Wendy Houses

Wendy houses drew their name from the tree house built for Wendy Darling in the James M. Barrie classic Peter Pan. Wendy's home was carved out of a tree to fit her; Peter measured so it would be just her size. Much of the world refers to similar items as a tree house or playhouse, which are typically built outdoors because of the size of the children playing in them.

Wendy houses are seen all over the world, whether they are built by children on an adventure playground or parents hire a contractor to create a fantasy house. Young children are drawn to these spaces that are essentially their own. It is important for young children to have a space that is theirs, where they can pretend, make decisions, create, and play games.

With the decline in unstructured free play, the respite of a private space to play is even more important than in times past. Adults wistfully look at a tree house or play house and become nostalgic of a time when they could be on their own and have the freedom of childhood. Maybe this is why the tree house or play house is evident in the adult world today.

Tree houses are everywhere. There is a trend toward building tree houses to be literally lived in as a main house or summer house, or to be used as an office space. Organizations are dedicated to seeking out and reporting on the most interesting and well-hidden tree houses around the world. An award-winning short film that was set in a tree house won the Manhattan Short Film Festival. The artist, Tadashi Kawamata, transforms spaces through his art work. In Madison Square Garden in New York, he created spaces from Madison Square Garden into tree houses with local children and adults. The success of the exhibit was linked to the creativity of building, the fondness associated with reliving childhood memories, and an escape from urban life. Even in Peter Pan, Wendy was a child but still “escaped” to Never-land. This can occur in a way for children playing in tree houses or play houses of their own making.

The spaces can be made from simple objects, such as sheets and overturned chairs, or with wood and nails, or they may be purchased manufactured. The actual playing that occurs in playing “house” is most often associated with very young children, as they like to play what they know. They spend much time pretending to be mom, dad, brother, sister, or even the family pet. The importance of this pretend play to development in young children is paramount.

Children's pretend play is strongly linked to emotional and physical well-being, cognitive growth, physical growth, social growth, and creativity. In make-believe play, children are the owners of their learning. They make decisions, and they act on those decisions. Make-believe play allows the child the opportunities both to develop those skills valued as a society and to inhibit those we do not value.

In pretend play, children feel worthwhile, gain self-confidence, and develop a sense of trust in relationships with others. Play is thought to reflect the cognitive level of the child, as well as contribute to development by providing the context for growth. Children expand vocabulary; acquire and understand concepts of time, space, distance, size, and direction; and understand logical sequences. Through motor play, children develop coordination in both large and fine motor tasks and learn mastery of the body. Participation in this motor play helps children develop confidence and a sense of mastery and competence. Socially, make-believe play affords children the opportunity to understand others' thoughts, beliefs, and feelings, or at least play or experiment with these concepts. Creatively, children's natural disposition for exploration and curiosity is nourished, arousing interest and maintaining a sense of wonder. It also develops outlets for creative expression, including music, storytelling, poetry, and role-playing.

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