Swingset or Local Park?

I do not like going to the park very often ... too many mom cliques, too many kid cliques and when we are done we are done. I would love to have a modest play set in my back yard for everyday play and then the park when we are meeting up with friends.

My mom moved to AZ from CA the same time my ex and I did. She lived close by and has a HUGE yard. My kids were 3 and 6 mo when we moved here. She bought one of those big wooden play things (I think she paid $1400!!). The kids LOVE it. They are now 11 and 8 and still swing on it. They don't climb on the fort part or slide but they do swing every single time we go over there. So long story short...I would get the one for the back yard...the kitchen is close, the bathroom is close...etc. And you can still go to the park for something different. The fact is... YOU are the one home with the kids and taking care of them. and if HE ever has to watch the kids when you aren't there, he will be VERY glad that they will have something to play on right in their own back yard! :o)

I think it depends on if the equipment will actually be used. Do your kids play together?

We currently have a 5 year old DD, with a trampoline & playhouse in the backyard & she hardly uses them, mainly because she has no one to play with. So, a lot of times we do end up going to the park instead, because she is very social & wants to play with other kids.

However, I have a friend with 3 boys close in age, and they have a playset & trampoline, and they are outside all the time. I think it's different because they have built in playmates.

Maybe make a list of pros & cons & go from there?

I think this really depends on the type of swing set. I realize you said $270 but that doesn't tell us much about the quality of the set. The 2nd grader would really like swings and a climber. That's what they do every day at recess anyway.

Here's how we solve these types of dilemmas...we are each allowed to "Trump" each other when we're at an impass. If it's important to you, Trump him. Now you can't do this once a week,but when it's really important to you.

I agree that $270 doesn't seem like a lot to spend. If you don't want the dirt, then use a weed barrier, mulch around the playset and build a small wall with some wood beams or dig it out a bit.

Sometimes the guys just don't get it because they don't have to live in our shoes. Having a backyard playset is a simple and great way to keep the kids entertained, contained and out getting some exercise...especially when you have a sleeping baby/toddler to contend with.

So ask if you can "win" this argument as you sincerely feel it would be well used and not too expensive. Also look on Craigslist - you might be able to get an awesome wooden playset with more features for the $270 you're going to spend on a smaller new playset.

You both have very valid points. Any way to compromise?

if i got the swingset i would mulch around it. that would save the dirt pit. add a small expense, but be good in the long run.

I think $300 spent on just one kid for years of entertainment is worth it... even if your 2nd grader wont play. but my guess is he will. right now i have to be outside with our 3 yr old for him to play on his, but it will be so nice when he's a few years older and can go out there by himself to play on it and i can be inside cooking dinner or doing other things. you can't do those things when you have to be with your kids at the park. we still go to parks all the time. but we use our swing set at least 3 times a week. we still have grass under our swingset by the way. I definitely agree with you and not your husband. Completely worth the money.

I agree with Amanda G. We have a swingset that we bought 2 years ago when our oldest son was about 18mo. He's 3 1/2 now and we now have a 2 1/2mo old. We have parks close by, but at this point we have to get in the car to go. There is one close by that with kids in a bike trailer is about 10min away, but the baby is still to little for that - DH did that alot with our oldest. We spent way more on our swingset though than you want to spend (I think it was like 1200-1300, can't remember exactly). Do you think the older one will use it as well? BTW, we still have grass around our swingset, but it doesn't get used ALL the time, we do still go to the parks too.

Get the swingset. The park is still there for other days. But a swing in the back yard means your kids can learn independent play. No other kid is hogging all the swings throwing sand etc. not to mention sometimes you want to say "go play" but still do the dishes and added bonus you can be the koolaid house and know where the kids are and who they are playing

Swingsets are very resrictive in my mind. A playset that includes a variety of activities is more the style of what I would spend the money on. Something that a 7-8 year old child can find interesting and also a toddler can be safe on.

To be honest I would start smaller. But some other fun items they could play on/in such as a small kitchen set, a water table, some sort of sand box that has a tight fitting cover to keep strays animals and bugs out of it, some bikes/trikes, ours like his Hot Wheels Mountain that stays outside, a climbing cube of some sort from a company like Step 2, roller skates, balls and other sports equipment, many other items can be incorporated into a fun play area that is age appropriate for both ages.

The reason I would not go towards the playset is the fighting with the hubby. The age difference in the kids ages. The danger that a playset would be to the toddler verses the boring factor to the older child. Not many features on a full size set can appeal to both ages. The little one is going to want to climb to the top just like big kids. The big kids are going to get really bored with a small play set that offers much less than a playground in a park.

Offering alternatives to going to the park to play is easy and affordable. As the kids grow you can sell or trade the outgrown equipment and buy newer replacements. We have a large playset, 3 swings, long bumpy slide, rope ladder, rope swing, huge fort, large area under the raised fort for the outdoor play kitchen, etc.... It was a constant battle when the 4 year old was younger. We were constantly redirecting him to play in the Little Tykes barn, on the climbing cubes, the 2-3 step ladders, the riding toys, etc...it was not fun to go outside. We were given the playset and it is used daily now. We added handles on the 2 ladders, added a rock climbing wall onto one side of the fort, added periscopes and steering wheels, and lots of other things like the swinging bar instead of the seat for 2.

Finding the right balance is easy if individual parts are age appropriate and interesting. As for the grass and other complaints from hubby...plan on making a play area. It can be dug out and resurfaced with heavy grass, sand or pea gravel. These are rather inexpensive surfaces for kids to fall on from height. If you wanted to you could even put a border around it to set a boundary for toys and play time. That way it would not be a free for all play yard and hubby could have the nice backyard he wants and you could have an alternative to going to the park every day and only go once or twice a week.

My husband never wanted one either. Finally I just made an executive decision and bought it. He wasn't really that mad when I did, especially when I reminded him of all the stuff he buys that I don't think we "need" (for example the huge expensive net he bought to practice driving his golf balls at home, and we live 5 MINUTES from the golf course!)
Anyhow, we got YEARS of use out of it, our kids, their friends, their cousins, it was absolutely worth it :)

My vote is for the swingset. 10 minutes away is a pain. All kids like to swing etc til they are 10 or so. Add a sandbox and you have your own park. I think it's a good investment. Hubby isn't taking them to the park is he? If he has done this he would know what a production it really is....time, supplies, getting out the stroller, walking there blah blah....maybe you should have him take them in the fashion that you would take them and see what he says after a few trips. I would only vote for the park if it wasn't a good idea to spend tha mony on the equipment.

swingset.....it's available 24/7 !!

& yes, your 2nd grader is nearing the end of its use.....unless you go with a fort-style set. & that's where my thoughts are: find something which could accommodate your older child, too!

I have one for my 2 year old and I love it. Since it isn't such an ordeal to get out, we are out more often. I don't know whny it would become a dirt pit around the swingset. We have green grass all around our swingset. Have your husband do the playground trip a few times and see. It worked in our house.

Swingset, definitely.
It's not just $300 though. You'll be out A LOT more than that. See http://www.safetypolicy.org/pm/playgrnd.htm and http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/327.html.

I would never just install the swingset on dirt. It costed us $6000 to prep the play area. Most injuries occur on playsets installed at home without regard to safety regulation. Check out the surface under the playsets at the park. You'll want to do something similar.

$270 for HOURS…wait…YEARS of entertainment. It's a no brainer. We spent a whole lot more than that on the one we have and ours only has 2 swings (one is a baby bucket and when we change it out, kids cannot swing high because they will hit the rock climbing wall), a rock climbing wall, slide and a picnic table underneath. So, nothing elaborate, but the kids use it a LOT. Down side is, so do our neighbors kids. Drives me NUTS when I pull up and they are out there playing at my house. Or when my kids are in for the night and they are out back playing….UGGGGG. But, I love that I can sit on the patio and relax while they play. Or I can wash dishes in the house and look out the window while they play. More than worth the investment. We go to the park to mix it up sometimes, but for everyday use, so glad there is fun right in my backyard.

