RACINE - Tiny trim around tiny windows sit beside tiny doors that open to tiny spaces that are a big, big way to help children in our community and surprise your own children with the ultimate backyard playhouse.

A Parade of Playhouses is on display at the Racine Zoo right now, showcasing the creativity of several local builders, and the heart of volunteers in Racine. Next month the playhouses will be raffled off in a fundraiser coordinated by the Junior League of Racine, the Racine Kenosha Builders Association and the zoo.

"We thought this would be a cool way to show the Junior League's commitment to children," said Autumn Latimore, a member of the local organization.

On a recent trip to the zoo, children clamored around the four miniature homes, peering in windows and trying to open the locked front doors. The details of each 6-foot-by-7-foot playhouse make them unique.

The Newport Builders playhouse is painted taupe and white with dormer windows on the roof and working windows on the first floor. Window boxes and a real doorknob are just some of the special touches added. Inside, the playhouse has a second story loft, accessible by a ladder. The interior floor is carpeted.

The home built by Korndoerfer Development is painted purple and lilac with white trim. Window boxes for flowers and shutters give it the storybook touches children love. Inside, the house has hardwood floors, crown molding, chair molding and a built-in bench.

The Gustaveson Homes playhouse is painted gray and dark green with while trim. It also has window boxes for flowers, window shutters and carpet inside.

The final playhouse in the parade isn't really a house, but a castle built by Jerde Builders and Designs. Two copper topped turrets flank the front of the house. It has brown shingles on the outside, hardwood flooring on the inside and windows that open.

The builders who participated were really excited about the project and even got a little competitive during the project, said Tamara Walters of Jerde Builders.

"The builders wanted to put running electricity and plumbing in," said Michelle Dawson of the Racine Kenosha Builders Association. "We said, 'No way.' "

If you paid full-price for one of the custom-built playhouses, you would probably spend about $3,000 to $5,000, Latimore said.

"This one has better windows than my house," she said.

Overall, the four builders and about 50 of their vendors donated time or materials to the builders for the houses. "The builders really enjoyed it," Walters said. "And the vendors were excited too."

Latimore said it was really fun to watch the big, gruff construction workers working on the tiny houses on the build day last month. "It's such a cool, wonderful way to support the community."

The money raised during the raffle of the playhouses will benefit the Junior League's children's programs, the builders association's scholarships and the zoo. Tickets for the raffle are only $10, and the winners will be chosen on July 18 during the Zoovies event at the zoo.

The winner of each playhouse will also be given free delivery to their home, compliments of Merchants Moving and Storage. They have agreed to bring the houses to anyone in Racine or Kenosha counties.

Latimore said the idea for the playhouses was brought to the Junior League when a visiting member from the Duluth Junior League told them about a fund-raiser they held raffling off one such playhouse.

When the Junior League approached the builders association with the idea, they were really excited, Walters said. "We said, 'What if we did more than one?'"

The first four builders who signed on were given the go ahead to build the playhouses for the project.

Each playhouse took a four-man crew about 4 to 5 days to complete. The houses were brought to the zoo about 75 percent completed as pre-fab "homes" and then assembled there.

Christie said he is proud of the partnership they've had with the Junior League.

He said children have been really enthusiastic about the playhouses since the first day they were erected at the zoo.

"Whole families watched," Dawson said.

The Racine Zoo got involved when they started to look for a way to display the houses in a way that was accessible to everyone in the community. Since the zoo is free on Monday, and already a popular place for families, those involved thought it was the perfect fit.

"What better place?" Dawson said.

Everyone involved had such a good time, they are tentatively making plans for next year already.

The Junior League would love to make the parade of playhouses an annual event.

"It was a good idea," Walters said. "We would love to do it again. We're talking about it."