We had some friends and their children over for Christmas/Hanukkah dinner, and the playhouses I wrote about last week got some serious product testing.

There were seven adults in the house trying to have some grown-up conversation, and six kids — 1, 3, 4, 5 and two at 8 years old — simultaneously climbing into, out of and around the playhouses.

Total damage:

Eventually the red door came off the cottage, and some wrestling between three of the boys tore part of the lower-front corner of the cottage. Fixed it with some packing tape this morning.

I think some of the parents were appalled by what their kids were doing and I had to repeatedly tell them it was all in good fun. I wanted the kids to do their worst so I could see where the playhouses failed. We were all amazed that they provided as much fun and held together as well as they did.

Best playtesting ever.