Nature Play Ideas: Cubby Building Tips

“Can I go outside?” was the first thing our eight year old asked on the morning of the fifth day of what had become a full-blown cubby building project in our backyard! 

Whether in the backyard, the lounge room or at the park with friends, a cubby offers a magical escape for children – a place of their own to play and pretend.

Why Cubbies Are Great for Kids

Leading educator and academic, David Sobel, describes seven common themes in children’s play in nature, and the most relevant of these to cubby building is Special Places.

According to Sobel, creating or playing in special places as children develops a sense of place in adulthood that is more likely to lead to a desire to preserve the environments and communities one lives within.

“The sense of place is born in children’s special places… If we allow children to shape their own small worlds in childhood, then they will grow up knowing and feeling that they can participate in shaping the big world tomorrow.”

For children, finding or creating their own special place for play is most certainly a childhood rite of passage. Cubbies are especially important as they are usually small and cosy, and made by children. In fact, making the cubby is a very valuable part of the play experience. After placing a few bamboo poles, two bed sheets and some short lengths of soft rope in our backyard, I saw our two children use skills of co-operation, negotiation, problem solving, leadership and perseverance – in just the first half hour of play!

Tips for Facilitating Children’s Cubby Making

• Support your children as they choose a site – a cubby can be built between trees, in bushes, against a fence, in a large cardboard box, or even under a table.
• Children enjoy using lots of loose parts in cubby construction. Provide old sheets, pegs, soft ropes, long sticks, branches, chairs, etc.
• Let your children be the engineers (if it falls down, that’s okay, it’s part of the learning process).
• As an adult, assist or take part only if invited, and, when invited, make sure you let your children direct your involvement. Take advantage of moments to chat through the process of planning and building a cubby as opportunities for your child to convey ideas, ask questions and develop active listening skills.
• Wherever possible, do not dismantle the cubby at the end of the play session. Children will generally revisit their cubby over time, creating more elaborate structures and engaging in more complex play scenarios.

Fun Games to Play in a Cubby

Cubby building naturally leads to imaginative play. Children often create stories and scenarios around their cubby, turning it into anything from a shop or café to a cave, spaceship or secret hideout. 

You can spark their imagination by asking questions about the space they’ve created, you might find it’s not a cubby at all! 

Encourage children to bring in soft toys, props (like wings, wands, tools or microphones) or dress-ups (hats, scarves, capes) to extend their play. 

Adding cushions, books, puzzles or simple games can also transform the cubby into a calm, cosy retreat. 

At its heart, cubby building isn’t really about the structure – it’s about the process. The planning, the problem solving, the moments of frustration when it all falls down, and the pride when it finally stands (even if only just!) Given the time, space and a few simple materials, children will return to their cubbies again and again, reshaping and re-imagining them as their play evolves. And in those small, self-made spaces, they’re not just playing – they’re experimenting and collaborating, and creating something entirely their own.