse that saves more than $100.

Most users say this is easy to assemble, but because of all the details, it doesn't come together quickly—you'll need an hour or two. The instruction manual is 12 pages long.

Best for: Rambunctious outdoor play for toddlers and preschoolers.

Why we like it: It's a two-slide play fort made to hold up to four preschoolers, nice if you have multiple kids age 6 and younger, host frequent playdates, or run a home daycare.

Interactive elements include a steering wheel and porthole-style windows. There are steps to climb up again and again, crawl spaces, and tunnels (perfect for hide-and-seek), an elevated clubhouse, a bridge and the two slides, each going in a different direction.

Things to know: It works best to have two or more people build this as a team. It's the largest set on our list (more than 11 feet long) and, once built, it weighs nearly 200 pounds, so you'll want to assemble it where you intend to keep it.

There are 21 pages of instructions and it should take 1 to 3 hours to build. It goes fastest if you can use an electronic drill.