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Tag Archives: Swing Sets
Imaginations Go Wild With a Vinyl Playhouse
Forgotten toys, broken toys, and toys chewed by the dog are usually what we find at the bottom of the swing set club house in our backyard. The “toy graveyard,” we call it, and they end up there when my husband needs to mow the lawn. Any toys that are strewn across the yard get tossed under the swing set to clear the way for the mower. As my son gets older, his powers of imagination grow, and I realize that the poorly used space underneath the swing set club house could be better put to use to help encourage that imagination.
Last weekend, we chucked out all of the old, broken toys and found a proper home for the still usable toys. Then, we created an enclosed vinyl playhouse thanks to some custom-fitted vinyl material. What a difference that made! My son calls this new play area his “cabin.” He furnished it with some kid-sized chairs and a small table, and so far, he has imagined any number of interesting scenarios. He pretends that his new vinyl playhouse is a store, a storm shelter, a castle, a tree house. The vinyl playhouse has become his magical spot for imagining that anything is possible. Plus, it gets him out of the house and into the fresh air!
Swing Set Accessories Meet Kids’ Different Needs For Movement
So many backyard swing sets are avoided by kids or have been abandoned altogether…but why? Standard variety swing sets come with swings, of course, and a slide — perhaps some monkey bars. But kids don’t ever come in a standard variety. Each child has a need to move his or her body in particular ways, and backyard swing sets don’t always meet those needs.
Some kids, for example, simply do not like the feeling of swinging back and forth. They may prefer to spin instead. Others may find spinning nauseating and seek out ways to hang from their hands or legs. Knowing the ways in which your children prefer to move their bodies will give you insight into what kind of swingset accessories to add to backyard swing sets, thus saving that expensive equipment from neglect and providing kids with a safe and satisfying place to play.
For the swingers — Kids who like to swing may become easily bored with the basic belt swing that usually comes with backyard swing sets. Glider swings are a fun and different way to swing solo or with a friend. Disc swings are another option, providing kids with a bit of an upper body challenge. Little kids who want to swing don’t have to be left out of the fun; bucket swings and half bucket swings make for excellent beginner and transition swings. Both are safe and fun.
For the spinners — While nauseating to some, spinning can feel fantastic to others. Kids who thrive on spinning will love a tire swing attachment. Tire swings are fun to share with friends, too.
For the climbers — Swing sets can easily be outfitted with a rock wall or rope ladder feature so that our climbing kids can easily meet their needs for whole body movement and motor planning.
For the danglers — Hanging around, whether by the hands or legs, is fun for lots of kids, so providing a trapeze bar or monkey bars is an easy solution.
For the diggers — Backyard swing sets, especially wooden swing sets, can be easily equipped with a sandbox feature. Sandboxes can be attached to existing swing sets, or they can simply be placed nearby so that our little excavators can dig to their hearts’ content. Keep in mind that sandboxes should always be covered when not in use. Sandbox covers prevent neighborhood critters from soiling the sand at night or during other quiet times.
For the explorers and pretenders — Our most creative kids make the best use of accessories like telescopes, periscopes, binoculars, and steering wheels which are attached to swing sets. Other accessories to spark the imagination include talk tubes, play houses, and club houses. Kids can imagine their way into amazing situations as long as their swing sets provide the necessary ingredients.
So, if your kids are no longer interested in your backyard swing set, and instead it has become a hot spot for the spiders to practice web building skills, take a moment to think about the way your kids like to move their bodies. Does the backyard swing set meet those needs for movement? If not, try adding a few swing set accessories that complement your kids’ preferences. You may be surprised to find the spiders moving out because the swing set is back in full swing!
Swing Set Safety
How Safe is Your Backyard Playground Equipment?
Before you jump into installing the swing set you got for your kids this Christmas, consider the following… Backyard playground safety begins even before the playground equipment has been constructed and installed. Hopefully this information will assist you in planning and creating a safe backyard playground for your children and their friends.
The Best Location for Your Backyard Playground Equipment
Choosing the ideal location for your new playground equipment is the first step in ensuring backyard playground safety. Avoid sloping areas – level ground helps prevent playground equipment from tipping over. In addition, select an area that is away from potentially hazardous obstacles such as trees, low branches and wires, stumps, roots, large rocks, fences, bricks, and concrete. Plan for a safety zone of at least 6 feet around all backyard playground equipment; set aside even more space in front of and behind swings.
Protective Playground Surfaces
Once you have chosen the safest location for your backyard playground, the next step is to select an appropriate type of protective surface for under the equipment. Grass and dirt are the most common surfaces found under backyard playgrounds, but they are not adequate protection against injuries due to falls. Pea gravel, sand, wood chips, and shredded or recycled rubber mulch are some examples of protective playground surface options. Each protective surface option has its own specific minimum depth recommendations.
Backyard Playground Construction Materials
One of the most common materials used to construct playground equipment is wood. Wooden Swing Set equipment should be treated to resist rotting and insects. Cedar and Redwood are two recommended wood types for wooden playground construction because they are naturally resistant to rotting and insect damage. ACQ pressure treated wood is also a good choice.
Safe Hardware for Playground Equipment
Use the bolts and screws recommended by the manufacturer of your playground equipment. Lock washers or self-locking nuts are essential to prevent bolts from loosening over time. Be sure to cap any exposed bolts – these can cause serious cuts or entangle loose clothing. In addition, close all S hooks so that openings are less than the thickness of a dime. Carabineers, like those used in mountain climbing and other adventure sports, can be used as an alternative to S hooks to attach the top of each swing to the swing beam hardware.
Once the playground equipment has been chosen, constructed, and installed, the following guidelines will further ensure the safety of children who enjoy the playground equipment:
- Bike helmets should not be worn on play sets because they cannot pass through some spaces and children can become trapped. Strangulation by the helmet’s chinstrap is a potential danger.
- Ropes, jump ropes, clotheslines, or pet leashes should never be attached to playground equipment because they can be a strangulation hazard.
- Children who use the backyard playground equipment should be supervised at all times by a parent or other responsible adult.
Maintaining Your Backyard Playground for Safety
Ensuring playground safety means maintaining the equipment over time. Bolts, nuts, caps, chains, cables, and other equipment should be checked periodically for wear and tear and replaced as needed. In addition, protective playground surfaces like pea gravel, mulch, and sand may need to be replenished.
Having the most fun possible is a child’s only concern when it comes to backyard playground equipment. With proper planning and implementation of the playground safety recommendations, you can rest assured that you will have created a play space for your children that is not only fun, but safe.
Entice Kids Outdoors
Whether your child is a budding trapeze artist, sea boat captain, racecar driver, or spelunker, swing sets and swing set accessories help to fuel imaginations and enhance playtime. spiral slides can transport your child down into a cavern’s depths, while child-size rock climbing walls enable them to scale Mt. Everest. Ships wheels, telescopes, and periscopes help them explore worlds across and under the ocean, while swing set steering wheels and telephones keep a modern kid in touch and mobile. Whatever play-world your child builds, swing sets will help provide inspiration and hours of entertainment.
Choose from a variety of swings to allow safe fun for your child’s different stages of development, bringing years of swing set enjoyment as your child grows. High-back, molded swing seats are good for the smallest playmates to enjoy motion and fresh air, while bucket seats provide support to bigger kids who are still learning balance and how to “hang on.” Belt and novel swings, trapeze rings, and gliders provide variety to older kids whose coordination and muscles are more developed.
