What’s a play couch and how do we use it?

Photo Credit: @growing_our_tribe

Are you looking for ways to keep your kids busy indoors (without pulling out the screens)? As a parent, you know better than anyone that little imaginations are always dreaming up new ways to play. So, why not give them the ultimate indoor playground to bring their wildest ideas to life?

That’s where a kids play couch comes in. With infinite configurations and a soft yet durable design, a play couch is perfect for open-ended, imaginative indoor play.

Want to make sure you’re getting the most fun out of your kids play couch? Keep reading to discover how to use a kids play couch and what creative builds your little ones can create.

What is a kids play couch?

In case you haven’t encountered one before, a play couch is part-toy, part-furniture, and one of the most versatile toys to hit lounge rooms since the cardboard box.

But let’s talk specifics. A kids play couch is made up of modular cushions, each in different shapes and sizes. The aim is this: to encourage your kids to build, climb, roll and slide their way through the afternoon....without deconstructing your adult couch.

Each cushion is made from lightweight but super durable materials, with non-slip, machine-washable covers that allow kids to configure each piece into a fort, castle, ship, obstacle course or anything else they want to create. It fosters the kind of imaginative indoor play that we all spent hours of our childhoods engaging in, but with a household item that is now custom built for this.

What makes a kids play couch an all-round winner is its unique ability to replace all those small toys that are cluttering your living room floor. Instead, a stylish play couch can live in your home year-round (yep, even when guests come around) and keep the kids entertained for years to come.

What makes a kids play couch an all-round winner is its unique ability to replace all those small toys that are cluttering your living room floor.

Possum Play Couch  in Bush Campfire mode

Why kids love play couches

We reckon every kid deserves to have a custom-built toy made for endless, imaginative play. And that’s exactly what a play couch delivers: a modular design that transforms into whatever creation your kids can dream up.

Here what your kids adore about a play couch:

1) It's perfect for rainy days: skip hours on the computer or swiping on the iPad. Instead, a play couch will keep little minds occupied as they sail the seas, whizz through a race track or venture into the jungle. A play couch suddenly turns the indoors into a whole playground.

2) They can throw themselves at it: soft cushions mean that kids can throw themselves on and at a play couch without hurting themselves or breaking household items. This means Mum and Dad are more willing to let them run and jump and do all those sorts of fun things indoors that usually are reserved for outside

3) It's all theirs!: Instead of getting in trouble for pulling apart the adult couch AGAIN, or being nagged to be careful not to spill something near the cushions, having a kid-dedicated play couch that is easy to clean means your children can truly make it their own and play with far fewer adult interruptions.

Possum Play Couch in Hidden Fort mode

Why parents love play couches

It’s not just little ones that are going crazy for play couches. Parents are also falling in love with this versatile toy for many reasons, including:

 

1) A play couch saves your actual sofa: A play couch gives your adult couch a well-deserved break! Ever gone to sit down and realised your couch cushions are already busy being critical parts of a fort construction? A play couch will take care of that problem for you and ensure your adult sofa is finally left in peace.

2) A play couch encourages inter-sibling play: Play couches foster the kind of sibling play and family time that almost all parents are looking for. While many small toys are hard for siblings to play with at the same time, a play couch really comes to life when you have someone to help hoist cushions, crash down walls, or snuggle into a nook with. Suitable for play for all ages, from babies to teens, a play couch helps set the stage for inter-sibling play, and some peace for parents from squabbling along the way.

3) A play couch can get dirty... and clean again easily: A well made play couch (like The Possum!) has easy cleaning as a key product feature. We're talking stain-resistant covers that are mostly spot cleaned with a damp cloth, while also been removable and machine-washable. Because no parent wants to be stressing about the inevitable spills and stains that come with play.

4) You'll find yourself using it a lot too!: Many parents are surprised by how often they end up using a play couch, as well as their kids. Movie nights, a spare bed, or just an incredibly comfortable spot to lounge on at the end of the evening (with a cup of tea or glass of wine in hand), the play couch has no age limit and many parents report getting incredible use out if it themselves, both with and without their kids around.

5) It's a kids toy that actually looks good: No plastic parts, primary colours, or high pitched music coming from this toy. As well as being a seriously fun item for your kids, a play couch can be a stylish piece of furniture when it's not in play mode that can live happily in shared family spaces. The Possum comes in 7 stylish colours carefully selected to be interior and adult friendly.

