Outdoor Swing Sets

Nothing can provide the fun and healthful benefits as outdoor swing sets can. However, none of this enjoyment must ever come at the expense of the safety of your children. Thankfully, most outdoor swing sets nowadays are designed to be quite safe but their improper use and unsuitable behavior can and do pose significant dangers.

Consequently, it is of utmost importance to abide by the following rules:

1. A child under three years of age must always be placed in a toddler swing seat that has support on all sides and as well as safety restraints.
2. Regularly check for sharp points or rough edges on or around the outdoor swing set.
3. Inspect the outdoor swing set often to make sure that it is in good working condition and whatever needs fixing must be taken care of immediately.
4. Be sure that toddler outdoor swing sets are at least two feet above ground so that your toddlers cannot get to them on their own.
5. Backyard ground and grass do not absorb the impact of a potential fall well enough so you must make sure to create a safety zone by using sand or pea gravel or rubberized surfaces under and several feet beyond the range of all your outdoor swing set’s moving components and it should be at least twelve inches in depth.
   • A four-foot slide must have at least six feet of safety zone at the end and all around it. For longer slides the safety zone must be the height of the platform plus four additional feet. Therefore, for an eight-foot platform there should be twelve feet of cushioning to break a child’s fall at the end of the slide, and six feet all around it.
   • The safety zone for swings should be twice the height of the swing set. So, for swing sets that are seven feet high the safety zone must be fourteen feet both in the front and the back.
6. Be sure that the outdoor swing set is positioned at least six feet away from any building, fence, wall, posts, or trees.
7. If possible, erect the outdoor swing set in a shaded area to avoid its surfaces to become overly hot to the touch.
8. Children of any age must not ever be allowed to play on the outdoor swing set unless they are constantly supervised by a responsible adult.
9. Children must never be allowed to stand or kneel on swings and must be encouraged to hold on with both hands.
10. Be sure that the swings have come to a full stop before allowing children to get off them.
11. Regardless of size and weight, swings are design to hold only one child at a time. Be sure not to allow anything else.
12. Children must never be allowed to be pushed in a swing by other children or visa versa.
13. Do not allow children to push empty swings or twist swing chains.

Additional consideration before committing to buying and stationing your outdoor swing set are local ordinances and zoning bylaws that may prohibit outdoor swing sets or certain type of outdoor swing sets.

Having taken care of all the precautions, your children’s outdoor swing set experience is a dream come true. Your children will forever hold on to memories of their happy childhood and they will have you to thank for that.