backyard playsets...do your kids use yours???? (considering spending $5K and wondering)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those who bought the set used, did you take it apart and re-install it yourself? I am not the op but I am also looking for a playset and dh and I are not handy at all. To hire a handyman to do the takeaway and delivery, it seems it would almost make sense to just buy new and have them do the installation and at least we know it would be done right...

ditto our exact situation - woud love to hear from some non-handy people and how they did this.

DH and two friends took 2-3 pick-ups and went out to (whereever they got it) and took it home in chunks. Thus, there was little left to put together. Just some pieces to screw back together. Minimal handyman skills needed.

Now, when my DH did some minor freshening up of the thing (some new wood pieces and fresh stainless screws/bolts, there was more effort involved there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regular swings take up a lot of space. To the PP with the sensory seeking son and the small backyard - you might do better with a climber/raised playhouse with a tire swing underneath. You can add a slide if you have space. It will take up far less room in your backyard, and give him many options for sensation-seeking- especially if you have different climbing options to get to the top (chain ladder, rock wall, etc).

Haven't seen anything like this without all the swings. Do you know who might sell them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regular swings take up a lot of space. To the PP with the sensory seeking son and the small backyard - you might do better with a climber/raised playhouse with a tire swing underneath. You can add a slide if you have space. It will take up far less room in your backyard, and give him many options for sensation-seeking- especially if you have different climbing options to get to the top (chain ladder, rock wall, etc).

Haven't seen anything like this without all the swings. Do you know who might sell them?

Those do sound VERY interesting and I haven't seen them. Play n Learn sells a line called Big Fun for Small Yards but they are fairly pricey and the lowest price one was about 3,200 not including installation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regular swings take up a lot of space. To the PP with the sensory seeking son and the small backyard - you might do better with a climber/raised playhouse with a tire swing underneath. You can add a slide if you have space. It will take up far less room in your backyard, and give him many options for sensation-seeking- especially if you have different climbing options to get to the top (chain ladder, rock wall, etc).

Haven't seen anything like this without all the swings. Do you know who might sell them?

Those do sound VERY interesting and I haven't seen them. Play n Learn sells a line called Big Fun for Small Yards but they are fairly pricey and the lowest price one was about 3,200 not including installation.

Both Rainbow and Creative Playthings do them. They both do custom sets, but they start out with certain packages. Just tell them you don't want the swings. Depending on your budget, you could still add a trapeze and/or rope ladder on the same side as the slide without impacting the footprint.

http://www.rainbowplay.com/index.php/catalog/online/

Go to the first couple of pages or so of the catalog, and it will show you how they build up the options with add-ons. You would buy the Rainbow I or the Monster I to get the basic structure (no swing bar). For Rainbow Play Systems, you need the "Castle" model, not the "Clubhouse" to get the tire swing.

** The key for anyone buying one is to invest in height. A shorter structure will only be used by younger kids. If you want them to use it for years, you have to buy a bigger one.

[Anonymous]

I've been thinking about something like this, because DD yearns for a treehouse but we don't have the right tree for it.

http://www.homeplacestructures.com/playhouses/cottage_series/Playhouse_Loft

Really appreciate all the other links -- will check them out.

[Anonymous]

YEs we got an Amish-made playset with swing/slide/sandbox etc. when oldest was 4 and newest was an infant and 5+ years later they both use it....ALOT...esp. the swings and the slide...esp. if they have friends over....well worth it!

[Anonymous]

Did anybody have problems with neighbor kids coming over and playing with it all..the...time?

Unfortunately, our neighborhood kids don't really know/care/disciplined about boundaries (the trikes stored nicely in the carport are sometimes out on the front lawn when we return home from Sat. errands, etc.) so I'm afraid getting a playset (even in a fenced in backyard) will be like having a the neighborhood tot lot instead of our personal playset.

[Anonymous]

PP, in your case, you might be better off nit installing such an attractive play feature. Go to the park instead.

[Anonymous]

Does your home owners insur. policy increase with having a playset on your property?