Marlie Cubby House

The Marlie is the cubby we point most families to when they ask for "one that does everything". It's an elevated Hide & Seek Kids cubby with a proper cottage up top – double casement window at the front, perspex side windows so you can see in – and underneath and around it the three things kids actually fight over: a 2.2 m wavy slide, a large climbing wall with plastic climbing holds, and an enclosed sandpit (weed matting included) tucked under the deck where it stays shaded.

How much room you need

Allow a level area of about 4.5 m × 4 m. The stairs come out roughly 60 cm from the deck, the climbing wall about 67 cm, and the slide runs out about 1.9 m, so the cubby itself sits in the middle of that space rather than filling it. Door height is 132 cm, which means most primary-school kids walk in without ducking. Suits ages 3 and up; we've had customers whose 10-year-olds still use it.

What arrives and what's involved

Six cartons, the heaviest just under 50 kg, delivered kerbside by an assisted-delivery service – so have a second adult home to help bring it through to the yard. Panels are pre-fabricated and pre-drilled; two adults with a cordless drill will have it up in 4–6 hours. The timber arrives with a light water-based stain, which is a holding coat only: Hide & Seek requires two coats of primer/sealer and two coats of exterior paint for the warranty and for the cubby to last, and it's far easier to paint the panels flat before assembly than once it's standing. Our painting guide covers what to buy.

Why buy it from us

We're an authorised Hide & Seek Kids dealer based in Melbourne – so if a panel arrives marked or you're stuck on step 14 of the manual, you're dealing with someone in your time zone who has seen the inside of these boxes. Australian-made, meets Australian safety standards for outdoor play equipment, delivered Australia-wide. Add-ons that fit the Marlie: mailbox, flower box and cafe shelf.