The first question to ask your self is what do you actually need this outdoor shelter to do? i.e. is it just for protecting the children against the elements of the British climate or do you want to be able to use it for outdoor learning and to double up as an outdoor classroom too?

If it is the former, then you simply need to provide for a shade canopy that is going to give you maximum coverage (never quite sure whether the sail shades actually do in this instance because of their triangular shape). The size of your outdoor shelter of course will be determined by the area you are wanting to cover and the amount of children out in the playground at any one given time. And your budget of course. The outdoor shelter at this option stage can literally be four posts and a roof made out of canvas or other materials such as cedar shingle tiles, close board timber and even living sedum if you really want to get down dirty and eco! You can even print your logo or the name of a sponsor onto canvas material.

Or if you wanted to extend its application further out to creating an outdoor learning environment, then you can start to add in all sort of extras and options – namely timber decking floors, roll-down side panels, trellis panels, opening and closing louvre panels, benching, planters, guttering and water butt systems, renewable energy systems etc

And at this stage, outdoor shelters can come in all different shapes and sizes including octagonal, square and rectangular.

And of course, we at the Hideout House Company have an extensive range of all of the above…and we might be able to help you access funding too.

Please visit Outdoor Shelters

For further information, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com