 

Possum Play Couch in Halfpipe mode

Why we built The Possum, Australia & New Zealand's ultimate kids play couch

Building forts and castles out of couch cushions and sheets has been part of Australian and New Zealand childhoods for generations. But until kids play couches came along, it meant deconstructing beds, linen cupboards and pulling apart the adult’s couch. This and all of the wonderful reasons above, is why our Co-Founders Renee and Giorgia created the ultimate kids play couch, The Possum.

Suddenly realising that your home needs a play couch in it? Check out The Possum Play Couch to get yourself sorted!

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Based on 1354 reviews
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Five stars for everything! Look, feel, durability, everything. We love it, the kids love it, and the sage colour is gorgeous.

My boy literally loves these!

So far so good. This is exactly as described and is holding up very well to some hard play from two very active boys. They’re loving the open ended play and endless building of forts and cubby’s. Fabric is grippy but soft so building holds well. Pieces are very shock absorbent and good size. My 3&5yo boys are wrestling and bombing on it with full weight and force with no problems or squishing. Definitely recommend. I don’t think the green is quite the same as pictured. This may be a screen issue

The best investment

By far the most used toy in our household. Great quality and so soft, so glad we got a Possum!

Kids haven’t stopped playing with it since receiving it. They build lots of dens and movie sofas

C
Circle Set
Chloe H.
Used everyday

We love this sofa. It's great fun building dens - used for many a game of hide and seek with our 15 month old. It also encourages us to sit on the floor and play more because it's comfy. We've also used it for naps when friends visit. Would highly recommend!

Beautiful and great for my grandson!

G
Wedge Set
Grandma
The game is constantly changing

The kids don’t get bored because the options grow and build on the ones before. I also like that they can’t really hurt themselves. It’s also a cooperative game, most of the time, with few disagreements. Its messy play though, but easily tidied once they’ve lost interest or more likely gone to bed.the couch was for Christmas and wedges were given for his birthday.

Amazing!

So so happy I got this. Was going to buy a cheaper version but ended up saving for this and so glad I did!

Kids love it.

Very pleased with this item- so versatile for the children making lots of different shapes and games with it. Good quality item and nice fabric

s
Planks Set
suzanne b.
Slides to rock star stage

My boys absolutely love this. From the day we opened it, they were bursting with ideas (aged nearly 5 & 2) from slides to the rock star stage which is a favourite! Highly recommend!

Thumbs up from us !

Best ever

I have a new house and this is the only furniture is have and it is hands down the best buy ever. My 2 year bounces off all the pieces, so much so I bought the additional ones too. His cousins who are 10 and 6 also love it. It was a world of play. Also easy to vacuum

Sensory room

Our youngest son is autistic and we bought the Possom Play couch to go in our Sensory Room. It’s been an absolute success. Not only do we use it to build dens and houses, but also under our sensory swing and as beds for sleepovers. It’s brilliant, versatile and cosy. A brilliant addition to our room.

A brilliant concept

Our little one loves his play couch and is always making it into something new!

Loved by a 4 year old and 1 year old

The possum play couch is the best item we’ve bought for our kids. Originally bought for my older child’s room, as he loves to climb, but my 1 year old equally loves it. The amount of things we’ve made out of it since we’ve got it are endless, and since we’ve bought it, my son has decided he wants to sleep on it and not his bed! (We bought it in November!) we’ve already bought the wedges as an add on. Great purchase. Have already recommended to friends.

Not a fad, still having fun

My children were so excited when this arrived. I thought that would wear off but a couple of months in and they are still playing with it every day. Really good buy.

Hours of fun!

Such a versatile piece of furniture; works great as a sofa or chair but even better as a fort, a castle, a slide, teddy bears tent…

The Possum Play Couch (with Circle Set)

Possum play sofa

I am very happy with this sofa. Kids have had so much fun building shapes and it's so comfy to sleep upon too. So good we have 2 in the family now 😂

The Possum Play Couch (with Circle Set)

The Possum play couch

My daughter loves the play couch and 3 months later she still is not bored of it.
My husband agrees this is the best present I have ever purchased for her.

Great Investment

We bought the play couch for our young grandchildren and it’s a real hit. The imaginative play is a delight to see, especially when Dad plays too. The cushions create tents, forts, thrones, stages, cars and fire engines. Every day something else appears! Great idea and definitely saves the main couch!

Zen room

This is for my meditation room and grand kids when they come - perfect