16 DIY Table Playhouses

Do you remember throwing sheets and blankets over the kitchen table to make a playhouse when you were a kid? I loved pretending it was a fort, a tent, a school room, or just a hide-out from my 6 big brothers. Today I’ve rounded up 16 tutorials for making table playhouses that are sure to inspire your kids’ imaginations. You can get as fancy as you want with embellishments or just leave the playhouses plain so the kids can invent their own make-believe scenarios.

Nicole from BubbyMakes Three followed a pattern from a book, but added her own special touches. She has great advice for making the door and windows. I love her fabric choices.

Laura from Sew Different emphasizes the importance of measuring your table before you begin construction on the playhouse. After the five basic panels are made (4 sides and the top), you can embellish them any way you want. She went with a “Home, Sweet Home” theme complete with a garden of flowers.

Kate from Centsational Girl used a white tablecloth to cover her kitchen table, then added sweet little curtains for the windows made from kitchen towels. That cuts down on the sewing because all the edges are already hemmed.

Christy (from Inkling & Yarns blog) contributed this adorable castle playhouse tutorial to So You Think You’re Crafty. The instructions are very well done and I recommend them highly, even if you decide to go with a motif other than a castle.

On Obsessively Stitching, you can see how to put together this army bunker playhouse. There is even a pitched roof that goes on top of your table that’s made out of PVC pipe. All of the pieces fit into a duffle bag for easy storage.

Patricia from Musings from Bucks Mountain made a simple playhouse using a sheet she got at the thrift store for $1. She kept things simple by adding just a window and a door. This wouldn’t take long to sew up at all.

Brooke from Let Kids Create did very little sewing on this playhouse. The kids can use their imagination by decorating this playhouse any way they wish. That’s the whole point, right?

The rest of the tutorials use a card table as the frame. Abby from Sew Much Ado made a great camo playhouse. She used a full-size sheet set. Just think of all the different playhouse themes you could come up with depending on the sheets.

Wendy from Old Days – Old Ways made this colorful circus tent. She also included great instructions for several variations.

Amy from This Big Oak Tree used felt for her playhouse. That’s a perfect fabric for this project since you don’t have to finish the edges. Kids could even get involved in the decorating process by cutting out designs.

Amy from Peek-A-Boo Pages made this incredible card table playhouse. She included all kinds of extras like a make-believe kitchen inside. I love the mailbox on the front complete with felt postcards.

eHow contributor Debbie provides very good instructions for making this school bus playhouse. I love the see-through vinyl windows and all the lettering on the bus.

Christy from One Little Word She Knew outdid herself with this fantastic playhouse made from felt. The tutorial spans several blog posts.

Mary from Mary-Ed Life also outdid herself. You won’t believe how many adorable details are included in this card table playhouse. You’d have to know your way around a sewing machine to make this playhouse, but it would be worth the effort.

Melissa from Melly Sews used 3 yards of inexpensive felt to make this great little car wash. The instructions are simple to follow. I know my boys would have loved to drive their trikes through this car wash!

If you don’t sew but would still love to make a playhouse for your little angels, check out this no-sew felt playhouse from Cheryl at Dollar Store Crafts. For as little as $7, you can make this playhouse. Since it’s made with felt, the kids can get involved by cutting out the decorations. If you’re wondering how the seams are put together – they’re knotted!

Whether they’re complex or simple, made from old tablecloths, sheets, or fabric, kids love homemade table playhouses. And since these playhouses are made by covering tables that are already in your home, they don’t take up any more space. The only problem you might run into is getting the kids out of there at the end of the day. No problem, though. Just add a sleeping bag and pillow and let the kids pretend they’re camping indoors.