SWINGING THROUGH CHILDHOOD:
When It comes To Function & Durability, You Get What You Play For.
One of the best investments I made is still in my back yard today…a sentry of hundreds of hours of rampant play, swashbuckling rope swings from crows nest to lower decks, and timed flexed arm hang competitions, the latter rewarded with the extra slice of pizza or two cookies. The upper turret has been transformed into Civil War planning rooms where countless battle lines were drawn for control of the tire swing, cowboy hideouts and “Princess Only!” tearooms.
It has stood up to countless feet of snow, sheets of driving rain, howling autumn winds and the breath freezing crackles of icicle oozing stalagmites. If given the magical ability, it would whisper out tales of the glory days about raucous 8 year old birthdays, hidden tears over the cut that wasn’t THAT bad and the first vestiges of young teenaged “unchaperoned” marshmallow roasts that lasted until way past sundown and the true confessions of graduation confidential heart-breaking “goodbye” empty nest parties.
In this article, I will address the pros and cons, reasons and rationales, and multi-faceted value of a kids swing/play set and offer tips on how to propagate your lawn and garden refuge into a user-friendly, affordable, safe and aesthetically pleasing long lasting staple. Slip off your sandals, settle into a gently swaying seat saddle and allow the feeling of the ground beneath your toes to quell any reservations. Swing along with me….SIZE, SIZE, SIZE. In For A Penny, In For A Pound.
Right out of the gate, first think of the spatial to monetary ratio. By this I mean how much room you want to bequeath to this project and how much fiscal space you have to budget with. In another 3-years-time, are you going to want to add on another extension or do it all now and save energy later-on? I mean, any kids outdoor swing/play set is built to be worth its weight in gold; and if you’re going the route of opting for a lower end price, then be prepared to face the probability of having to make more upgrades and/or repairs than anticipated.
- But hang on a second, didn’t I just contradict myself?
In a sense, yes…but with reason. There are “just fine” swing sets on the market that are just that. Just fine. A simple “A” frame in ground anchored metal or wood beamed swing set with a side slide for offset balance. Some even have an attached small platform indicative of a playhouse and yeah, moderately priced between 2 and 4 hundred dollars, depending on where your shopping platform takes you. The truth of the fine print is, while functional, their lifetime of durability is much shorter. Kids! THEY GROW!!!!
- Standard age limits are factory set along with federal guidelines for weight tolerances as well. If you’re going to grow into this, then grow big! To the best of your ability. Local chain hardware centers and big box department stores all offer in house financing options to allow you to divert some payment options. Take advantage of these during pre or post season sales events and you might surprise yourself with how affordable a normal range $1200.00 to $1500.00 will be. After all, these higher end ones aren’t going away any time soon! Especially with proper and diligent maintenance and upkeep..
The Temptations, The Four Seasons and Other Classics.
I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping good neighbors; so when considering a place to lay the groundwork for your kids backyard retreat, do mind the fences between you and your next of doors. They may be your best friend who you rely on to share coffee chats or holiday gatherings with, but eventually, if the natural curiosity of prying eyes from the top of the slide or upper beam or the echoing sounds of playfully loud voices reaches it’s limit, you don’t want to lose your neighbor. Or your own mind either.
The maintenance of something as huge as a stalwart play structure is paramount; after all, you’ve just switch gears from plastic molded two foot high little balancing blocks and mini steps to the cutting edge of physics for weight bearing load heavy duty bolts and nuts, ratcheting inner lock nuts and hinge joint angle brackets.
I definitely KNOW I want WOOD. Any tips on how to make it last?
If you’ve gone by way of wood, as most do, monthly sanding of roughened up edges and an annual coating of a recommended sealer or deck wash should be added to your seasonal “to-do” list. Splinters or dry rot does not a “FUNdation” make. Check for any loosening around hardware and replace any rusted or weakened swing seats if required.
Visually inspect for signs of termites, ant holes, beetle burrows and water mold. While not normally an issue as the standards for lumber are set extremely high, with recent climate changes, pesticides, insecticides and new strains of insect infestations creeping into our barriers, now is the time to be hyper vigilant.
**upon purchase, look into any warranty protection and/or extended coverage packages**
Finally, keep the ground underneath level and solid by either anchoring initially into a pre-dug and tamped sand base, root-free grass section or a light covering of pea gravel. With the rigorous use, gravitational pull of a swinging motion or hanging and jumping from even two or three kids, along with the overall assembled weight of the play structure, it WILL settle into the ground. Remove any free-standing water spots like puddle-pits, kiddie pools and even bird baths from the general vicinity as these become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and yes, the same applies to hummingbird feeders. As much as I adore them, the sugar syrup draws picnic upon picnic of ants, bees and other sweet nectar seeking critters.
It seems like yesterday when it was assembled, and I imagine it still being up to par for any pitter patter of next generation feet and theatricals. Until then, I will continue to swing quietly on the vestige of my children’s legacy to me.