You know what drives me nuts? Spending money on cubby house add-ons that your kids ignore. The telescope no one looks through. The plastic phone that falls off after two weeks. The fancy doorbell that runs out of batteries and never gets replaced.
After hundreds of conversations with Australian families (and watching my own three kids play), I can tell you exactly which cubby house accessories actually earn their keep - and which ones end up being expensive garden decorations.
THE REALITY CHECK
Why Most Add-On Lists Get It Wrong
Here's the thing about those "10 Must-Have Cubby Accessories" articles you see everywhere. They're written by people who've never watched a five-year-old completely ignore a fancy feature in favour of a cardboard box.
Real play doesn't always look Instagram-worthy. Kids don't care if something matches your backyard aesthetic. They care if it's fun, if it changes the game they're playing, if it does something their imagination can't already do on its own.
So this isn't about what looks good in photos. It's about what gets used when you're not watching.
THE ACTUAL WINNERS
Slides: The Only Add-On That's Worth It Every Single Time
Let's start with the obvious winner. A slide isn't just an add-on - it's the difference between a cubby house your kids visit occasionally and one they can't stay away from.
Every kid I've watched play on a cubby house uses the slide. Every single one. It changes the whole dynamic because it gives them a fast exit, which means they can play chase games, escape games, rescue scenarios. Without a slide, they're just climbing up and climbing back down.
Slide Selection: We offer two sizes - the 1.8m Slide for younger kids (3-6 years) and the 2.2m Slide for older kids and taller cubby houses. Both come in multiple colours to match your setup. The 2.2m version is available in 13 colours including Pearl Bronze and Pearl Gold if you want something a bit different.
Parents worry about slides being dangerous. They're not - they're one of the safest parts of a cubby house because kids naturally understand the risk and adjust their behaviour. What's actually dangerous is kids trying to jump off a platform because there's no proper way down.
Which Slide Length Do You Need?
If your platform height is 0.9m, go with the 1.8m slide. Higher than that (1.1m), you want the 2.2m. The longer slide also works better for kids over 7 years old who've outgrown the shorter one.
THE SURPRISE PERFORMER
Mud Kitchens: The Add-On That Extends Play By Years
I didn't get this one at first. A mud kitchen seemed like something that would get used twice and then abandoned.
I was completely wrong.
Mud kitchens are the add-on that keeps working as your kids age. Three-year-olds make pretend cakes. Six-year-olds mix actual potions with leaves and water. Eight-year-olds set up restaurants and cafes. It grows with them in a way most cubby accessories don't.
WHY MUD KITCHENS WORK
- They're messy - which means kids love them
- They work alongside the cubby, not just attached to it
- Both boys and girls use them (ignore anyone who says otherwise)
- They create actual products (mud pies, potions, "smoothies") that kids take pride in
- They're weatherproof and handle Australian summers without fading
Our Mud Kitchen sits at ground level next to the cubby, which means younger siblings can play too. That's huge if you've got kids at different ages - the cubby house might be too high for a two-year-old, but they can still be part of the game at the mud kitchen.
The Mud Kitchen Fridge is worth adding if you want to maximise the play value. Kids use it constantly for storage, and it makes their restaurant and cafe games way more elaborate.
CLIMBING FEATURES
Climbing Rocks: Small Addition, Big Impact
This is the add-on I recommend most often to parents who want to upgrade an existing cubby house without major construction work.
Climbing Rocks completely change how kids approach the cubby. Instead of just using the ladder, they've got multiple routes up and down. That matters more than you'd think - it turns the whole structure into a challenge instead of just a house.
We've watched kids race each other up different sides. We've seen them create obstacle courses. We've heard "don't touch the ground or you'll fall in the lava" about a thousand times.
They're available in 13 colours, and you can even get them in Multi Colour if you want each rock to be different. My personal take? Go with colours that match your cubby - it looks more intentional and less like a random climbing wall.
How Many Do You Need?
Minimum three rocks per side if you want them to actually function as a climbing route. Five is better. Some families put them on multiple sides of the cubby to create different difficulty levels.
SWING SET ACCESSORIES
Swing Seats and Trapeze Bars: The Extensions That Get Used
If you've got one of our cubby houses with an attached fort or beam, adding swing seats or a trapeze bar is about as close to guaranteed use as you can get.
Kids will swing until they physically can't anymore. They just will. It's one of those play behaviours that's basically universal.
The trapeze bar is brilliant for older kids (7+) who've outgrown regular swings but still want something to hang from, flip on, and use for their increasingly elaborate parkour games. Fair warning though - if you add one, you're going to hear "watch this!" approximately 400 times a day.
Pro tip: Start with one swing seat and add more later if you need them. You can always add a second seat or a trapeze bar down the track. It's easier than deciding to remove one because your kids are fighting over it.
Our swing seats come in 11 colours including Pearl Rose, Pearl Blue, and Black. They're UV-stabilised and made for Australian sun, which matters when you're looking at something that'll be hanging outside for years.
WEATHER PROTECTION
Pergolas and Carports: The Adult Add-Ons That Kids Love
Here's something I didn't expect. Kids love covered areas way more than you'd think.
The Pergola 150 and Carport 150 aren't just about keeping the cubby house shaded (though they do that brilliantly). They create these half-inside, half-outside spaces that kids turn into shops, stages, vet clinics, car washes, and about a hundred other things.
