Collection: Cubby Houses

Cubby Houses for Australian Backyards

Bubby Cubby is a small, family-run store in Melbourne's south-east. We stock the two brands we'd buy for our own kids – Hide & Seek Kids (Australian-made timber cubbies and cubby beds) and Lifespan Kids (elevated cubbies, play centres and swing sets) – along with Plum, Kidzshack and Step2. We're an authorised Hide & Seek Kids dealer based in Melbourne, which matters if you're in Victoria or New South Wales: Hide & Seek is based in Queensland, so buying through us means local support and Melbourne-side help with delivery and assembly questions. Because we sell all of these brands, we can tell you honestly which one suits your yard, your kids and your budget, rather than pushing one.

Everything on this page ships from Australian warehouses, so you're not waiting three months for a container. Most orders leave within 1–2 business days and arrive in 2–5 days in Melbourne and Sydney, or 4–14 days elsewhere (see our delivery guide).

How to choose a cubby house

Start with your child's age

For toddlers and preschoolers (roughly 2–5), a low, ground-level cubby with a door and windows is plenty – the Arlo, Millie or Teddy are the ones we recommend most. Once kids hit primary school (5–10) they want to climb, so look at elevated cubbies with a slide and climbing wall like the Marlie, Silverton or Archie Elevated. If you have a spread of ages, a play centre such as the Kingston (cubby, monkey bars and swings in one) keeps everyone busy.

Then measure your yard

Measure the flat, level area you can give up, and allow a metre of clear space around a slide's run-out and behind any swings. Elevated cubbies need less ground footprint than you'd think because the play area is stacked, but they are taller – check any fence-height or neighbour sightline concerns before you buy. If you're tight on space, our small cubby houses collection is filtered for compact footprints; if you have room to spare, see large cubby houses.

Timber or plastic?

Timber cubbies (all of our Hide & Seek Kids and Lifespan Kids range) last longest, look best in a garden and can be painted to match your house. Lifespan Kids cubbies arrive stained and ready to go up; Hide & Seek Kids cubbies arrive with a light holding stain and need two coats of primer and two of exterior paint before they go outside – it's a condition of the warranty, and painting the panels flat before assembly is a couple of hours' work. We've written a painting and maintenance guide covering what to buy and how often to recoat. Plastic cubbies (Step2) are lighter, wipe-clean and need no upkeep, which makes them the better choice for toddlers, rentals or anyone who'd rather not paint.

Assembly

Every cubby here is flat-packed with pre-cut, pre-drilled panels. A simple ground-level cubby is a 2–3 hour job for one adult with a drill; an elevated cubby with slide and climbing wall is a half-day to a day for two people. We've tagged the range by effort – easy assembly and moderate assembly – so you can filter by how much of your weekend you want to spend.

Our range at a glance

Prices are in AUD, delivered Australia-wide. If you find the same cubby cheaper elsewhere, see our price match guarantee.

Cubby houses by type

Wooden cubby houses · Elevated cubby houses with slides · Plastic cubby houses · Small cubbies · Medium cubbies · Large cubbies · DIY cubby kits · Play centres · Accessories and add-ons

Frequently asked questions

Do I need council approval for a cubby house?

In most Australian councils a small, single-storey cubby house under about 10 m² and 3 m high is exempt from a building permit, but rules differ by state and council, and some have setback or height limits close to fences. If your cubby is elevated or large, check with your local council before ordering – it's a quick phone call.

How long does delivery take?

Cubby houses are bulky freight, so they travel by road: usually 2–5 business days to metro Melbourne and Sydney, 3–10 days to larger regional towns and up to 14 days elsewhere. Delivery is kerbside, so someone needs to be home to sign and help unload.

Do the cubbies come painted?

It depends on the brand. Lifespan Kids cubbies arrive stained and finished – put them up and they're done, with a recoat every couple of years to keep them looking new. Hide & Seek Kids cubbies arrive with a temporary water-based stain only; Hide & Seek requires a minimum of two coats of primer/sealer and two coats of exterior-grade paint for durability and to keep the warranty. Most families paint the panels flat before assembly and let the kids choose the colour. Our painting and maintenance guide lists what to use.

Can I add a slide, mailbox or flower box later?

Yes. Most Hide & Seek Kids cubbies take add-ons like a mailbox, flower box, cafe shelf and slide, so you can start simple and build it up as your kids grow.

What warranty do I get?

All cubbies come with the manufacturer's warranty plus your rights under Australian Consumer Law. Details are on our warranty page.

Can I see one before I buy?

We don't run a showroom. Lifespan Kids has an office in Melbourne; Hide & Seek Kids is based in Queensland, so for those cubbies we're the closest thing to a local contact in Victoria – we're happy to send extra photos, customer photos and talk you through the differences. Email Hello@bubbycubby.com.au.