We had a small backyard that’s mostly deck, and we long lamented not being able to have a swing set, especially because playgrounds in our then state were roped off an officially closed for the entire pandemic summer.

I can now see that the time of life when kids want to be in a backyard play set vs. big playground equipment in a park is really short. My kids also frequently longed for a large paved space to play on so they could ride things, jump rope, and bounce/dribble balls.

I would embrace the patio and make it a fun place. Get the good kind of jump ropes, get ride-on toys, and get an adjustable basketball hoop and street hockey set. You can also put a playhouse on it without any modifications, so that might be a good compromise.

You can’t put it on a stone patio, even with rubber mats. That’s an absolute no.

So, start from there…
1) patio comes out or
2) put in front yard or
3) don’t buy it

Would not recommend on top of stone. Could you get a ninja line for above the green space and put in mulch?

I also thought we wanted yard equipment, but I quickly began to love outings to the neighborhood playground where I also could chat with friends. Or an outing to explore a new space.

There are rubber mats you can get for fall protection. Check out Clemyjontri Park in McLean for an example of the rubberized flooring, but similar stuff is available to purchase in snap-together tiles for smaller spaces.

I would remove some of the stones, set them aside, and lay down some mulch. When your kids outgrow it, you can put the stones back.

We have young kids and would love to create a good outdoor play space for them. Anytime we're at friends' houses, our kids are all over their swingsets and structures... Swings, slides, climbing towers. I want so badly to be able to give that to them at home, where I truly believe they would use it everyday.

The issue is that the entirety of our property behind our house is a bluestone patio. The usable area is about 10 ft deep and 30 ft wide.

The front of our house has grass, but there's only about 10 ft before it starts sloping considerably toward the road. That's also at the front of the house, which maybe seems weird for a playset? There is no usable space on either side of the house.

I would be so grateful for any ideas you have. Things you've done or seen, inspiring pictures. Companies who might be able to problem solve this with us. Insights into how to put a play structure on top of a stone patio, or if we'd need to rip the patio up (eek). Anything! Thank you in advance.