No matter who you are or where you live, backyard swings are a classic of childhood. Installing a backyard swing set will not only make your kids happy, but will also get them out of your hair for a while when you want some time to yourself. If your kids are anything like mine, they probably love to swing. I have three kids – a 5 year old, an 8 year old, and a 13 year old – and all of them use the climbing structure almost every day during the summer.
Although backyard swings are a lot of fun, they can be a bit of a danger too. When you set them up, you have to be very careful how you do it. Basically, not all of the swings are appropriate for all ages. For example, a tire swing might be great for an older kid, but it would not be such a hot idea for a toddler. A smaller swing, meant for little kids, might not be able to support the weight of the older children. Because of this, a little planning is required. Don't just buy backyard swings for the kids you have now. Think about what you might need in a few years as well.
As a rule, toddlers can do fine without any swings at all. Swings are too dangerous, and really little kids will do fine with just a simple playhouse. Once they get a little bit older, however, you might want to build them a backyard swingset. The great thing about swingsets is that many of them come with a few different styles of swings so that kids of different ages can use them. Once your kids outgrow the backyard swing set (and they will), you have a few choices.
Although they have swings meant for bigger kids, they are often large and prohibitively expensive. I have always thought that tire swings were a better choice for kids 13 and older. They are cheap, easy to install, and lots of fun for teenagers. Although it is possible to get hurt on these backyard swings, by that age kids can usually look after themselves and use a bit of common sense. I know that my tire swing has never caused any trouble. Porch swings are also a good idea. They are great for all ages, and as an added bonus, the whole family can use them together!
|