In summer, that shade makes the difference between a cubby house that's too hot to play in after 10am and one that works all day. In Queensland and northern NSW, it's basically essential unless you've got massive tree cover.
The carport works particularly well if your kids are into ride-on toys. They'll park them underneath, create drive-through restaurants, build ramps. The structured parking space somehow makes the whole game more official.
If you've got a taller cubby house, check out the Carport 150 Extra Height or Pergola 150 Extra Height versions.
THE PRETTY FEATURES
Mailboxes, Flower Boxes, and Steering Wheels: When to Add Them
Right, let's talk about the accessories that look amazing but might not transform play the way slides and mud kitchens do.
The Mail Box - Slotted is lovely. Kids do use it - for secret messages, for posting pretend letters, for hiding small toys. But it's not a game-changer. Add it if you want that finished cubby house look, or if your kids are really into mail carrier games and post office scenarios.
Flower boxes (we have both Classic and Cottage styles) are genuinely nice if you want to plant herbs or flowers. Some families let their kids be in charge of watering them, which adds a responsibility element to outdoor play. But they're definitely more for aesthetics than active play.
Plastic Steering Wheels are hit and miss. Younger kids (3-5 years) love them for car and boat games. Older kids ignore them. They're available in five colours including Red and Pearl Rose. Add one if your kids are at that age where everything is a vehicle.
The Honest Assessment
These accessories make your cubby house look more complete and polished. They add little touches that kids will use in specific games. But they're not going to extend play sessions or dramatically change how your kids use the cubby.
Add them after you've sorted the functional stuff (slide, climbing rocks, maybe a mud kitchen). Think of them as the finishing touches, not the foundation.
SMART SHOPPING
How to Choose Add-Ons Without Overspending
You don't need everything at once. Actually, it's better if you don't buy everything upfront.
Start with a slide. That's non-negotiable if your cubby house is elevated. After that, watch what your kids gravitate toward. Do they love climbing? Add rocks. Do they spend ages making pretend food? Mud kitchen. Are they obsessed with swinging? Add swing seats.
We offer flexible lay-by where you can pay at your own pace over 3 months, plus Afterpay and Zip at checkout. This makes it easier to spread the cost if you're adding multiple accessories.
Browse Our Full Range
Check out all our cubby house add-ons and swing set accessories. Every accessory is designed to work with our cubby houses and built to handle Australian conditions.
One more thing - consider the age range. If your kids are under 5, prioritise things that make physical play easier (slides, climbing rocks, swings). If they're 6-10, look at things that enable imaginative play (mud kitchens, shelves for setting up shops, mailboxes for secret messages).
FINAL THOUGHTS
Trust What Kids Actually Do, Not What Looks Good
The best cubby house add-ons are the ones your kids wear out from overuse. That's the measure.
Some of our most popular accessories are the simple ones - slides that get slid down hundreds of times, mud kitchens that get completely trashed with actual mud and water, climbing rocks that develop little worn spots where kids' hands grab them over and over.
That's what you're aiming for. Not the perfectly styled cubby house from Pinterest. The one that looks slightly beat up because it's being played with constantly.
If you need help choosing the right add-ons for your specific cubby house and kids' ages, check out our cubby house buying guide or get in touch through our contact page. We've helped hundreds of Australian families build setups that actually get used.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most important cubby house accessory to buy first?
A slide, hands down. It completely changes how kids use an elevated cubby house by giving them a fast exit for chase games, escape scenarios, and general play. Every other accessory comes second to this. Choose the 1.8m slide for younger kids and platform heights under 1.2m, or the 2.2m slide for older kids and taller structures.
Are mud kitchens worth the investment for older kids?
Yes, surprisingly. While mud kitchens seem like toddler toys, kids aged 6-10 use them constantly for potion-making, restaurant games, and science experiments with water, leaves, and dirt. They're one of the few accessories that grows with your kids rather than getting outgrown. The Mud Kitchen Fridge add-on extends the play value even further.
How many climbing rocks do I need to make a proper climbing wall?
Minimum three rocks per side for a functional climbing route, but five is better if you want to create an actual challenge. You can install them on multiple sides of the cubby house to create different difficulty levels. Our climbing rocks come in 13 colours including a Multi Colour option where each rock is a different colour.
Do carports and pergolas actually get used for play or are they just for shade?
Kids use them constantly - not just as shade, but as half-covered spaces for shops, stages, vet clinics, and car washes. The structured roof somehow makes their pretend games feel more official. In hot Australian summers, the shade also extends usable play time by keeping the cubby area cooler throughout the day.
Can I add accessories to my cubby house later, or do I need to buy everything at once?
You can absolutely add accessories later - and it's often smarter to wait and see what your kids actually gravitate toward. Start with a slide, then watch how they play for a few weeks before deciding on climbing rocks, mud kitchens, or other add-ons. All our accessories are designed to retrofit onto existing cubby houses.
Which cubby house accessories work best for multiple ages of kids?
Mud kitchens work brilliantly across age ranges - toddlers make mud pies while older kids create elaborate potions and restaurant setups. Slides and swings also span ages well. Ground-level accessories like mud kitchens are particularly good because younger siblings can play alongside older kids even if they can't climb into the elevated cubby yet.