1,2,3,4! Growth Through Play; Learn and Explore.
One of the best investments to consider for stimulating and encouraging the healthy, active energy levels of your toddler is a playset. I knew them as jungle gyms or playgrounds and appropriately so as they would incorporate physical activities designed to build motor skills, enhance balance, and even draw out social skills via imaginative play scenarios.
The toddler formative “sponge” years range from 1 through 3 or 4, and if you’ve ever had the distinct pleasure of trying to keep up with and hold the focus of a 2 year old during a hyper-spurt of energy, you will want to make sure you’ve chosen the best backyard ware play lot essentials.
But what if you’re unsure of how to blend the outdoor gymnasium into your pre-established landscape….must you suffer the thought of chopping down your cherished chrysanthemums, losing your lilies, or turning your hostas into hostiles? It’s o.k. There are bouquets after bunches of ideas to appease your petunias so let’s not get our pansies in a knot. It IS possible to grow your own kinder garden.The A,B,C’s of Backyard Play Sets.
Age and Agility:
- Is age really a factor to consider before choosing a slide set?
- Absolutely! A 12 month old, just entering toddler cycle, for example, is still in the fine tuning stages of motor development and balance so having them crawl- walking amidst a higher element aimed at rough and tumble 4 year old’s may not be the best combination. Your kit should keep your kids age in perspective.
- The backyard is small and has other objects to contend with.
- Location, location, location! Luckily, we’re talking toddlers, so size is definitely on our side in this case. The basics here should focus on keeping an eye on shrubs, low hanging bush branches, and any exposed tree roots or rodent burrows. A good, solid piece of ground is your best buddy and it might take a bit of elbow grease to work out the wrinkles on the perfect plot.
- Some of the optimal options include prepping out a sandbox to anchor into; replete with small border walls of railroad ties or pressure treated 2 by 4’s, peeling away strips of sod and tamping down the ground or just leaving the grass au naturale. As long as the stability of the playset is set to standard, you’re good to go. Ummm..speaking of “going”, I WILL take a moment to mention that while a sandbox is extremely aesthetically pleasing, neat and offers a super soft landing spot for tumbling tots, they also can become a “drop off” spot for animal surprises and you’re not going to ever want be that poopular.
Build vs Buy:
- Can I cut financial corners by building my own or buying a second- hand slide set?
- Sure, but why would you want to? Normally, I am all for safe keeping the purse strings but in all honesty, wait a couple of years and save for the post 4-year old expansion extravaganza upgrades.
- Brand new toddler units are prefabbed under strict safety codes and take everything into pre-consideration for you; small enough to need limited if any assemble, rigid enough to ride out two to three years of kiddy growth and independence and offer many design themes when it comes down to color, material and sustainability. The market is pretty much run by a decades old firmament of companies who have weathered the years and still remain in the upper echelon of suppliers.
- That being said, a second-hand set might cause more headaches as well. No matter how safe or clean they may appear to be, looks can be deceiving. The slightest scratch, dent or weakened joint, even in factory molded plastic, can contribute to an injury. Don’t risk it if you can at all avoid it.
Comfort, Containment and Convenience:
- It’s just a little swing, slide and play set…what else do we need to consider?
- Ultimately, it boils down to play stimulation and developing trust bonds as your little ones grow. One bad experience might leave a lingering unwillingness to try the swing again after a tumble or swoop down the slide after getting a splinter from a piece of rough wood, warped or chewed plastic.
- Consider your environment. A couple sets of precut 4x4’s set in the four corners and covered with a light cotton sheet becomes a shade pergola that keeps the suns rays away but to your wee ones? It is the magic turret of a mighty castle where the slide is a dragon’s tail.
- If you add a few bits of lattice, not only can it become a trellis to weave bug diffusing plants like marigolds, citronella and geraniums into, to a young imagination, they are walls full of secret magical vines. String a few twinkling battery-operated lights in the web and pretend to be on a jungle safari looking for light flies to keep by a bedside. (ok so….a night light…but you get the picture)
- General cleaning, upkeep and storage depends on your weather zone. If you’re fortunate enough to live in a year-round summer zone, then a normal wash, disinfecting and inspection of the playset is standard. If not, try to find one that you can incorporate inside during the colder months. You’ll be thankful on those snowed in days.