My Child is Telling Fibs! How a Playhouse Game Can Help

Picture this: you ask who left biscuit crumbs on the sofa, and your little one, with a chocolatey grin, points a finger at the cat. Sound familiar? At some point, every parent in the UK has a front-row seat to their child's first foray into fibbing. These little porkies, from blaming the dog to inventing grand tales of alien toy thieves, are a completely normal part of growing up.

But while it's normal, it's also a golden opportunity to teach the superpower of honesty! Instead of stern lectures, what if you could use a secret weapon already sitting in your garden? A playhouse isn't just for tea parties; it's a magical stage for learning life's biggest lessons in the most playful way. By turning your child's favourite hideaway into a world of imagination, you can help them practise truthfulness, understand empathy, and build social skills that will last a lifetime.

A child’s wooden playhouse is so much more than a lovely feature in a British garden. It’s their own private kingdom, a mini-world where they are in charge. Inside its four walls, they can become a shopkeeper, a doctor, or a superhero, acting out the grown-up world they see around them. It's here, in this safe and familiar space, that they can playfully wrestle with big ideas like honesty and trust.

Unlike the limitless chaos of the park or the structured world of a video game, a playhouse provides a cosy, predictable setting perfect for exploring tricky emotions. Its doors, windows, and walls create a 'real-world' feel, making it the ultimate backdrop for tackling tough topics like telling the truth in a gentle way. When this garden playhouse becomes the go-to spot for imaginative games, your child gets to explore not just what happens when they tell a fib, but how it feels – and how great it feels to be honest instead.

Let's be clear: a young child’s fibs almost never come from a place of malice. They’re usually testing boundaries, trying to avoid a telling-off, or simply getting carried away with a fantastic story! In the world of pretend play, these motivations can be gently explored.

For example, imagine The Case of the Missing Toy Cake in the playhouse kitchen. You might playfully ask, "I wonder where the last slice of cake went?" If they hesitate or invent a story about a cake-gobbling monster, you can use the moment to chat. Because this conversation is happening during a fun playhouse game without any pressure, it's a thousand times easier for them to understand that honesty helps everyone solve problems and feel happy.

Here are some brilliant ways to use your garden playhouse and a few fun accessories to make learning about honesty an absolute blast.

Chatting About Feelings (Without the Boring Bits)

The playhouse is a great place for big conversations. After a game wraps up, take a moment for a fun debrief.

• "Was it tricky to tell the truth today?"

• "How did it feel when everyone worked together to fix the mistake?"

These little chats reinforce the big message: honesty feels good and builds trust.

When a real-life fib happens, you can gently connect it back to the lessons learned in the playhouse. "Remember when the shopkeeper in our game said sorry for giving me the wrong toy? What could we do now to make things right?" Consistency is key to helping them apply these lessons everywhere. Making these playhouse sessions a regular part of your week will build a strong foundation where being truthful feels natural, safe, and rewarding.

A garden playhouse is more than just an investment in fun; it's an investment in your child's character. Through playful, supportive role-play, children learn that honesty is part of everyday life and that everyone makes mistakes. Each game in their wooden playhouse is a chance to practise being brave, solve problems, and learn that truthfulness builds wonderful, strong friendships.

Research consistently shows that pretend play is vital for developing empathy and emotional intelligence. By guiding and praising honesty in this fun, secure setting, you're giving your child the confidence to be truthful when it really counts. The humble playhouse, with its endless potential for adventure, provides the perfect practice ground for growing a happy, honest, and confident little person.

References

Lillard, A. S., et al. (2013). The impact of pretend play on children's development: A review of the evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 139(1), 1–34.

Mohan, M., et al. (2022). Pretend play in pre-schoolers: Need for structured and free play in pre-schools. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 12(1).