Playground Safety Rules You Must Teach the Kids

Playgrounds are fun. And backyard playgrounds are even better because kids have access to them 24x7 and can play to their heart’s content on the swing sets with no waiting in line behind other kids. You may be ensuring adult supervision while the kids are at play, but it is extremely important that you teach them how to be careful in the play area.

There are certain safety guidelines that you must follow and tell the children about them and make them understand their importance as well. Here they are:

1. Teach them to be at a safe distance from moving swings or other items. They should never walk in front of or behind or even in between these items in motion.
2. Tell them not to push empty swings just for the fun of it.
3. Warn them never to loop the swing chains (or ropes) over the supporting bar or even to twist these ropes because such actions weaken the chain.
4. Ensure than they learn the importance of always using the equipment in the way it is intended to be used and that they shouldn’t experiment with its movements etc.
5. Tell them to always sit tight on a swing, have a firm hold and place their body weight in the center of the swing seat.
6. Remind them again and again how they could get hurt if they tried to get off from a swing still in motion.
7. Teach them not to hang or climb on to the main frame of the swing set.

When your children will understand and follow these safety guidelines while playing on playground equipment for home, the chances of any mishap will be reduced greatly.

Why Buy Wooden Swing Sets?

Swing sets are one of the most popular play sets in playground. Not only in commercial parks, these are a hit in backyard playground too. Though these are available in three frame materials; metal, aluminum and wood, parents in the United States of America prefer to buy wooden swing sets for their backyard.

These are generally made of pressure-treated timber, redwood and cedar, which make them strong and enhance the durability. These are weather-resilient and naturally resistant to decay and rot, therefore, do not get degraded after a period of time. These sets do not get corroded during rain and becomes warm during sunlight like metal play sets. Kids' hand does not get slipped in wooden sets like in plastic equipment.

There are proper bars and hinges installed in wooden swing sets for the safety of kids. Also, sturdy and heavy chains are used to connect swing with the sets. Moreover, these can easily withstand harsh weather conditions and lasts in the backyard for comparatively longer time.

Outdoor wooden swing sets comes in two different styles; flat base and A frame base. While buying, you can select the one as per the surface level of your backyard. Before purchasing, make sure manufacture has designed it as per American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines.

When selecting a backyard playground swings set

If you are looking to revamp your backyard playground with some new play sets, then it would be great if you install fun-filled swing sets in it. Though these are referred to as the oldest in the playground equipment history, still kids love to spend long hours on it. You can easily get these sets at different online stores but before you select any of them consider the following factors:

1. Material Used – Swing sets are made of materials like plastic, metal and wood. Ensure the play set you are picking is made of durable material and can last in the yard for years on end. Wood swing set has an edge over metal and plastic equipment as it is stronger than the latter play sets. Therefore, a majority of parents in U.S prefer to install wooden swing set in their yards.

2. Quality & Safety – Before purchasing, make sure the manufacturer of the swing set is an IPEMA certified and has design the equipment in conformity with the guidelines laid by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Besides, you can also check that equipment has sturdy hinges and other anchors at the requisite places for safety of kids. Also, there should not any pointy edge on the chain of swings that can harm them.

3. Seat - Ensure that the playground swings set you are opting for has a seat with wide base so that kids can comfortably sit on it and enjoy.

When Installing Play set in your Backyard

Here is something for you, if you are soon going to install some fun-filled equipment in the backyard for your kids.

When installing the playground sets in the yard, make sure you have 6-foot fall zone in all the directions. It is essential to keep the area around the play set free of any obstacle like bushes, fences or hard surface that can cause injury to kids. Also, ensure that there is no sharp object like stake or branch in the ground.

Install the play set in a way that it does not wobble and stand firmly on the ground. Moreover, you can add non-skid strips at the places where your kids need a better grip and bumper pads for cushioning the corners of equipment.

Make sure you buy the playground sets that are appropriate as per the age of kids. Well, your task does not with locating the play set in the yard; you need to regularly inspect them for any broken part or open edge that can harm your kids. If you find any fault, immediately take steps to either repair it or remove the play equipment from the yard.

Did you know? Nearly 60 percent of the play area injuries are due to falls on the ground. So it would be great if you cover your backyard ground with high quality surfacing options like wood chips, fine gravel, mulch and fine gravel.

Heading to the NRPA

In just under a month I will be attending the NRPA Congress and Exposition in Anaheim, California. The National Recreation and Park Association puts on this show every year for commercial playground equipment. This is my first year attending the show and I'm excited to see what types of new equipment will be there.

