Backyar Playset

I'm planning to get the play set that includes swings, slides etc at my back yard.. Searched on line and it is pretty expensive.

I work full time, so i can not go out to park to utlize the swings.. I live VA, so we do have winter days, so the play yard is not used year around. My boys are 18 months old.. Again, tight on budget


So my questions are

1. Do you need one??..
2. How much did it cost you?
3. Can you recommed one??


Thanks to you all.

 

We got a playset installed when the boys were 18mons. Over the last 2 years, its the one thing I can say without a doubt that they have used the most (well...maybe a close 2nd to their big wheels and big boy bikes). So highly recommend! Do you need it...no but... it is so nice to be able to walk right in your backyard...and there it is. We live in PA (Pittsburgh area) and use it year round. We have been out there on it on a bright sunny winter day in the high 30's.

We went to a local landscape company that also carried playsets. It's called the "PlayMor" brand. Looks similar to the "Rainbow" systems but less $$$. Ours has 2 towers and a slide. Sandbox and picnic table under each tower along with a glider and 3 stalls for swings. We had them install and stain it. I believe it cost $2750. So an investment. But its made in the heart of Amish country and well made. We figured it would get alot of use over 10years. Most of our neighbors seem to tear theirs down around the preteen years.

You can most certainly find much less $$ playsets out there. Anywhere from Lowe's/Home Depot to Wallmart. Also wanted to add...that you can find used sets on Craig's list,.etc. In our neighborhood, some people have just given theirs away...free!!...if someone towed it away...when their kids outgrew.

 

We got one from Walmart. It cost $300 and we put it together ourselves and it was totally worth it. It is wooden and has three swings, a slide and a fort, monkey bars.

If you look at Walmart, you may save a ton of $$$$ on them. It took us an entire day to assemble it. It was hard, I will not lie, but definitely worth it.

 

We got one this summer and I believe it's a must have. We got ours at Costco. I believe it was $1300.

 

We have swings that DH hung out on our patios. On craigslist I found this Little Tikes Playground for $75. My girls love this set and we use it all the time. Last week on craigslist I found 8-in-1 climber playground. My sister and I split the cost of $125 to put it at my parents house. Again, the kids love the new toy and it gives them something to play on at grandmas house.
Both items were in good condition and I would have been willing to pay up to $150-175 for either item (used). Have you checked the craigslist for your area?
Good luck finding something. Your kids will love what ever you end up buying.

 

We got a wooden playset for our backyard around 18 months. All of the parks near us have eliminated swings and are just for climbing/sliding. Our swingset has 2 swings, a trapeze, a slide with a little clubhouse and monkeybars over the swings. We still go to the park sometimes for an outing and the various different slides there are a lot of fun for the kids or for a playdate. Our swingset was about $1100 including installation (free installation). I really like having it in our yard because we can go out there for just a few minutes before or after dinner, etc. rather than making a big outing of it. If you have any local toystores there you might check with them. The local "boutique" type store here builds them themselves and they are nicer for the $ than the ones you can buy at TRU, etc. HTH

 

We went really cheap: $89 at K-mart (I think, or maybe Walmart...) It's been great and they play on it every day.

 

Now is a really good time to buy one-the stores around here have already started discounting the summer stuff. We got ours at Walmart for $500 in May and its already marked down to $400....I noticed our Toys R Us are marking stuff down as well...We love ours...I agree with the pp that it makes its much easier to just go out in the backyard instead of making a big outing to the park everytime....

 

We have a playset. I didn't want to spend much money on ours either considering we plan on moving next year. I was so fortunate to run into a man buying his girls a new playset at Sam's Club. His girls were there and they were thrilled too. He was telling me and another shopper that he still has to take the old one down. To make a long story short, we got his old one for free! My DH helped him take it down and he was happy to have the help. It needed a couple of new boards, screws, and toddler swings (which I already purchased just in case we found a set we liked). By the time we were done, we spent less than $75. Keep your ears open. You never know when you will find someone waiting to do the same as us.

I do recommend getting one. My kids love it. It is a simple set, with swings, a slide, and a look-out/fort area. I think it helped them learn to climb up the ladder. And, swinging them is a fun and relaxing activity for all of us.

 

Step2 has some nice options. we assembled ourselves. We just had to order separate toddler swings until they are ready for the regular kind. Downside is that the area above the slide is still a little scary for me. So right now it's used mostly for swings and the little playhouse underneath. I think it was in the $500 range. (we used $ we got from their 1st bday party).

 

We don't have one. We had a playhouse that looked like a log cabin (we just took that down) and they have small slides that they can climb on along with bikes etc. But, we have a really small back yard and our side yard has a little slant to it so that is the main reason that we decided against it. And, we live right down the block from their school which has a playground which has swings, slides, etc for them to play on.