What is a Swing Set Without Swings? A Great Way to Get Big Play in a Small Yard

Expert Advice  |  6 years ago

There’s nothing more fun for active, outdoor play than a swing set with all the bells and whistles including slides, forts, climbing walls, and...no swings.

No swings? Why would you get a swing set without swings? It’s true kids love to swing, but the fact is, swings often take up the majority of space on an outdoor playset especially once you account for use zones.

To plan for maximum safety, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends 6 feet of clear space all around your playset. If you have swings, however, the recommendation is to have clear space equal to twice the arc of the swings to both the front and back of the playset, so for instance if you have swings that attach 8 feet above the ground, and the swing seat is 1 foot above the ground, the swing arc would be approximately 7 feet to the front and 7 feet to the back for a total of 14 feet. The resulting recommendation would be twice this distance for a total of 28 feet of clear space.

Your yard may not be that big or it may already have other amenities like a patio or pool taking up most of its space. But you don’t have to give up your playset dreams. While kids do love swings, what we have found is that the playset structures and accessories actually get the most use over time because they allow for more social, more imaginative, and more varied play. Foregoing swings can be the easiest way to fit a playset in a small space, and your kids will still love it and enjoy it for years.

Another idea for getting big outdoor play in a small yard is a playhouse. CedarWorks outdoor playhouses are beautiful and a lot of fun, but at 6 feet by 6 feet, they have a relatively small footprint, and depending on the accessories you choose, they can even be tucked into a corner. You can get a two-story playhouse with a climbing wall, firefighter pole, rope and bucket, and even a slide, so there is still plenty of room for play.

Check out our Small Yards page for more examples of small playsets and swing sets or call one of our Design Experts to help you design a playset to fit your yard.