When I think about the spaces I grew up playing in, this is what I picture: spare bedrooms filled with Lego, hallways littered with Barbies and dining tables covered with Polly Pockets. I was also lucky enough to have a play kitchen in the basement (where my sister and I spent countless hours pretending to operate a restaurant).

I had it good. Or at least I thought I did… until I saw these spaces from the WL archives. With climbing walls, monkey bars and indoor camping sites, they set a whole new standard for playrooms.

Photo: Phil Crozier

Happy Camper

Think of the sleepovers you could have here! With artificial grass, a built-in “tent”, a lantern, a campfire and a few other key accessories (including fabric marshmallows on sticks), designer Paul Hardy created an indoor campsite where imaginations can run wild. Explore this dramatic Calgary residence.

Photo: Ema Peter

Hang Time

The beam in this Denise Ashmore-designed basement was kept exposed in order to gain some ceiling height… but that’s clearly not its only function. The homeowners ended up using the beam as a base for a custom obstacle course. Do you think the kids have been training for American Ninja Warrior? See more great spaces from across the West.

Photo: Ema Peter

Hole New World

The interior of this house is as playful as the pixelated exterior. Take the kids’s bedrooms, for example—there’s an opening in the wall that they can jump through. Each “hole” is lined with soft felt for durability (and to prevent any knocked-out teeth, jokes Measured Architecture principal, Clinton Cuddington). Tour this modern Vancouver home.

Photo: Ema Peter

Look Out

There are a lot of great things in this attic playroom, from the rainbow rug and the beanbag chair to the Edison bulb string lights—but it’s the small peekaboo window (which looks out over the kitchen and dining area) that has the biggest impact. “Those little moments, every house can have one,” says architect Rafael Santa Ana. “Every house can allow itself to be pierced through to have those visual connections. Peek inside this stunning North Vancouver property.

Monkey bars and a climbing wall inside of a basement bedroom.
Photo: Jon Adrian

Monkey Around

A screen-free playroom may sound like a nightmare, but that’s not the case in this Penticton, BC home. Designer Annie Jomphe of Sitka Concept used her experience as a mom to transform a bland basement into every kid’s dream—complete with a climbing wall and monkey bars. Check out the rest of this innovative space.

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn is a design-obsessed writer, editor and content manager based in Vancouver. When she's not busy swooning over gorgeous homes, you can find her reading, hiking and befriending as many dogs as possible.