There are few pleasures that compare to the joy I experienced as a child while playing on a swing set. Whether in my backyard, at a park, or on the school playground, swinging was one of my favorite childhood pastimes. I remember playing with my neighbor on our wooden swing sets and standing in line on the playground to take a turn on the coveted swing sets at school. And proving that swings aren't always just for children, even now, I have a tree swing in the woods on a hill behind my house which I love to use.

Swing sets have been around for hundreds of years. Originally, people handmade their swings, and they were quite popular structures for those living on the prairie. Now, with all the video games and electronic activities that are so prevalent in children's lives, simple joys like playing in the backyard or swinging on a swing set sometimes seem lost. But if you're one of those people who remember loving playgrounds and swing sets and want to provide the same joy for your children, here are a few bits of information about these timeless structures.

First of all, as mentioned before, swing sets don't have to be restricted to children. Swings for adults, porch swings, and others can be used by people of all ages. But on playgrounds, swings consist of a seat that is suspended on a metal, wooden, or plastic frame. For infants and toddlers, swing seats are available with holes in them for the child to put his or her legs through, and an adult gently pushes the swing from the front or behind. Swings for older children or adults are often made of canvas, plastics, rubber, or wood.

Aside from swing sets, other playground accessories may include mazes, see-saws, slides, jungle gyms, forts, balance beams, merry-go-rounds, climbing walls, monkey bars, or forts.

Benefits of Playgrounds

Swing sets and playgrounds made for children provide fun as well as educational and social benefits. Many tout the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social skills that are developed while playing on a playground with other children. Playgrounds allow children to unrestrainedly use their imagination and to express themselves while having fun. Their social skills are developed as they meet new children and interact with them. Not to mention that getting off the couch and out of doors usually is a catalyst for more physical activity that improves mental and physical health. Playgrounds are actually designed to promote physical activity and help children improve their coordination, flexibility, and strength.

Although playgrounds, and specifically swing sets, provide many benefits and a return to simple, natural playtime, safety is still a concern. Many playground structures and equipment are quite tall and if misused, children can seriously injure themselves. The first rule of playground safety is to make sure your child is supervised while on the playground to ensure that they are using the equipment correctly as well as to make sure that strangers do not approach your child.

To help prevent falls and even to prevent swing sets from tipping over, you want to be sure that the swing set is not on hard earth, but on more flexible surfaces like sand, mulch, or a rubberized surface. If a child falls on these softer surfaces, they are likely to be less injured than if they were to fall on hard ground. Installing swing sets on grass is also an acceptable surface, although it is not as good as other softer surfaces. The legs of wooden swing sets can even be partially buried in the ground to help promote stability.

Other safety precautions to take when your child is playing on a swing set is to establish rules such as not twisting the swing chains or ropes, not swinging if a someone is walking close by, not standing or laying down in a swing, using both hands while swinging, and not jumping from swings. You should also ensure that all hooks, bolts, and other items are securely in place.

Luckily, old playground and swing-set threats to safety caused by unsafe equipment have been resolved in recent years. Stronger and sturdier materials are used that are usually treated only with EPA approved chemicals. However, they may be exceptions, so to make sure you don't endanger your child's health, if you plan to install a playground or swing set in your yard, research the various treatments used on the equipment to see if they have any potential harmful side effects on health.

There are three basic types of swing sets: metal, plastic, or wooden. Wooden swing sets are by far the most durable and safest to use. Metal swing sets, although durable, often get too hot during the summer months and are a harder surface on which children may bump their heads. Plastic swing sets are not of the same quality as wooden swing sets and are usually less stable. In fact, the only complaints against wooden swing sets have to do with splinters and unsafe wood treatments, two complaints that are either preventable or unsubstantiated.

Splinters are an ailment that many worry about but few actually experience on a wooden swing set. Splinters can be prevented by periodically examining the playground for places where the wood's finish may have chipped or broken away. Also, in the past, wooden swing sets were pressure treated with chemicals that contained chromium or arsenic (which, of course, are now prohibited). Now, most wooden swing sets are safely treated with ACQ which contains copper and prevents rot, decay, and termites.

Wooden swing sets also have a natural look that don't obstruct the integrity of backyard landscaping, and they are also strong enough to last decades. They support about 50 pounds more weight per child than other types of swing sets. And wooden swing sets can also come with all the other playground accessories you may want.

Whether you're looking to buy a swing set or playground for your backyard or just want to know more about swing sets on school and public playgrounds, hopefully this information has been helpful, and I hope that more people rediscover the simple joy of playgrounds and swing sets.