Children's Swingsets Review

All children love playing outside on a play structure or swingset. Swinging, climbing, and jumping help children develop strength, agility, balance, and coordination as they get the exercise they need. Purchasing a swingset for your yard can be a big investment, but it is one that will immediately start paying dividends in healthier, happier kids. In the old days, most swingsets or jungle gyms for backyard use were made of metal or aluminum, and they were pretty unstable. You can still buy cheaper, smaller swing sets made out of metal, but most of the larger, more solid units are made out of solid wood (usually cedar or redwood, which are decay resistant).

A swingset is the only plaything children will never tire of because the swingset can grow and mature right along with the children. What grows, develops and changes is the way your children use the swing set. And because there are so many different options and never ending possibilities for imaginative and creative play on the swing set, years later they still would not have been all used up.

Today’s swing sets bear little resemblance to the swings sets of yesterday, rather the swings available are more like mini-play-grounds complete with slides, tent coverings, ladders and forts. With so many choices available it is hard for consumers to know which swingsets are the best.

When choosing a swingset, you need to consider how much space you have in your yard, how many children you plan on having using it at once, whether you plan on building it and installing it yourself, and of course how much you want to spend. How much does a good swingset cost?

You can expect pay as little as $750 to $1000 for a lower-end swing set without all the extras or you could easily spend $20,000 for a large, full-featured wood playset. The type of playset you select will really depend on your personal preference. Are you looking for a children’s “toy” that will last a few years or you want a playset that will last for decades to come? Do you want something that detracts from your property’s value or do you want playset that actually will improve your properties value? Do you want a jungle gym with a few perks or do you want a full-feature playset the entire neighborhood can enjoy? These are just a few of the questions to consider when deciding what type of a playset to purchase.

When it comes to installation, expect to pay for a professional installed playset. These guys can put the unit together in a few hours, and if you've ever struggled with instructions on Christmas Eve trying to build something out of a box, you'll be glad you saved yourself weekends of frustration of trying to do it yourself. However, if you are a competent do-it-yourselfer and you have a helper for lifting and aligning the heavier pieces, it is certainly a task a layman can handle. However, you must be careful to consider obstacles, posts, trees, fencing, and the amount of space kids need for each activity. Do-it-yourselfer's should follow the safety and installation guidelines we provide and be sure that the swingset is securely anchored to the ground.

What are the best swingsets?

The leaders in swingsets are Cedarworks, Rainbow, Woodplay, Gorilla Playsets, and Playnation. While most wooden swing sets are made of redwood or cedar, some also come in pressure treated southern yellow pine. Some will warn you to stay away from the pine or Chinese fir, while others will complain about the sealing and maintenance required on redwood playsets. The truth is, probably any wood you select will last for the 10 years or so you will use your swingset – unless you go with a company that uses white cedar in which case your playset will last longer.