{"id":2666,"date":"2012-12-14T16:45:07","date_gmt":"2012-12-14T22:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/?p=2666"},"modified":"2012-12-14T17:10:32","modified_gmt":"2012-12-14T23:10:32","slug":"swing-set-add-ons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/swing-set-add-ons\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Swing Set Add Ons That Keep Kids Interested in Backyard Play"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Blue<\/a>How to Appeal to the Evolving Abilities and Interests of Growing Kids<\/h3>\n

The\u00a0backyard swing set<\/a>\u00a0you bought for your kids when they were small was probably filled with challenging and fun equipment just right for their age and size. Bucket swings for safety, a short ladder leading to a scoop slide, and maybe even a club house for hours of pretend play. As kids grow older, though, their ideas about what’s fun and challenging evolve. Making sure that the backyard swing set doesn’t become an unused eyesore means keeping up with your children’s changing interests and abilities. By updating the swing set periodically with\u00a0equipment and accessories<\/a>\u00a0that meets your kids’ current needs, you can ensure that the swing set continues to appeal to your kids over the course of many years.<\/p>\n

Alternative Swings<\/b><\/p>\n

Swings are an affordable place to start when it comes to updating a swing set’s accessories. If you haven’t done so already, swap out the bucket swing or half-bucket swing with a traditional belt swing or two. The belt swing is a standard “big kid” swing that will continue to interest kids as they grow. Don’t stop there, though. Swings come in all shapes and styles, and a little variety adds a lot of appeal to a backyard swing set.<\/p>\n

Some of the more popular alternative swings include tire swings and disc swings. Kids like that these two swings move in any and every direction, rather than just back and forth. Kids also like the tire swing for its ability to hold two or more friends, which brings an increasingly social and cooperative element to the activity of swinging. Glider swings are another fun alternative to standard swings. Glider swings seat two people, back to back, who work as a team to keep the swing flying high. Finally, older kids and even adults can enjoy a wooden chair swing. A chair swing attaches to the swing set in the same way as any other kind of traditional swing, and it offers a relaxing way to swing gently while chatting with a friend or reading a book.<\/p>\n

Slides<\/b><\/p>\n

Swing sets generally come with a standard scoop slide, which is straight, smooth, and adequately thrilling for little ones. As kids get older, though, they tend to prefer a more exhilarating ride. Replacing your original slide for a spiral slide can offer that extra bit of thrill to older kids. \u00a0Spiral slides<\/a> are often completely enclosed tubes, too, similar to what you find on commercial or public playgrounds. The enclosed spiral brings an additional measure of excitement to the sliding experience.<\/p>\n

Climbing Accessories<\/b><\/p>\n

Climbing equipment offers growing kids a fun way to challenge their bodies’ developing abilities. While not usually appropriate for young children, climbing accessories help older kids gain confidence, strengthen muscles, and refine gross motor and motor planning skills. Monkey bars may be the most common type of climbing accessory found on standard swing sets, but they can be added to an existing swing set that doesn’t already have them. Rope ladders and rock wall climbing kits are available, too, and are exceptionally appealing to adventurous kids.<\/p>\n

Updating the backyard swing set to meet the changing abilities and interests of your growing kids can be as easy as replacing the existing swings and slide and adding climbing features more suited to older kids. Making small but meaningful changes over time will not only encourage years of continued interest by your kids, but will also reinforce the value of your initial investment in the swing set.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to Appeal to the Evolving Abilities and Interests of Growing Kids The\u00a0backyard swing set\u00a0you bought for your kids when they were small was probably filled with challenging and fun equipment just right for their age and size. Bucket swings for safety, a short ladder leading to a scoop slide, and maybe even a club house for hours of pretend play. As kids grow older, … Continue reading 3 Swing Set Add Ons That Keep Kids Interested in Backyard Play<\/span> »<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,602],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-backyard-fun","category-swing-sets-play"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Nnyf-H0","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2871,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/three-swing-set-updates-that-keep-kids-interested-in-backyard-play\/","url_meta":{"origin":2666,"position":0},"title":"Three Swing Set Upgrades That Keep Kids Interested in Backyard Play","author":"Trey Collier","date":"March 1, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00a0backyard swing set\u00a0you bought for your kids when they were small was probably filled with challenging and fun equipment just right for their age and size. Bucket swings for safety, a short ladder leading to a scoop slide, and maybe even a club house for hours of pretend play. As\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Backyard Fun"","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.backyardcity.com\/Images\/Jensen\/Heavy-Duty-Scoop-Lifestyle.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1997,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/swing-set-updates-that-keep-kids-interested\/","url_meta":{"origin":2666,"position":1},"title":"Swing Set Updates That Keep Kids Interested","author":"Sara May","date":"February 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The backyard swing set you bought for your kids when they were small was probably filled with challenging and fun equipment just right for their age and size. Bucket swings for safety, a short ladder leading to a scoop slide, and maybe even a club house for hours of pretend\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Backyard Fun"","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Belt Swing","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.backyardcity.com\/Images\/PIP\/belt-swing-small.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1430,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/swings-with-zing-keeping-swing-sets-updated-and-cool\/","url_meta":{"origin":2666,"position":2},"title":"Swings with Zing: Keeping Swing Sets Updated and Cool","author":"Sara May","date":"January 18, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 As kids grow older, their needs and abilities change.\u00a0 Keeping your backyard swing set updated with accessories that meets your kids' current needs\u00a0and interests\u00a0will ensure that the swing set continues to be used and enjoyed\u00a0over the course of many years.\u00a0\u00a0 There's no need to completely overhaul your swing set\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Backyard Fun"","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.backyardcity.com\/Images\/SW\/Tire-Swing-Kit-Large.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":603,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/backyard-playground-safety-safety-on-the-swing-set\/","url_meta":{"origin":2666,"position":3},"title":"Backyard Playground Safety: Safety on the Swing Set","author":"Sara May","date":"February 8, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Considering safety when planning and constructing\u00a0new backyard playground equipment\u00a0is crucial, but just as important is considering safety while the kids are engaged\u00a0in active play on that well-designed and well-constructed equipment.\u00a0\u00a0Kids just want to have fun, but sometimes that fun can have some hidden dangers about which parents and caregivers should\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Backyard Fun"","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":445,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/swing-set-accessories-meet-kids-different-needs-for-movement\/","url_meta":{"origin":2666,"position":4},"title":"Swing Set Accessories Meet Kids\u2019 Different Needs For\u00a0Movement","author":"Sara May","date":"July 16, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"So many backyard swing sets are avoided by kids or have been abandoned altogether...but why?\u00a0 Standard variety\u00a0swing sets come with swings, of course, and a slide --\u00a0perhaps some monkey bars.\u00a0 But kids don't ever come in a standard variety.\u00a0 Each child has a need to move his or her body\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Backyard Fun"","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1475,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/7-steps-for-safe-swing-sets\/","url_meta":{"origin":2666,"position":5},"title":"7 Steps for Safe Swing Sets","author":"Sara May","date":"February 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Before you know it, your kids will be clamoring to get outside and play on their backyard swing set.\u00a0 So, now is the time to check the swing set and equipment to be sure that it's ready for another year of heavy use.\u00a0 Follow these 7 steps to ensure a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Backyard Fun"","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2666"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2666\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2673,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2666\/revisions\/2673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}