The moment I had kids I was determined to get them a cubby. I’d always been desperate for one as a kid. But, like my yearning for a Gonk, it was never fulfilled.

So, long before my little ones were old enough to even express a desire for a playhouse I had one delivered and assembled in the backyard.

They have never used it. Ever.

When other kids come over to play it’s always a huge hit, but my daughters have declared it a no-go zone due to insect fears.

It just goes to show that trying to relive your childhood through your kids can be a big mistake.

But I’m tempted to think some of these fantasy playhouses might sway them …

Wow, Babyology features this amazing cubby created by parents Judy and Tom for their son Andrew to encourage imaginative play. It has a loft, a deck, a ladder and a garage (“because all boys need a shed!”). Tom isn’t a builder by trade, but he designed the cubby from scratch and mostly built it from salvaged wood and other materials.

How about this little beauty featured in Better Homes & Gardens.

Got a spare $52,000? You could splash out on Red Beard’s Revenge Pirate Ship Playhouse from PoshTots. It comes complete with captain’s quarters, upper and lower decks, and a handcrafted crow’s nest for spotting trouble on the high seas. Captain’s quarters has enough room for 3-4 seated adults and features leatherette-cushioned benches that double as sleeping bunks.

Also from PoshTots, be still my beating heart, is this Victorian House. A steal at just $23,400. Can I live there? PoshTots says “Comprehensive interior design services are also available through designer Michelle Pollak who assists clients with a variety of interior details such as window treatments, moldings, paint colors, furnishings, rugs and flooring (including wood, marble or Mexican tile).”

Or build a replica of your family home for the kids … like this one in Cape Cod.

If your kid’s a Lord of The Rings fan, they might prefer a Hobbit house like this one to play in. From GoDadGo. Or this one below …

Here’s just one example of an old caravan into a cool cubby, check out heaps more at Cottage Hill.

For the little girl – or boy – who loves pink … from Charlotte Playsets.

For the little modern architecture fan in the family … from Archinspire.

Don’t let living in an apartment stop you – here’s an amazing bedroom treehouse featured on Weburbanist … complete with fake tree!

Or combine a bed with a cubby, as seen at Sweet Retreat Kids.

But then why should the kids have all the fun when you can spend a mere $100,000 on a Beau Coop for your chooks? Neiman Marcus writes: “Dawn breaks. The hens descend from their bespoke Versailles-inspired Le Petit Trianon house to their playground below for a morning wing stretch. Slipping on your wellies, you start for the coop and are greeted by the pleasant clucking of your specially chosen flock and the site of the poshest hen house ever imagined. Your custom-made multilevel dwelling features a nesting area, a “living room” for nighttime roosting, a broody room, a library filled with chicken and gardening books for visitors of the human kind, and, of course, an elegant chandelier.”

Of course.

But the award for weirdest cubby – for man, beast or child – goes to …

Courtesy of OddPicsBlog.

Do your kids have a cubby? Do they play in it? What’s your secret?