Tepees perfect for peewees

When I was a kid, there were two things that consistently topped my Christmas list: an Easy-Bake Oven and an outdoor playhouse. The oven never appeared under the tree (Mom figured the odds were on me burning down the house), and my father never got around to building the playhouse.

But, had a crop of easy-to-assemble canvas tepees been on my radar back then, I'm certain I would have petitioned Santa Claus for one of these hideaways.

For the great outdoors, the Great Plains Teepee for $285 from Stacks & Stacks soars 12 feet high. Constructed from wood and fire- and water-resistant cotton canvas, it's also entirely suitable for those parents who prefer the chaos ensue outdoors. At 10 feet in diameter, it's got plenty of room for lots of little cowboys and Indians.

From the Land of Nod, the Meet Me in the Teepee features a pair of festive red embroidery zigzags. This compact refuge, made of cotton, canvas and wood, is 58 inches wide and 66 inches tall. It's made for indoor use only and costs $149.

Indoors or out, these pop-ups are the perfect spot for a little powwow.

E-mail comments to home@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page L - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle