Do you know that swings are not just for entertainment? The best swing set can help your child develop spatial awareness, balance, and coordination.
Our team selected 22 products and made thorough research. The result was a list of 6 models with the Editor’s Choice being the Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Swing Set. The safety of your child was our first priority. Swing sets come with recommendations for age regarding weight and height restrictions, the types of play stations included, and the materials and design of the swing set itself. Materials such as plastic are better suited for toddlers and younger children from a safety standpoint than wood and metal. But if you have older children, then opt for a wooden or metal swing set as these are sturdier and better able to bear heavier weights and taller heights.
More features: zinc and rubber-coated swings, 7’8’’ swing bar height, 6 occupants maximum, weather resistant
The Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Swing Set is our choice for the best metal swing set you can get at its price range. With a great reputation and plenty of positive reviews to back it up, this Lifetime swing set has earned a nomination as our Editor’s Choice and is a worthwhile addition to your yard and playground.
Having a metal frame swing set has its advantages – it stands strong against the elements and won’t crack, chip, or warp like swing and play sets made of wood. This particular high-strength steel frame is powder coated against weather and rust, and requires little maintenance such as staining or painting. It’s also a sturdy free-standing structure, meaning this swing set does not need to be cemented into the ground and will still hold up.
Including three belt swings, a trapeze bar with gym rings, a 9’ wavy slide, a fireman’s pole, and monkey bars, the Monkey Bar adventure swing set can keep up to six kids busy at a time.
This heavy-duty swing set is advertised as safe and fun for all ages. To prevent serious injury, it’s made with rounded edges or uses plastic caps to cover hard edges. The swing chains have soft rubber grips to prevent pinching smaller hands.
Though advertised for all ages, young children from 3 to 4 will find many features to be high or big for them and would need parent supervision.
The three belt swings are also close together, and can cause collision with diagonal or swivel swinging.
More features: clubhouse, rock climbing wall, 10’ slide, monkey bars, heavy duty brackets, 5’ high deck, 9 occupants limit
The Backyard Discovery Skyfort II is any kid’s dream backyard playground. With plenty of room and features attached, this playset will provide endless fun for up to 9 children at once.
This cedar swing set is the full package. The two belt swings two-person glider swing are attached to what can be described as a clubhouse tower, with a doored and windowed clubhouse and balcony decked above a picnic table and sandbox. A rock-climbing wall and 10’ slide are the clubhouse’s respective entrance and exit. On the other end, monkey bars provide added fun and physical activity.
This impressively sized Backyard Discovery swing set sports a 100% cedar wood construction, both naturally rot and decay resistant, and protected with a chemical-free stain to prevent becoming brittle under the sun. The heavy-duty steel brackets are powder coated to provide protection from wind, rain, and snow.
The unit is very large and comes delivered in 4 boxes. Assembling this playset will definitely take time and need to be well organized to make the assembly significantly easier.
Some customers found the wood can be soft – to be safe, especially with extreme temperatures, an extra layer of stain is recommended.
The Backyard Discovery Skyfort II is an overall impressive swing set, with its size, quality, and impressive range of activities. On top of that, it all comes at a decent price. This is the best value option at its price range easily making it the best backyard swing set on this list.
More features: 3’’ x 4’’ wood, 4 occupants limit, picnic table, 8’ slide, rock climbing wall, sandbox, telescope and steering wheel
The Sky View Playset from Creative Cedar Designs is a solid cedar swing set that encourages plenty of fun and active playtime for children. This ready to assemble swing set kit has different activities to accommodate over 10 kids at a time.
The swing set includes two belt swings and a two-person glider to hold 4 at once. The chains are vinyl coated at the grip zone for protection of little hands from pinching or snagging. This swing set also includes a play fort deck with a tarp canopy that can either be accessed through a ladder or rock-climbing wall. On the side of the fort are a toy telescope, steering wheel and binoculars for the more adventurous. An 8’ wavy slide brings you back down to the picnic table and 15 sq. ft. sandbox under the deck.
The 3 x 4 in solid cedar frame construction and polyethylene accessories make this a stable outdoor swing set, and provides a nice, natural visual touch for your yard.
Assembly is required for this swing set kit, and can take up to twelve hours. Even without professional assembly, setting it up is relatively easy to follow but can be time consuming.
The Creative Cedar Designs Sky View Playset is a newer product showing promise in quality and fun for kids. It is one of the better outdoor swing sets made out of cedar wood, especially in its price range and has earned a nomination of best wooden swing set on this list.
More features: 5’5’’ slide, non-slip ladder, indoors safe
If you’re looking for a smaller swing set for toddlers and young kids, Step2 has you covered with the Naturally Playful Playhouse.
This swing set is great for children from 3 to 8 and is both fun and very safe, taking up less area overall while staying roomy enough to play on.
Made with sturdy molded and colored plastic, this kids swing set will not hurt like wood or metal frames would in a collision, and can be a good-looking addition to the backyard. The Naturally Playful Playhouse is also indoor safe.
The safety ladder that leads up the play set has a non-slip climbing surface accompanied with side hand rails that travel all the way along. Under the roomy top deck is a secret playhouse with a crawl-through portal and a half-height swinging door, an instant favorite for most kids. The fort has a sturdy 5 ½ foot slide and two strap swings extended from the fort.
Anchoring the play set is required to avoid any chance of tipping or sliding.
The one recurring issue with this swing set involves the assembly instructions: with only pictures and a lack of words, customers found the directions harder to follow. The assembly is otherwise simple and there are useful instructional videos available online.
The Naturally Playful Playhouse from Step2 is a great small swing set that’s safe for younger children and will last well after they’ve outgrown it. It’s easy to see why it’s the best swing set for small yards on this list.
More features: 9 occupants limit, trampoline included, flyer saucer 2 occupants limit, 2-person glider, basketball hoop
The Ultimate from Fitness Reality Kids is the best metal swing set on this list, with a focus on encouraging more physical activity and developing sport skills in young children. With 8 different stations – from sliding to soccer – this multi-function swing set promises to cover all your children’s athletic needs.
Up to 9 can use this swing set at once. It is really designed to be an all-in-one play set kit for kids, The 8 stations include a tough poly propylene plastic slide, a contoured plastic seat swing, a 32” flying saucer that can hold two kids with adjustable ropes, a trapeze bar with gym rings, a glider swing for two people, a 36” fitness trampoline with a safety handle bar, a basketball hoop with a backboard, and a soccer goal.
The steel-frame of the Ultimate swing set is powder coated against the sun, and the chains of the swing are covered with a layer of plastic for added safety. The slide is UV treated and has additional antifreeze protection for harsh colder days.
Each station has a weight capacity of 80 lbs, meaning some of the features may not hold up with older children above ages 8 and 80 lbs.
This swing set also includes anchors for grounding it and adding stability.
More features: plastisol chain coating, 27’’ rubber tire, hardware bundle included, heavy duty swivel
If you’re looking for a simple, well-valued, quality swing set, you should definitely consider the Eastern Jungle Gym Classic Cedar Tire Swing Set. It serves as a nice, old-fashioned source of fun and gives a nostalgic look to your yard.
This tire swing set hails from a company that has consistently provided quality outdoor swing sets and jungle gyms.
That being said, this swing set is designed to be tough – it can even work as an adult swing set, making it one of the best swing sets for older children available. Customers report their satisfaction in the quality of hardware used.
It features three adjustable Plasticol coated swing chains that provide a softer, more comfortable grip that won’t pinch. The 360o heavy-duty swivel is made with durable steel and is pre-greased and ready to use. The rubber tire swing has a diameter of 27”, enough room to seat three children. It’s also pre-drilled for drainage and easier assembly.
This swing set is simple to have many downsides, it even requires little assembly when compared to models on this list. The only risk posed is in the loose ends of the swing chains, which can get caught when swiveling.
Overall, this is a great value swing set. With a sturdy build designed to handle heavier loads, it’s the best adult swing set here. For its quality, durability, and classic appearance, it’s hard not to have simple fun on this tire swing set from Eastern Jungle Gym.
Having a swing set in your yard is a great way to encourage more outdoor time for the kids. The right swing set can become a long-term investment as your child grows and an ideal way to add in a daily workout for the kids. It also makes for easy entertaining when their friends come over.
The question to ask is; why not? Some of the best childhood experiences are rooted in a playground, where a child’s imagination would drive them over racetracks, into outer space, and sailing the seas in search for treasure. But there is no feeling like the one where you feel like you’re flying through the sky on a swing.
So why not bring this fun back home? With a swing set in your yard, you can ensure your kids get to have fun, and you watch over the safety and sanitization of your own swing set.
Yes, your swing set is exclusively for your children, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any precautions you should take with it. Here are some steps to ensure your children never get hurt on their swing set.
Swing sets can be an expensive investment. Some swing sets will be exactly what they claim to be; a swing set, nothing less, nothing more. The Eastern Jungle Gym Classic Cedar Tire Swing Set is a simple tire swing with no other fancy additions. Swing sets such as these can start off around the $600 mark.
Other more expensive models will include swings, sand boxes, slides, bodies, and be constructed to withstand more weight and people. These types of swing sets, which are more like playgrounds, can boast a price tag as high as $1,600.
If you’re looking to buy a swing set, then there’s no one easy way to do this. There is a lot to consider, and if you’re not aware of all there is to offer, you’ll have a hard time when making your final choice. Here are some pointers in advance on features you should consider for your swing set.
There are three types of materials that frames are usually made out of; plastic, wood, and metal.
Plastic
Plastic is the most cost-friendly option. It doesn’t make for a long-lasting construction, but it will withstand the playful behavior of toddlers. Toddlers will be safer on a flat, smooth surface like plastic. It’ll be easy to assemble, be lightweight, and it lives its short life out with the short span of your child’s toddler time. Plastic can get slippery after rain though, so be cautious of this.
The Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse is a great option for a toddler swing set.
Wood
Aesthetics is the selling point when it comes to wood. Wooden framed playgrounds have a classic and warm look to them. Wood is sturdy enough to handle the play of older kids, and when cared for properly can last a long time.
Both the Creative Cedar Designs Sky View Wooden Playset and the Backyard Discovery Skyfort II are some of the best wooden swing sets available.
Metal
Metal is a tricky one. Your kids can get seriously hurt if they stumble on this, but a metal playground is the strongest and most durable playground to have. Rust can be conquered with advancements in coating technology. It’ll last longer than wood and survive more than plastic ever could.
The Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Swing Set is one of the best swing sets for kids with a metal construction.
The chain is a vital part of the swing. You don’t want a metal chain that is feeble and prone to rusting. You’ll want one that can withstand different types of weather, won’t snap under pressure, and of course, one that swings efficiently.
To start this off, installing a swing set is not easy. The more complicated your swing set is, the harder and longer it’s going to take to assemble your swing set. While you may feel confident at the idea of assembling a child’s toy, remember how big it is and the consequences of assembling it wrong.
Take your time assembling the swing set or call for professional help to do the job for you. It’s better than making a mistake and having your child pay the price.
The weight limit is placed on your swing set to keep your children safe. If they say the swing set can only handle 80 pounds, then you should follow this guide. Maybe it’ll handle a 120-pound child once in a while, but in the long-run your swing will wear out and collapse with the extra weight.
The age limit is also very important. Most times, age and weight go hand-in-hand. If the swing set was built for older children, then younger kids may be too small to reach the playset. Just as well, swing sets made for smaller children won’t be able to handle the weight of older kids.
You can go from a simple swing set to a whole jungle gym in your yard with a few accessories. Upgrading and accessorizing your swing set is possible, and it keeps your kids excited and happy with the swing set. You can add onto a base set, purchase a large accessorized frame or buy multiple accessories and save them for when your kids grow up.
You may have had a cradled seat for your toddler on the swing set, but as they grow older, they won’t be able to fit in it. So, you’ll move to a fitted seat that they can push themselves on. Some playsets come with the option to move the swing higher or lower, depending on how tall your child is.
How environmentally friendly your swing set is depends on the material. Naturally, a swing set made out of plastic is only asking for a landfill-ending. A wooden playset is a considerably better option in comparison to metal, when looking at it through an eco-friendly perspective.
With a possible payment over $1000, you want to make sure your money isn’t going to waste on a faulty or damaged product. That is why you should always look for a warrantied product.
Warranties, when it comes to a swing set, vary a lot. Some warranties are 1-year to 15-years limited. Other times, they’ll be a split warranty, meaning different components of the swing will have their own time-frame.
The Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Swing Set is our best choice for swing sets on this list. It really lives up to its high-held reputation, and has everything you look for in a reliable swing set: safety, stability, and features that keep the kids having fun.
If you’re going for a bigger, almost “dream play set” to add to your backyard for the kids, take a look at the Backyard Discovery Skyfort II. This impressively sized swing set not only flaunts a wide range of features and playtime activities, but it comes at a value that blows other swing sets of its price range out of the water.
Finally, of you’re looking for a simpler option, the best swing set for you would be the Eastern Jungle Gym Classic Cedar Tire Swing. It has the durability and reliability, providing classic fun of tire swinging for all ages.
