Best Kids Tents UK – Outdoor play tents for kids

Looking for the best tents for your kids? We’ve found the best outdoor play tents for the little ones, and these ones will keep going right up until they outgrow them.

The best kids tents

With summer well underway, you’ll be looking for excuses to get your kids out from under your feet.

If you’re still feeling cautious and reluctant to take them out somewhere where there are bounds to be lots of people, a kid’s tent is a great idea.

You can invest in one of these, set it up on a nice day and leave them to play out in the garden and out of your hair.

As we like to be a useful resource for all harassed parents trying to find something to keep their children occupied, we have provided an overview of the 10 kids tents we think are the best in this post.

Estela Pink Hexagon Princess Castle House

The Castle playhouse is made of durable and polyester blend fabric, PVC poles frame make it sturdy, and it makes a great playhouse for kids aged from 6 month right up to 10 years old. It’s big enough for about 3 small kids, 2 slightly older ones.

The tent packs away quick small as well, making it perfect to take away on trips with you, and it’s got an inbuilt curtain that can be rolled up or left down.

What we like

• This tent lights up!
• Really easy to clean
• Comes with a handy storage bag for travelling

What we don’t

• You’ll need two people to put this together
• The poles need inserting from the inside so one of you has to climb inside
• Not as sturdy as some of the tents available

Summary

This tent would make a lovely present. The lights make it look magical and completes any princess bedroom, but is also great for outdoor playing in the summer.

Zenoplige Pop Up Tent

What we like

• Super easy to set up – takes seconds
• Comes with 6 galvanised pegs to keep it in one place on the ground
• Perfect for providing shade for kids on the beach

What we don’t

• A bit fiddly to put away again after use
• Very light-weight so not especially sturdy in wind

Summary

This tent is particularly well suited to either using for shade on the beach, or for the kids to play in, in the garden. It comes with a carry bag with the tent pegs in so it’s good for travel. It’s also a really good size inside, big enough for an adult to lie down in.

Lavievert Teepee Children Indian Playhouse

This beautiful teepee style tent is made from 100% cotton canvas with solid pine poles. It’s easy to put up even for one person on their own and the packing away is equally speedy.

It’s a sturdy tent that feels heavier than it actually is, the fabric is thick. There’s a window as well as a door, and the tent arrives to you with a cushion cover and banner to complete it’s style.

You may need a ground sheet (not supplied) to go under this tent if the floors damp, it would soak up any moisture on the ground otherwise.

What we like

• Very spacious inside
• Looks very pretty set up in the garden on the summer
• Easily fits 3-4 kids playing inside it

What we don’t

• The canvas is hard to clean
• More expensive than other styles

Summary

Although this tents slightly more expensive than the others, it’s a real treat for a special occasion.

Bomcomi Portable Cartoon Kids Tent 

This play tent by Bomcomi is good for small children who want their own space to play in either when you’re away camping or in the garden. It’s a lightweight, well-made tent that’s very easy to clean and a good price for what it is.

What we like

• Great price
• Will last for a couple of summers – which is really all you’d need

What we don’t

• No way of anchoring it to the ground
• Too lightweight for young children to be left alone unsupervised in it

Summary

For the price this tent is a good option if you’re looking for a tent to let your kids play with indoors. You can assemble it quickly and easily, and there’s enough space for a couple of little ones!

Bespivet Kids Teepee Play Tent

This tent comes with a travel bag, padded floor mat and will fit neatly into the car for travelling if you’re taking it away with you. You would need a plastic waterproof ground sheet (not supplied) as it is not waterproof and so would soak up any ground dampness.

What we like

• Great quality tent, made form 100% cotton
• Takes a while to set up but it’s easy to do
• Reasonable price for the style and quality

What we don’t

• The base of the poles can be slippery on wooden floors. You’d need some gripper feet on the pole bases really

Summary

We loved this tent, and it looked perfect in the garden for a summer party. It’s not waterproof, and you’d need a ground sheet but it’s so pretty, we can forgive it these minor drawbacks!

Babymoov Pop Up Anti UV Tent

This Babymoov tent is amazing for the beach or sunny weather anywhere, giving 50+ UV protection . It’s super light weight, simple to pop up in seconds and just as easy to pack away again. It’s a good quality tent you’ll be able to use year after year and comes with 4 ground pegs to keep it anchored.

What we like

• Protects against 99% of the suns harmful rays
• Packs away in it’s own bag
• Has a lifetime warranty

What we don’t

• The mosquito net doesn’t stay put when down and requires extra securing to keep it in place
• Can feel quite warm inside after a while

Summary

This is a really good shade tent, as well as being spacious enough for kids to play inside. The qualities good, and it serves it’s purpose well. Putting the tent back in it’s carrier bag takes a little effort but once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier!

TOMSHOO Children’s Portable Tent 

This colourful classic children’s tent is really appealing to younger kids and the bight colours make them happy to play in it, or stay in the shade in it. There are go9und pegs included in the pack and it comes with a carry case.

What we like

• Bright colours
• Classic design
• Easy to out up and fold away again

What we don’t like

• The front entrance is not very big, so better suited to younger, smaller kids

Summary

This tent’s a good option if you’re looking for a classic kids tent for them to play in. It’s waterproof all over so can stay out in the garden during the summer months. It only need two sprung rolls to set it up, so one person can easily do it.

Kids tents

Kids and play tents go hand in hand: they love them! There’s something about having a space that’s all theirs to play in they find irresistible. Wether it’s setting up a tea party, sleeping over in a tent with their friend or anything else, getting your child a tent is a popular choice.

Lots of these tents state they go right up to age 10, but they’re most popular amongst much younger kids, with the average age of kids playing in them being about 3. That said, toddlers also love being inside and crawling around these tents, so buying one early would be a good investment.

Are kids play tents safe?

As with most things younger children play with, kids are always best supervised. Used as a space to play in while you’ve got them in your view, these tents are safe for kids to play in.

Things to consider when buying a play tent

The two main things to consider when looking to buy a play tent are what you want to use it for: beach shade, garden play, bedroom playing etc…

If you’re going to use it to in the garden, make sure you get a waterproof tent, otherwise you’ll be putting it up and taking it down again on a regular basis! Bedroom play tents can obviously be cotton or canvas, but we aware that they’re not the easiest ones to clean should a Ribena get spilt mid play.

If a beach shade tent is what you’re after, then look for the UV protection rating. The tents we’ve picked here offer a high level of UV protection, but on nay tent you should be able to find that information straight away. Look for the star rating!

Also see:

Best family tents