Playhouses for Children of the Super Rich

Lilliput Play Homes, based in Finleyville, Pennsylvania, sell 30 signature playhouses including the top-of-the-range Grand Victorian playhouse [above] which costs $19,999 (about £12,900). They ship the homes all over the world to parents eager to give their kids a taste of the real world in miniature. All of the playhouses have lavish interiors with accessories and furniture - and some even have working electricity for air conditioning should the kids get too hot.

"We had one customer who had made their money in trucking who ordered an entire 'main street' for their child down in Florida which set them back $100,000 (£65,000)" said owner Steve Chernicky. "That was a one-off, but was a significant order."

"Our starting prices for a standard luxury wendy house is around £3,800. But, if families want a custom playhouse and they order more than one, their bill starts at £39,000 each," said Steve. Above: Children play at the Cotton Candy Manor which costs $9,599 (about £6,140).

The company has a burgeoning list of customers from the UK. "A large part of our business is international sales," said Steve. "On larger projects, we will fly out a supervisor from our company to help assemble these playhouses overseas." Above: A boy plays outside the Five Alarm Firehouse which costs $4,699 (about £3,000)

The Red Apple School House which costs $5,299 (about £3,400)

Two girls play inside The Red Apple School House

Lil' Raskals' Lookout, which costs $5,899 (about £3,750)

The Princess Cottage: $5,499 (about £3,500)

The Piccadilly Playhouse: $3,999 (about £2,500)

A girl plays in inside a Newport-style Mansion

A man builds one of the playhouses in the style of a castle at the Lilliput Play Homes warehouse in Finleyville, Pennsylvania

Extravagant children's playhouses are auctioned off in Los Angeles. Homeaid's 19th annual Project Playhouse auction raises funds to help to build housing for the homeless. The playhouses are on show at a shopping centre in Irvine, California, for six weeks before the auction

The playhouses, most of which come equipped with flat-screen TVs installed, are designed for the children of the rich and famous

This playhouse is called the Ocean Adventure Lab

The interior of the Ocean Adventure Lab