My Pretty Playhouse Cardboard Playhouse from Boutique Cascades {Review & Giveaway}

If there is an age that children reach when they stop being overly amazed and thrilled by cardboard boxes, my girls haven't gotten there yet. I, for one, don't see a box and feel the extreme desire to examine it, push it around, color it, climb inside and hide, and then attempt to come up with new ways to play with it.

But maybe that's just me?

As for my kids, cardboard is fantastic. It's wonderful! It's the best thing ever! Forget whatever toy that came inside, they just want to play with the box.

Inevitably though, the excitement is always fairly short-lived. The flimsy cardboard rips or the bottom falls out or the girls realize that, in fact, they can put their creativity towards something that isn't just a box.

But... what if it isn't? What happens when a company that is committed to sustainable development decides to turn cardboard into something imaginative, innovative and amazingly fun? The result is the unique collection of eco-conscious, 100% recycled cardboard playhouses and furniture from Boutique Cascades.

Made up of more than 12,000 men and women working in more than 100 locations across North America and Europe, Boutique Cascades is based in Canada and offers product after product that inspire kids to create. Their playhouses aren't just large boxes with window holes cut out, these are 100% recyclable, kid-focused and eco-friendly structures that are built, decorated, and enjoyed for quite some time.

When My Pretty Playhouse arrived, we were all anxious to begin assembly so that we could see how a pile of cardboard could turn into something that would provide hours of endless fun.

Love the great handled box!

While Big Sister E and Little Sister B busied themselves coloring the box, it didn't take me long to peruse the single page of easy-to-follow instructions and begin putting this playhouse together.

As each piece had a simple notch or slot, it only ended up taking 5 or 10 minutes to fit them together before we stepped back to find the 37¹⁄₄" x 39" x 54⁵⁄₁₆" My Pretty Playhouse calling out to us to come and play.

While I had initially assumed that this would be a somewhat small house, I was just as surprised and pleased as the girls to find it standing 4¹⁄₂' tall!

The details that Cascades put into My Pretty Playhouse were easily evident and impressive. From the window awnings to the flower boxes to the gables on each end of the roof, everywhere I looked there was another aspect that I hadn't seen before made out of this durable, sturdy cardboard.

Big Sister E and Little Sister B couldn't wait to try it out immediately!

There is plenty of room for both of them to sit or stand inside and they immediately went about looking over their new house. After we all grinned and pointed out all of the adorable touches throughout My Pretty Playhouse...

...the blank canvas aspect (of the inside as well as the outside) had them racing for their art supplies.

No matter if you reach for the crayons, markers, colored pencils, paints, stickers, chalk, scrap paper and glue or more, there really isn't a limit to what kids can do to decorate a toy like this.

Both of my girls have come up with all sorts of personal touches that they wanted to include (portraits! Wallpaper!) and have returned to My Pretty Playhouse to see how it continues to change and bring new excitement each day that they are inspired to add more creativity.

From their usual pretend play to making up elaborate adventures to just hanging out reading a book, My Pretty Playhouse has proven to be just the right combination of toy, art project, stage, and playhouse all in one!

Overall, we've all been really happy with My Pretty Playhouse and how easy it was to assemble and how durable and well made and safe it has proven to be. At the same time, this simple contraption continues to stimulate creativity and really does allow kids of all ages (Boutique Cascades recommends it for ages 3+) to use their imaginations.

The size is just right for multiple children to enjoy decorating and playing, while this won't take up a massive amount of room in smaller houses, condos or apartments.

Even better, this customizable playhouse is not only made from 100% recycled cardboard, but when it has finally seen its last day of providing entertainment, it can just as easily be recycled.

Need one more reason to love My Pretty Playhouse? How about that it actually helps build real homes! Cascades donates two dollars to Habitat for Humanity for each playhouse sold, continuing this company's rich history of community involvement and offering direct assistance to families in need.

Retailing for $38 (and FREE shipping!), My Pretty Playhouse is available directly from Boutique Cascades and would be a wonderful gift for the holidays, a birthday or more.

As well as trying your luck at winning one right here, there is currently a My Pretty Playhouse contest on Facebook where FIVE playhouses are being given away EVERY day... and the grand prize winner will receive a $2,500 gift certificate for renovations! This contest ends November 15th, so head over today!

Finally, thanks to the generosity of Cascades, one person will soon have a special way for the child(ren) in their life to personalize their own one-of-a-kind home as well, because...

One lucky person will win a My Pretty Playhouse eco-conscious 100% recycled cardboard playhouse from Boutique Cascades!

(Enter with the Rafflecopter form below. If you have any questions or problems entering, there is a video tutorial found here that can help.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Boutique Cascades for providing a My Pretty Playhouse for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.