Buying a Swing Set

Hi Ladies,

We have been researching on which swing set to buy but we are undecide either to get the big swing set or the starter Step2 swing set? We have a small yard with a steep going right hand into the sewer (it is on our property). We also have a cable box in our yard as well too. They are both on the opposite of each other in the back w/an existing fence that belong to a private home. There is only one small portion side of the back yard that has a flat area next to our patio. I want to preserve that for future BBQ parties.

We are weighing our decision -- we are getting a free estimate on landscaping to work with swing set around it. As we have water drainage problem on the good side of our property. We think it is the neighbor's pool causing water going into our yard. It is so WET and has been that way from Day 1 since the installed their pool. I still can't remember if we had it before they did but my hubby says we never had problem. We must get this water drainage problem fix before kids go back there (we don't have a mud room -- wishful thinking!)

Big Swing Set vs. Step2/Little Tikes Swing Set

If we get the big swing set (avg. $1500 and up) We are going to a showroom called "Rainbow"
We won't be able to afford rubber mulch as it is very pricey depending on dimension of the swing set
I want to move before twins start full-time school in 5 years from now (not sure if it worth the $$$)

If we go with Step2 or Little Tikes swing set (we will get the bucket seats for their age):

My husband like this one because more room for play house --
http://www.target.com/Step2-Adventure-Lodg...;rh=&page=1

I like this one (I kind of don't like the log type and not so long in length to take up our back yard) --
http://www.target.com/Little-Tikes-Adventu...;rh=&page=1

Short-term w/take it apart and sell it
We get to buy the rubber mulch for half the price due to dimension
It is a nice size for our yard
6 months of warm climate
And it is reasonable price $899 and will buy other things for the yard such as (basketball, turtle sand, and Kid-O Glider)

See Kid-O Glider from Target:
http://www.target.com/Kid-O-Glider-Swing/d...;rh=&page=1

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks for reading in,
Diana w/Rianna and Justin

 

I'm struggling with the swing set decision myself. I've pretty much promised the girls one (potty training bribery, I pulled out all the stops! oops...), and now we're thinking for their birthday. We also have a little drainage problem, but I'm thinking wood chips and railroad ties around the area to keep it dry.

I'm also thinking wood, but find the Rainbow ones very expensive. I received a flyer just the other day for a really nice looking one at TRU for $899. Our next door neighbors got a pretty nice one at Home Depot. And BJ's carries them for less as well.

That said, the Little Tikes ones are a more economical choice and you'll get several years of use out of them.

Okay, I'm rambling. No advice, but I'm looking forward to replies.

PS - that slide-y thing is pretty cool!

 

It is a hard decision with budget vs. the $$$ if we get many years out of it. I'm thinking.....I'm trying to get the BIG picture how useful it would be

If we go with the more economical one will last until age 4 or 5 yrs old because my twins may be into sport activities during the Summer. So, they may go outside just for an hour to play as the grow. The more I talk about it I am leaning to the Step2 or Little Tikes w/all of the other activities which expand our budget better. If we go with the big swing set we won't be able to buy addt'l things.

We have no living relatives on both side of the family to splurge the money toward to our twins. If our parents/grandparents (with exception of my hubby's father -- Papa but he's in Florida) were alive they would have spoil our twins. My husband is the only child and I have an older brother who I don't see (only once a year). And the fact I am a SAHM which make it more difficulty when staying on top of our budget.

Yes, I agree "Rainbow" is pricey but we are going to the show room this coming weekend just to see what the dimension/footage size for our yard. Of course, there are other places that are reasonable. We're checking out at Sam's Club/Lowes/Home Depot. We're just going to the show room just to get out of the house and get some ideas.

We are getting the Kid-O Glider because we used to go in it at our grandparents house when we were little. I want to bring back that memory to our twins. I was glad to share that with everyone!