I never used to pay much attention to playgrounds and now I see them every where. While on my honeymoon I saw a bench that we supply on a different website on a small island in the Caribbean! Its amazing to notice small things like this now!

Lookout Tower Play Set

The nice thing about our residential equipment is that it does not have the extremely strict safety standards that commercial equipment does. And it is much more affordable for your backyard! Just because the residential equipment does not have to meet as high of a safety standard doesn't mean that we don't stress safety. Our equipment is not only safe, but will last many years for your children.

The Lookout Tower Play Set is a great option for your backyard! Featuring a climbing wall, a play house, swings, a rings trapeze combo, and a slide, your children will always have something to do!

What to Expect from Your Backyard Swing Sets?

So, you have finally planned to set up that playground in your backyard and are now looking for certain ideas for going about the entire process. Well, to put it simply, you will have a wonderful, long lasting and safe backyard playground set up in a jiffy with your children loving it at first sight- only if you know to keep certain buying tips in mind.

There are certain parameters that the swing set should fulfill before you buy them from a supplier. These parameters include:

Design: The play set has to be of a design which suits the area of your backyard as well as the requirements of your kids. The equipment must be of the right size so as to fit in comfortably in the yard well away from fences, walls and trees. And also the swing set itself should be with equipment that will suffice for the present number and ages of your kids and it should come with the functionality to be expanded with accessories later as the kids grow.

Strength & Material: The material of the swing set should be such that the product is robust enough to be used rigorously by your kids and handle the weather elements as well. From metal, vinyl or wooden play sets, the wooden one is the strongest, most durable and safe for kids- not to forget the best in looks as well.

Installation: Make sure that the backyard swing sets you choose can be assembled easily and will hold on solidly. If you have any doubts, you better get them installed by professional installers.

Keep these pointers in mind to create the best and safest playground for your kids.

Benefits of Wooden Swing Sets

What will more surprise the kids than an attractive wooden swing set in their private backyard playground. There are different types of play sets like dome climber, see saw, balancing beams, Trampoline etc. available but nothing would ever compare to that feeling of being on a swing.

While browsing for swing sets on the internet, you will find many equipment made of plastic, wood and metal. Yes, the choice is yours, but if you want to have the set which not only brings fun for your kids but is also safe for them, go for wooden swing set. It is considered as the safest set and lasts longer than any other equipment made of plastic or metal.

Different types of strong and durable wood like redwood, treated pine and cedar are used to build wooden swing set. All the pieces of wood are installed carefully, eliminating the scope of any sharp edge that can harm the kids. Manufacturers install essential anchors at all the requisite places in this outdoor playground equipment and connect the swings with heavy chains instead of ropes.

Besides this, wooden swing set has an added advantage on other play equipment with its nature resistant property. It can resist any amount of moisture and easily withstand harsh climatic conditions. Now that you know beneficial wooden swing set is, you must buy one right away!

Welcoming Fall

The last two days have been picture perfect for me when it comes to the weather. Chilly but not cold, the sun is warm, and the leaves are beginning to turn. I've had my first glass of hot cider and worn a sweatshirt. I made baked potato soup for dinner and watched Monday Night Football on TV. Yep.. it is really starting to feel like fall is here!

What was your favorite thing about fall when you were a kid? I loved jumping in big piles of leaves! If we are being honest, I still like to do that. I recently moved to a new house with a lot of trees around, meaning a lot of leaves! So I am looking forward to raking up a big pile and jumping right in. I'm betting my dog will like it too. Her favorite thing to do is chase leaves.

So get outside, get active, and enjoy the beautiful fall weather! It is finally starting to cool down after an extremely hot summer and its time to take advantage of it!

Featuring: A Free Standing Swing Set

After a brief hiatus from blogging, due to a wedding and a honeymoon, I am BACK! And I am more excited than ever to be bringing you daily updates from the backyard playground world.

Today I want to take you back to the basics. Sometimes finding a play set for your kids can be difficult. Do you have enough space? Will the play set feature activities that your kids will love? What age range do the play sets have?

A simple solution is the Congo Free Standing Swing Set. While it may not feature slides or climbing holds, the simple swing set is a great option when you just aren't sure what play set is best. Kids absolutely love swinging! And the classic swing set appeals to a wide age range, meaning your kids will get the most out of this swing set.

I had a simple swing set growing up and it was always fun to go outside and swing! Sometimes I'd take a book outside and just sit on the swing seat, rocking back and forth a little, just to be outside. Even as an adult I think it is still fun to swing!