Swing sets are, perhaps, the ultimate aesthetic element to signify that a location is child-friendly. Whether it be a home yard or a school yard or a park, swing sets, in and of themselves, make for effective child-friendly statement. Imagine a housing project. Gray. Boring. Urban jungle-ish. Faceless. Nameless. Flavorless. Then, imagine the colorful swing set on the front common yard. Wouldn't that make your mind's eye view more refreshing?



There are countless of places where one can acquire swing sets. They're available online (but then again, so is everything else). Walk into some random store and you'll find some there too. Perhaps the singular, most important thing about a swing set is its safety. How do you make sure that the swing set would be able to withstand rowdy toddlers and occasional regressed adults without disintegrating into a pile of rubble nothingness? How can you make sure that the bolts, nuts and screws would hold? And how do you make sure that these same bolts, nuts and screws would not contribute to injury? How can you be assured of a safe, secure playtime for the kids?

Here are a couple of items you have to consider before you can decide on which swing set to acquire.

Material. There are a handful of materials available in the market. There's heavy molded plastic, wood, metal, alloy. My swing set when I was younger was even part cement! The most common material would be the redwood. Mainly because this sturdy wood is easier to manage and can withstand the harsh elements of nature that comes with being placed outdoors. It is relatively easy to bore a bolt hole through wood as opposed to metal. Also, there are coatings which are tested non-toxic which can be applied to the surface of the material to enhance its resilience against weathering and other elements.

The method as to how the parts attach to each other is as important. Bolts and screws are easy to attach, but there are hazards that come with it. If bolts and screws are not attached with child-safety considerations, they might end up injuring the children who are using the facility. Bolts and screws which stick out of the structures are major no-no's. These might catch children's elbows or arms or knees and cause accidental scrapes and punctures. These may also catch their clothing and cause nasty tears. There are assembly techniques which can be employed to significantly reduce the risks of these accidents. Sharp corners and edges are also to be considered. The less sharp edges and corners there are, the better. If there has to be corners and edges, they ought to be made as child-friendly as possible. The movable elements such as chains and ropes from where the swings hang from must be as sturdy as the elements which hold them in place. The kind of chain links and the kind of ropes used should be of high quality.

Aesthetics. Children are not only attracted to bright colors, they practically thrive in them. A swing set should be complete with aesthetic elements to make it more attractive to the little kids who are to use them. With enough color, you can make little kids shriek with joy.