Fun in the Sun #22: Build A Dream Playhouses {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, CarrieAnn13!}

How many parents have watched their child open gifts at their birthday party or on Christmas morning and have said something along the lines of, "He/she likes the presents, but it's really the boxes that will get the most use."

What is it about a cardboard box that can keep kids entertained for hours on end, while fancy toys with blinking lights and flashing sounds can end up discarded after 15 minutes? There is just something in the open-ended, imaginative play that can come with something so simple yet fun.

In fact, at quite a few times during the week, my kids can be found in a position similar to this:

And although the tales that they tell about what they are doing in that day's box can be long and detailed, the fun usually doesn't last as long as it could. Someone ends up complaining about the lack of room or that someone else has ripped a hole or broken the bottom of the box... it is, after all, just a box.

Instead, I love seeing my daughters take their excitement and enjoyment over something simple and be able to put their creativity to work on a product that is truly much more.

Which is exactly where Build A Dream Playhouses and their innovative and inspiring eco-friendly products comes in and takes cardboard dreams and makes them reality.

Founded by a Cleveland father, Build a Dream Playhouses strives to deliver safe, affordable, eco-friendly products that stimulate and encourage the endless imagination of ALL children. Offering high quality, unique items that are sure to bring a smile, this is one company that focuses on letting children's imaginations soar.

It took all of about 10 seconds of browsing the Build A Dream Playhouses website before I was impressed with the selection of products that could be played with (or in) and Big Sister E was raving about how fun they looked. With everything from a Cosmic Cruiser to blast to the moon to a Dream Machine for endless drives to a Pop 'N Play Castle for any young knight or princess, there's something for every child.

I don't know if Big Sister E could have been more excited when the Imagine Wagon arrived and she was able to see this adorable ice cream truck in person. All we had to do was put it together!

The combination of Build A Dream Playhouses' easy-to-follow directions and the well labeled parts and pieces (e.g. slide notch C into cutout C) made the assembly process fast and easy. Without needing any adhesives or fasteners, in around 10 or 15 minutes the ice cream truck of Big Sister E's dreams was complete and calling out for play.

Seeing this put together, I was happy with the great size (52" x 26.5" x 34") and knowing just how well it was going to hold up to my kids. The cardboard is thick and durable and the way that each joint is reinforced means that it was up to the challenge of multiple children going in and out endlessly for quite some time.

And then there are the details! Just the fact that the Imagine Wagon is an ice cream truck is incredibly cool, but the way that Build A Dream Playhouses included cute touches like a dashboard, side view mirrors, and ice cream signs just adds to the appeal.

Plus, the clean white surface of the 100% recycled cardboard is just right for children to color and and decorate as they see fit. I didn't have to talk Big Sister E or Little Sister B into being creative - they were clamoring for the crayons immediately!

Inside, outside, even upside down, the girls have had a great time coloring on their Imagine Wagon. Big Sister E made sure to write her name on it in a few places as well as including a rainbow on the side, while Little Sister B was simply content to add her artistic flair wherever she saw fit.

Best of all, whenever the kids feel the desire to continue adding to their artwork, they can pull out more art supplies to do just that. I have no doubt that all summer long we will be embellishing with crayons, markers, paints, stickers, and much more!

And when they aren't decorating it, Big Sister E and Little Sister B have really enjoying playing in the Imagine Wagon (which isn't a surprise. I've gotten in there a few times as well)! From pretending to drive around the neighborhood to offering a variety of delicious treats for sale at the windows, the only limit on what adventures this truck can bring them on is how far their imagination will go.

We have been very impressed with the Imagine Wagon so far that I have no doubt that it will be used all summer long. Particularly on rainy or too-hot days, it's one item that my kids have that I know will appeal to their creative sides for quite some time when we're stuck indoors.

By being so open-ended, fun, high quality, eco-friendly and versatile, a playhouse from Build A Dream Playhouses is just the thing for summer and beyond. The Imagine Wagon retails for $54.95 with the full line ranging in price from $39.95 to $69.95. These aren't just another cardboard box, these are a child's dream come to life!

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will get to see their child build, create, and enjoy as well, because...

One lucky person will win their choice of playhouse from
Build A Dream Playhouses!

To enter to win: Visit Build A Dream Playhouses and tell me which of their incredibly fun playhouses you would choose if you win.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you head over to A Mom's Balancing Act and enter to win a playhouse from Build A Dream Playhouse over there as well!
3 Extra Entries if you Like Build A Dream Playhouses on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry if you follow Build A Dream Playhouses on Twitter.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the Fun in the Sun giveaways (Fun in the Sun giveaways ONLY) running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Fun in the Sun 22: WIN your choice of Build A Dream Playhouses for imaginative fun! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/kwWt2F #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you have our Fun in the Sun button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on July 15th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to continental U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Build A Dream Playhouses for providing an Imagine Wagon for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.