Hammering a few bits of timber across a couple of branches in that old tree down the back of the yard isn’t really an option for a outdoor cubby house these days.

"Times have changed," says cubby manufacturer Phil. "You’re not allowed to do things to trees anymore. There have been a few councils which have taken action against people who’ve nailed boards up into trees."

Phil points out that this old-school option isn’t the safest bet anyway.

"We recommend that people don’t put anything like that onto a growing tree anyway," he says, "because it will end up falling apart as the tree grows in different proportions."

A much safer and more durable option is to buy a manufactured outdoor cubby house. A number of models are available, and most models are available in prefabricated sections (that is, walls, floors and roofs in whole sections, which then only have to be attached to each other), or as do-it-yourself kits. These come with extensive instruction kits and all the pieces needed for construction, so all the guesswork is removed.

"Some people take pleasure in building the cubbies themselves," says Phil.

Models can range in size from about 1.5 metres square in floor area to around 3 metres by 2.7 metres. They can be situated at ground level or elevated on legs – the highest having its floor around 1.5 metres off the ground. Essentially they’re like little houses, as the name suggests: most with windows and doors and sloping roofs, and some with verandahs with handrails. Some come with steps and ladders, and you can hang slides and ‘scramble nets’ off the side.

As for cubby-house furniture, Phil says it’s hard for Australian producers to compete with cheap imports. "Most people just go to the two-dollar shops and buy the plastic stackable chairs in the child size and a little plastic table to go with it," he says.

The standard models, which are mass manufactured on jigs, are cheaper than custom-made models, where people bring in their own specifications (and sometimes plans) and manufacturers build them accordingly.

So whether you’ve got a little courtyard or a huge backyard, find out which outdoor cubby house will suit your requirements by talking with a playground equipment specialist in your area.