We loved working with AFL Legend Jack Riewoldt and his lovely wife Carly to deliver their kids Easter dreams!
With two young girls and a newborn baby there was no better time to give the gift that keeps on giving (long past all the chocolate and sugar highs of Easter!)
Read more about how we turned into the Easter Bunny this year! and the story behind the Riewoldt's selection of a wooden Cubby House and how it was the perfect fit for their home.
What attracted you to Castle & Cubby and the particular design you chose?
I took my cubby research seriously – I ended up researching for the right fit for our family for around 18 months! What always took me back to Castle & Cubby was how customizable they are. We had a specific spot we wanted the cubby to sit in and allowing us to move the doors and windows to different walls, whilst also being about to play around with the floor size and even roof line was a huge bonus. The cubby now perfectly fits our space. Plus, the aesthetics of Castle & Cubby’s products are super cool – they are the right amount of beautiful mixed with kid-friendly design!
Do you have any memories of cubby houses from your own childhood?
My parents created the ultimate cubby for my brother and I growing up – we had an epic shop that had everything from food to a real cash register! We thought we were the bees knees with our set up. We loved playing shop in it and then running out to have a jump on the trampoline in between customers. It brings back fond memories seeing our girls have a similar space, although they have upgraded with chalk boards for the weekly specials they are selling!
Did you get the kids involved in the process of deciding and designing or was it a secret?
No, this was a complete surprise! WE decided to gift it to them for the Easter long weekend instead of tons of chocolates this year. They have been asking for a while to have a cubby house and are now relishing in the fact they have a space of their own in our yard. We’ve let them put their final touches on the interior which they have taken a real pride in.
How did you find the experience of Castle and Cubby? Purchase, production, install?
From my numerous questions before purchase to the install day, the whole process was seamless. The Castle & Cubby team kept us updated with the cubby’s progress during design, build and paint stages, and I loved that they offered installation too. We have found ourselves very time poor with two toddlers and now a newborn, so that took a lot of pressure off my husband to do a late-night installation the night before the Easter bunny arrived!
Have you done any customisation? Styled it up, painted and decorated?
We’ve installed a second-hand kitchen inside the cubby, as well as some wall hooks for hanging hats, aprons and baskets to keep all their pretend play food and cooking items. We also have a freestanding bench seat and a pink telephone on the wall for taking orders! Next on the list is a cash register and small table to work from. There is of course lots of customisation from the girls already with chalk drawings on the walls too!
How did the kids react to the unveiling of the finished product?
There were lots of delighted squeals – we felt for our neighbours that day! The girls were thrilled and loved opening and closing the door and the windows – that provided hours of fun on its own before we had even filled the space inside!
How are the kids using the space? Have you been surprised with any of the play styles/games they have engaged with?
We love that they have taken complete ownership of their cubby, from deciding where the furniture sits to keeping it clean, they are relishing in having such an awesome play space. They keep brooms and dustpans in there, alongside pretend play food and cooking utensils. The opportunity for pretend play that it has provided them has been fantastic – from coffee shop to doctors surgery, this cubby has it all!