Spring and summer are on their way in and one of the best ways to entertain children in warmer weather is with a trip to a playground. The jungle gym provides endless hours of playtime filled with role playing possibilities and energy-burning fun.
A trip to the neighborhood playground takes time and the shared equipment can expose your kids to germs and illnesses. Why not bring the playground to you and make your backyard the place to be this summer with your very own swing set? That way, your kids can play whenever they want and you can watch peacefully from the comfort of your own back porch or through the kitchen window.
Many of the best backyard swing sets on the market nowadays are not terribly difficult to set up, and best of all, they’re high-quality and will last you for years. Be the best dad in the world and give your kids their very own swing set this season so they can tire themselves out while you relax on the sidelines.
Here are our favorite backyard swing sets for outdoor fun all spring and summer long. You know what they say — play hard, nap hard.
1. Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Swing Set
BEST OVERALL
This is the Ferrari of backyard swing sets. It’s got three belt swings, a trapeze bar for practicing those aerial skills, a fireman’s pole, a 9’ wavy slide and monkey bars.
It’s got it all and your kids will be entertained for hours on this thing. Safety was a major factor in its construction, as all of the corners are rounded and hard edges covered with plastic caps.
It’s also completely free-standing so there’s no need for cement or other stabilizers that will cost more time and money to construct.
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It’s made of all-weather low-alloy steel that’s strong and won’t chip, fade, peel or rot like other play sets. This thing is built to last and worth the investment.
2. Little Tikes Tree House Swing Set
BEST FOR YOUNGER KIDS
This swing set is recommended for children between the ages of three and eight and is made with soft edges and a plush design for toddlers.
Enjoy two swings, a steering wheel, tree frame for climbing and a slide.
The swings have handles to hold onto and the whole thing is incredibly stable and secure once anchored. They include instructions for anchoring with your set to make the whole process as easy as possible.
3. Creative Cedar Designs Sky View Wooden Playset
BEST WOODEN SET
The Sky View Wooden Playset can be installed on any even surface securely and comes completely ready-to-assemble with a 3” x 4” solid cedar framing, swing hangers, and installation hardware.
The playset includes swings, a short climbing wall, binoculars for role playing, a slide and sandbox underneath. The swings are also made with polyethylene, a strengthening material that ensures stability and longevity.
All of the materials come with an illustrated setup guide and play-safe checklist so you know your children will be taken care of while enjoying hours of playtime.
4. Inspiration 250 Fitness Playground Metal Swing Set
BEST FOR SUN PROTECTION
This set comes with two swings with plastic contoured seats, plastic-covered swing chains and plastic-covered monkey bar.
It’s also got an attached ladder, slide and 42″ trampoline.
Best of all, it’s got an attached sun shade with UV protection and antifreeze protection for even the worst of weather conditions.
This set should only take about one to two hours to put together if there are two of you working on it, and its got a maximum weight capacity of 600 pounds at once.
5. Backyard Discovery Big Brutus Metal Swing Set
EASIEST TO SET UP
This swing set is super easy to assemble, so if your kids are foaming at the mouth and ready to play right now, we recommend this one.
This backyard swing set includes two belt swings attached to heavy duty swing chains and one metal trapeze bar in the middle.
It’s made of heavy-duty powder-coated steel and has molded feet so there’s no additional purchase necessary for anchoring it into the ground.
At 7.5’ tall and 13’ wide this swing set is best for larger backyards that have plenty of room for swinging.
6. Swing-N-Slide Ranger Wooden Swing Set
HONORABLE MENTION
Create a great play structure for your kids without breaking the bank with this Swing-N-Slide wooden swing set. It features two swing seats with plastisol-coated chains to prevent pinched fingers and a ring/trapeze combination swing with the same protection.
Each swing can support up to 115 pounds and the basic design is easy to assemble.
The set comes with all of the hardware, wood and necessary instructions for setting up so you’r kids will be playing in no time.