I think you should go for the swing set. That way you don't always have to go some where to have fun outside. You can have play dates at your house and the kids can be entertained for hours. My daughter is almost 8 and loves to swing. We don't have a play set in our yard but she takes full advantage of any invitation to use some one else's. If you are concerned about a dirt pit, just square it off and add some mulch. Your second grader will still get good use out of it, have no fear.

I would get one! But I would make sure that the $300 one would actually be well made and withstand older kids swinging, because you know your older child will want to swing on it for quite a while. I have never heard of a good one for that cheap, but I don't know much about them!

I think I have to take your side on this one. Here are some good reasons to present to your husband:

Mama will be less frazzled and happier in the afternoons for many years to come if she can get chunks of time to herself while the kids play outside, within view of course. I know this because we have a sandbox and my son is happier than anything out there. This has made a pleasant dinner possible (both in the making and in the mood) on several occasions.

The second grader is doing to have a blast! She and her friends will be using that set for at least another couple years. And then your younger one will be using it until they're likely in second or third grade at least. So, $270 for nearly 9 years of entertainment seems like a bargaint to me. It averages out to around $30 a year. That's less than what most families pay for their cable each month. Which is healthier? Sitting on their butts inside, or playing outdoors?

The dirt pit is totally avoidable. Do what the park does: get something under the swingset. We used shredded hemlock, because it's less likely to give splinters (if the kids play with it, they will get some small slivers, it's unavoidable). Or use bigger bark chips. We also like the hemlock because the clover and grass will grow back in it.

The last, and most important reason is that this is going to be very supportive for YOU. Does your husband realize the extra work that goes into making sure *everything in the world* is in the backpack? Does he appreciate that it's a long walk back home when someone is hurt? What if there's something going on at the park that makes you decide to leave? (mean kids, adults behaving badly... our parks can be ill-used, some days.) By the time lunches/snacks are made, coats and shoes are on, last trips to the bathroom are done, it can be a half hour, easily? Then, with the walk there and the walk back... that's nearly an hour right there. So, if you have a 'free hour', they can take five minutes to get ready to go outside and spend 50 minutes playing in the backyard, or they can have 10 minutes at the park. Hmmm... which sounds more attractive to everyone?

Tell him that on the weekends, it's going to be great. As they get older, you can just send them out to play and be able to actually sit down and spend some time together. Good for the marriage!:)

Both!! We bought our swing set three springs ago for $600...it is a wooden built Amish one - so GREAT quality. Our kids were 5, 3, and 1. We still get TONS of use out of it, but we take them to other parks also so they don't get too bored with ours. We also have a trampoline in the back that doesn't get NEARLY the use it used to. But I love having options at home for them as well as fun places to go. I think your second grader will still LOVE it - not nearly as long, but will still love it. Totally worth the money IMHO.

I was just having this discussion I want a nice wood structure my husband and dad say the kids can go to the neighborhood park which is in view but from my house they have to either cross a large farmers field which soon will be planted or walk out of my sight around the block then get to it, I have 4 kids one is a newborn so going to the park constantly is not an option nor is it when I have a house to care for, I like the face that my 3 oldest can go into my backyard and play on a swing set without me as you said packing tons of stuff and I can keep one eye on then another on the baby and get housework done we will be going the bigger money route but only because I have 4 kids and a huge neighborhood full of kids I say push for the swing set I agree with you and plus why not put some woodchips down it will help with the mud etc around it :) the kids will love it and if its a fenced yard you can let them out without you chasing them too oh btw my son is a 3d almost 4th grader and still plays on swing sets etc they will both use it

Every kid needs their own swingset! Start showing him the ads from Lowes and Toys R Us this weekend and show him how reasonable $300 is! BTW, my nephew (5th grade) and neice (3rd grade) still play on theirs!

The best thing about a great back yard is that you can send the kids out there for 5 minutes while you finish something, or 1/2 an hour while you're on the phone, or whenever they want! And your 18 month old is probably still taking naps, and will for a while. During the summer, you'll be stuck in the house during naptime, but a swingset means your 2nd grader can still go play. And during the school year, when it's warm enough, your oldest can go play and relax while you make dinner. There isn't much time for him/her to go to the park after school before you have to go home to get dinner on!