Thanks for your input,
Diana

 

We just ordered the Step 2 Naturally Playful Adventure Play set. We thought the price was not bad and it is maintenance free. No wood to sand or stain every year. We ordered it directly from Step2.com. They are now offering free shipping for a limited time. They also have the smaller sets. We decided to get something for the backyard so that I wouldn't have to load twin 1 1/2 year olds and a 4 year old in the car to get to a playground. It's actually being delivered tomorrow. Now we just need to get some help putting it together!!! Of course we are going to wait until the weather changes, but meantime I need to do some research on the mulch (we would love by buy the rubber mulch), but price is always an issue.

 

We would LOVE to get rubber mulch too. I don't think we would be able to get it for the budget plan. We are getting a few estimate landscape design coming to our house for back yard. Because we have water drainage problem, want to incorporate the swing area with our landscaping. Basically I want to get the entire back yard taken care of after 4 years into this new house.

I agree taking the twins and your sibling would be difficulty w/going to a play ground. Because it is all open and easily to lose your child when other children are playing too. We have a fence yard, thank goodness!

Diana w/Rianna and Justin (16.5 mos)

 

Our local toy store (that sells Rainbow systems) also builds their own wooden swing sets and we got one of those. I got it during their spring sale and it was $1100 installed. It has a little clubhouse, a slide and 3 swing spots with monkey bars over them. My DH built a box around it and we filled it with hard wood mulch. I called a local Feed & Seed Place and they delivered it. We decided against the rubber mulch b/c it is expensive and would be hard to dispose of later when we remove the swing set. The wood mulch has worked well for us b/c it drains well and supposedly deters mosquitos (also avoid yellow slides, etc. b/c they attract bugs supposedly). This playset is the perfect size for us and I think it will last for the next 10 years of use that we hope to get out of it. A friend of mine had the baby one from Little Tikes or whoever and upgraded to the wooden swingset 2 years later b/c her boys outgrew it. I did buy baby swings to go on ours for the first 1.5 years we had it and now we have the regular swings on it. I should also mention that there is NO SUCH THING as a flat back yard here in WV and they were able to adjust for slope when they installed the set. HTH

 

Melissa:

Now you're changing my mind? We'll check it out and who knows we may go with Rainbow if they can convince us to get the budget what we needed but again it would probably take up a little of our yard if that what makes my kids happy to play every day. I do like their "tower" and 2 swings and wrap around slide from tower is all we need if they can do that for us. I'll keep you post after this weekend visit. The other big PLUS is that they can install it for us.

I do agree that if we need to take the rubber mulch out which will be a messy job to do. We are going with wood mulch because that is what we have with our landscaping as it'll match nicely. Thanks for your tip on "yellow slide" even thought I prefer "green" but you're helping others by reading the article.

Can you share a photo of your swing set?

Diana w/Rianna and Justin (16.5 mos)

 

A few of my friends got the ones from Sams and seem happy with them! Although they were time consuming to install, so you might want to hire someone for installation if you go that route. I would call around to your local toy stores and see if any of them build their own sets. My DH doesn't think that ours will need to be restained/treated before we would be finished with it. Ours is not redwood and that made a big difference in the price I think. I know that Rainbow has a less expensive line of smaller sets, so you might check into that as well. I can't remember the name though! Our neighbors have a Rainbow set and while it's a lot bigger, it doesn't really have MORE on it - does that make sense? I'm attaching a pictures. This is before DH built the box around it or added the mulch. If I get a chance later I'll take a newer one!

 

Melissa:

Thank you so much for sharing the photo. I agree, it all depends on what wood type to use for the budget. I upload the photos to share with you on our back yard situation.

The first one -- water drainage problem, 2nd picture is left side, 3rd picture is right side, and then the latest picture of my twins. I just took those back yard pictures today and the weather is groomy! We live outside of Chicago -- it is still COLD!

http://s265.photobucket.com/albums/ii222/S...nt=DSC02307.jpg

It was nice talking to you!
Diana w/Rianna and Justin (16.5 mos)