All About Swing Sets

Typically built in playgrounds or parks, a swing set often features several swings suspended from a metal or wooden frame, which allows more than one child to play at a time. Swing sets vary in shape and size, and are made from a variety of materials.

Swing sets for older kids are usually made with flexible canvas seats, although some are made of rubber tire treads, plastic, metal, or wood. Traditionally, it was not uncommon to find backyard swings simply fashioned from a wooden plank suspended on both sides by ropes from a tree branch.

Toddler swings are a special type of swing made for infants and toddlers. These swings come with leg holes that safely support the child in an upright position, allowing a parent or sibling to gently push the child from behind.

Modern Swing Sets
Today's swing sets are usually multifaceted, and feature a variety of entertaining elements all in one. For example, modern swing sets may come with one or more of the following:

• Slides
• Monkey bars
• Tree house-style canopies
• Fire poles
• Wall or rope ladders
• Clubhouse segments
• Built-in picnic table
• Trapeze bars or rings
• Sandbox

Contemporary swing sets are created with durability in mind, often constructed from high-quality plastics, robust wood, or strong metals. Available in a host of different colors schemes, swing sets will conveniently blend in with landscaping or specific outdoor environments. Certain swing sets are even made with a specific theme in mind, like a rocket ship, a tree house, or a fort.

Swing Set Safety
Although older kids are usually able to achieve much greater heights than younger ones (often 15 feet above the ground, by 'pumping' their body weight), simple physics typically won't allow a child from achieving extreme heights (such as the myth of a child swinging over the swing set). Still, it's always recommended that parents talk with their kids about proper swing set safety to avoid unnecessary scrapes and bruises.