This adds to the expense, but we have sand around our playset. I have a 2nd grader and an 18 month old, and they both love to play in the sand and go down the slide. We have a much bigger, more expensive swing set, though, with a swirly slide and a bumpy slide. it's old and getting rickety now. You might want to check Craigslist for sturdier used playsets and see if you can get a deal! Or check Craigslist for a simple swingset, which you can probably get for $50 or so, and then the financial part of your problem would be far less worrisome!-+

I think of the swingset as an every-day thing, and the park as a special trip.

Check out Craigslist and yard sales. We got our swingset for $20 which is an amount that just can't be argued with.

Good luck.

We are in a somewhat similar situation. One reason we really agreed on getting the swing set is that our oldest can play on it while the other naps. Also, after work, we get tired and it's a lot easier just to have the kids outside to play on the swing set than packing everyone up to the park. And with the cost of gas, your $270 should make itself up pretty quick!

I agree with you that you should get a swing set. We have 4 children ages 13, 8, 5, and 18 mo. Even our 13 yo occasionally plays around on it (although not very often). I think its silly to only be able to take the kids to the park if they want to play but I see your husbands point about the money too. But not only will your children use it but they can play on it with their friends too. I don't know about you, but I prefer my children to have their friends at our house over them going to their friends house. If the friends are the ones that have the outside play equipment then that's where they'll always want to play. Also, I read someone say a $300 one is too cheap. Maybe for a wooden one but ours is metal one that was about $400 and like I said, our 13 yo gets on it. Plus, you can get a good one on sale at a good price, just look around and do your research. I like the one mom's suggestion about Craigslist! Plus it may be partially together so your husband doesn't have to bother outing so much together.

My husband and I had the same arguement. I wanted some type of swingset in the backyard for most of the reasons you listed and some others. I have a 3 year old and 7 month old and my older one still needs pretty close supervision because the playgrounds around here are pretty big and he's not quite able to do everything. I just took him the other day and he went down one of the bigger slides that curves and he got flipped around, banged his head and fell the rest of the way backwards. He was fine, but I still need to watch him closely all while carrying around a 7 month old. I got my way, because I am home with them all day and my sons birthday was coming up so we ended up getting him a climber that has 2 slides and tunnel from little tikes. We were going to get him a swingset, but he actually hates the swings and refuses to go on them, but he loves climbing and slides so this should be perfect ( We have it half put together in the backyard right now, my husband is going to finish it when he gets home, my son hasn't seen it yet because I have all the blinds closed :) )

Anyway, I don't think your oldest is too old for a swingset. My brother bought a swingset for my nephew when he was 6 and he is going to be 8 and still uses it a lot. But you know your child better than anyone, so do you think they are too old for it? What do they like to do at the playground? Are there certain things the older one likes to play on or do they just like going to play with other kids? If they are only interested in going to play with other kids, the might not be too interested in a swingset where they have to play alone or just with the younger sibling..
Good luck, I hope you guys can come to an agreement soon!

2nd grade too old for a swing set??? Heck! I'm 41 and the only reason I don't get on the swings is because I am too busy pushing twin 3 yr olds on them! You are never too old to have fun.
We are saving for a $500 swing set to go at Mamaw's house because she watches our girls while we work and she has other grand and great grand kids that come over. We are also investing in a sand box, but instead of the 8x8, $550 one we were going to build, we are going to use a wading pool with a tarp as another Mamapedia member suggested.
The park near our house is 5 min. away, two by car, not counting the time we spend getting in the carseats. Having your own is still better. Sharing is a great thing to teach kids and for them to learn, but everyone doesn't teach it so it stinks to be at the park for an hour hoping someone will get off the swings or waiting for the clueless kid to go ahead and slide instead of hanging out at the top like he owns it!
We will also, eventually be living with MIL so the girls will also use the swings there when I am off over the summers.