The 10 Best Budget Swing Sets
This wiki has been updated 32 times since it was first published in March of 2016. If you are having trouble getting your kids away from their smartphones and video games, try installing one of these swing sets in your backyard. They might just be enticing enough to get your offspring playing outside again. Most can accommodate multiple children at once, and they are affordably priced, so there should be at least one or two models that suits every parent's budget. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Backyard Discovery Dayton Cedar
2. Pioneer Custom DIY Play Set Hardware Kit
3. XDP Recreation Rising Sun
Editor's Notes
May 05, 2020:
Swing sets are an enduring fixture on every playground, so why not take the fun home and set up one of these budget-friendly models in your backyard? This way, your child can enjoy themselves any time they want, and they won't have to keep begging you all the time to take them to the park. We did our best to balance versatile play options with cost, so that both parents and children will be happy with the purchase.
If want to provide your kids with something they can play on with all of their friends at once, there are few better options than the XDP Recreation Rising Sun, which can accommodate up to 10 rambunctious little ones simultaneously. We also like that it has padding on the lower portion of its frame, and we are all for any features that enhances a product's safety, especially those designed for kids. The Flexible Flyer World Of Fun has a very similar design and also allows for up to 10 kids to play simultaneously. However, its instructions are vague, which makes assembling it a bit of a pain.
Those who want something with a premium look, but not the hefty price tag of a high-end model, will like the Backyard Discovery Dayton Cedar. Its vibrant colors and wood frame make it an attractive addition to any backyard. If you like the design of this one, but have a bit more money to spare and really want to go all out, you may prefer one of the models on our other list of swing sets, where price wasn't a major consideration during the selection process.
The Swing-N-Slide PB 8360 Ranger, Sportspower Almansor, and Swing-N-Slide Orbiter are all well suited to properties without a lot of extra space to spare. Despite being some of the smaller options on our list, they still allow for at least three kids to play at once, they are just lacking some of the features found on some of the other models, like a glider or trampoline.
If you have toddlers, you probably prefer something that allows you to keep an eye on them at all times. The Kingso 3 in 1 is one such model. It is small enough to place in almost any room in the home, so you can take care of cleaning or other things you need to do, while your kids uses up some of that extra pent up energy.
Special Honors
Agame Wootal Playset In addition to two belt swings and a wavy slide, the Agame Wootal Playset also includes a climbing rope to help your child develop upper body strength. It has a 500-pound maximum weight capacity and a wide A-frame stance that makes it very sturdy. academy.com
Fitness Reality Kids The Ultimate The Ultimate is surprisingly affordable considering it has eight stations, one of which is a standalone trampoline. It is aptly named, as it offers so much play versatility, that every kid should find something to keep them occupied. fitnessreality.com
4. Swing-N-Slide PB 8360 Ranger
5. IronKids Inspiration 250
6. Kingso 3 in 1
7. Sportspower Almansor
8. Step2 Play Up
9. Flexible Flyer World Of Fun
10. Swing-N-Slide Orbiter
Why You Should Get A Swing Set
Swing sets are helpful for another reason, too: they take you outdoors.
If you poke your head in the backyard of many American families, you'll probably find a swing set. Swing sets aren't just a lot of fun, but they can also be an important part of one's physical and mental well-being, especially for children. Swinging has long been used as a tool in sensory integration therapy. When children swing, they need to process information both from within their bodies (like the sensation of moving back and forth) and from the environment (like the wind, or the feeling of the grass touching their feet). Sensory integration therapy has been shown to balance moods, improve learning abilities, and boost physical capabilities. When you send your child out to enjoy the swing, you're actually sending him out to grow and develop.
Swing sets are helpful for another reason, too: they take you outdoors. If you suffer from anxiety or struggle to calm your mind, try sitting on your swing. Research has shown that the sounds of nature have a very calming effect on the brain. Next time you're struggling to solve a problem or come up with an idea for your new creative project, spend some time on your swing, surrounded by nature. It's important for children to develop positive associations with nature early, as well. Putting your child on a swing set when he is still young could mean that, later in life, he turns to your backyard rather than video games for fun. That's pretty important since childhood obesity is on the rise.
If you have a shy child, giving him a swing set could help him socialize. Sometimes, when you have friends over for a playdate with your kid, he may not quite know how to get the conversation started, or how to play with others. Swings are a nice, low-pressure way for children to interact. They don't need to share toys or learn the rules to some game. They can simply enjoy sitting on the swings, and if they feel like talking, they can talk. If you look at a park playground, you'll often notice children who have never met before will start chatting if they're swinging side by side.
A History Of Swing Sets
Children have always been attracted to swinging. Perhaps it's a part of their primal urge for risky play, something important to a young person's learning how to regulate fear and anger. Swinging can feel both exhilarating and frightening, so it's no surprise children have always loved to do it. If Greek art from the 5th century B.C.E. is an accurate depiction of the times, we have reason to believe children and adults have sat on swing-type devices since then. Some of the first swing sets were made from no more than wood and rope.
In the 1700s, swing sets became a romantic piece of imagery in Europe.
In the 1700s, swing sets became a romantic piece of imagery in Europe. Women would often be depicted sitting on swings in some whimsical artwork. These swings may have been made from rope or vines to emphasize the connection with nature one has when swinging. American pioneers also used swings as a past time. They were easy to set up anywhere and provided a little distraction from long wagon trips. Germany is responsible for the first playground. The creation of public recreation areas has played a large part in relieving unemployment in Germany because each one requires a lot of labor. Germany first made playgrounds as a way to teach children how to play fair with others. In the 1800s, playgrounds began to pop up next to schoolyards.
By the late 1800s, outdoor swing sets and playgrounds took off internationally. That set off the need for safer, better-regulated swing sets. Those of the early 20th century were made from mostly steel. In the 1970s, people began to feel that it was unsafe for children to come in direct contact with steel as it could be sharp. Manufacturers started to cover the parts of swings children touch, like the rope, with softer materials, such as plastic. Today, many swings are coated with plastisol so that children do not pinch themselves.
What To Look For In A Swing Set
Your first priority when choosing a swing set should be safety. Along with following recommended injury prevention tips, look for swings with curved seats as these will better hold a child in place. Make sure the frame is made from strong material, like steel, and that it stands on durable legs. If your child will spend a lot of time on his swings during the summer, you may want a set with a UV-treated canopy to protect your child from the sun.
If you are working with limited space, there are great compact sets for a smaller yard.
If you want to build a playground that will be the envy of every child on the block, complete with teeter totters and sandboxes, you can find a swing set with a little something extra. Some feature wavy slides, playhouses, and ladders. These will provide your kids with hours of recreation. Some sets even offer a variety of swing types, perhaps with one bucket seat swing and one that children can hang from, like swinging monkey bars. These offer your little one a few different ways to get some exercise.
Make sure your swing set has a high weight limit, too, so that multiple kids can safely play on it at once. You might even want a set with adjustable-height chains so it can grow with your child, or children of various ages can enjoy it. If you are working with limited space, there are great compact sets for a smaller yard. If you have the luxury of a big garden, you can get a bigger set with four or more swings. Every kid should get to enjoy a swing set, and fortunately, there are models that can work in nearly any size home.
A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.