I think you may find it harder to unload when you are done with it than you think. I have seen some really nice wood ones listed on CL for free because it is such a hassle to disassemble, move and reassemble.

My experience is second hand, but my observation is that mostly they only get used when there are play dates. If you often have other kids over, then it might get a fair bit of use. Otherwise, not so much.

We are big fans of the park. Someone else is responsible for the maintenance, a bigger variety of things to do and the possibility of running into friends or making new ones.

all. the. time. for years. We had a very lively group of kids in four adjacent backyards. Most of us had simple wooden swing sets although other neighbors had bigger playhouses and swing sets. Our kids - 13 altogether - played on everyone's swing set - the big ones were cool but the backyard set was closer - the kids didn't care. It was awesome. You don't have to spend a fortune. Your kids will love it as long as you or their friends are out there with them. And you are right - you can sell it easily.

Yes, my son and his friends used ours almost every day. It also had a "fort" that they all loved. They sometimes had to be shooed outside, away from tv and video games but once out, they didn't want to come back in.

Yes! My kids are now 32 & 26, they had 2 different ones - we upgraded to one with a fort & a climbing wall when my youngest was 6. My grandkids have one & they use it often - especially when kids come over to play.

We had a small one for a short time, and our boys used it just a bit. Not much at all. I don't even remember what happened to it.

I wonder if swing usage is a gender issue? Do girls use them? My boys were certainly not too fond of theirs. Not exotic or scary or dangerous enough, I guess. They spent a LOT more time climbing on our 5-foot backyard fence, trees, the porch roof (when they could get away with it), etc. etc.

We had a wooden playset. One swing, a slide and a raised treehouse type structure. Ours was mostly used when the kids were really young, 2-5.

We had a wooden playset and a separate log cabin. They LOVED both and spent many happy hours playing in them.

They used the fort longer than the swing part. Our neighbors made their own Frankenstein of various forts/swing sets, and while not tall, it was awesome and got lots of play, kind of Tom Sawyer Island-ish with bridges, levels, drop-down holes, ramps, climbing wall, ladders. They played lots of action-role-playing games and athletic competition (obstacle course type things), and it was really versatile.

Yes, my two sons used it for years and DD used it too, until we mean parents demo'd it to make room for the kitchen addition.

My kids did use ours a fair amount.....this was the 80's and 90's.....we had a lot of kids in the neighborhood. We had an inexpensive metal set with swings, slide and glider thing from Sears or Toys R Us. When they outgrew it we just threw it out....we had gotten our money's worth and it had seen better days by then.

My kids used it more when they were younger to ride the swings and occasionally the slide. I'd say they used it, but not as much as I thought they would, and definitely moreso from about ages 4-7. They rarely used the little fort and smallish rock climbing wall to the side of it. Now my neighbor has one in his backyard and for some reason, his gets used ALL the time. He is the same age as my youngest, and my older kids had no friends in the 'hood when they were young so we were not the "hangout" of the neighborhood. My kids were outside all the time, but we live on a dead end so they spent more time out on the street riding little trikes and playing sports rather than in the back yard on the playset.

Several years ago, a younger couple in the neighborhood offered to take our playset when we mentioned we were going to get rid of it. We were going to give it to them for free, happy to be rid of it. However, before we were able to give it to them, El Derecho tore through, sheering off the top half of a huge tree in our back yard. It landed on top of the playset, and the top came through our bedroom window (narrowly missing dh who I had just woken up seconds earlier!). The insurance company ended up paying us for the playset, but unfortunately, it meant our neighbors ended up having to buy a new one.

I think it's really hit or miss, just depends on the kids.

I bought first two DGS,s a wooden swing set with a house. It was a very good quality and they got a lot of good years of use from it. They are now almost nine and ten and they will be giving it up this summer for more room to play soccer. Last year my other DGS was gifted a wooden swing set with house by U.S. And his other grandparents. I hope he and the twins will get many years of enjoyment from it.

i have to admit that I love to get on the swing when I'm there. I also love to jump on the trampoline with them but I can only take about five minutes of that until I'm pooped out!

Ours was used. My daughter loves to swing, but unfortunately at 14 and at an adult size, she is really too heavy to do it with gusto. My boys used it to, but somewhat less. One had a particularly hard time figuring out the rhythm of the legs on the swings. As far as boys and the thrill factor, they love it when they work up the nerve to jump off the swing. They also like crawling on top of the monkey bars. The fort was not used as much as I thought it would be, but we are also on 5 acres and they liked wondering about in the woods and creating their own forts.

MY daughters enjoyed ours as well. We also just had the old fashioned metal one like Joanie.

It's just a extra thing that they can use while outside. They won't necessarily spend hours on it, but will enjoy having it if it's there.

• We hung a swing to the underside of a two story deck, and downstairs in the rafters of an unfinished basement. My kids loved to swing. WE also had a large plastic climber deal and HUGE sand box. My kids were at home all day. Kids today are rarely home and when they are have chores/homework etc then add electronics time. The saddest sight I see are two income families BUSY BUSY BUSY with a yard FULL of fun things that are FOREVER empty and not being used. If you are home, the swing set will get used. It is about the tone of your home.

My parents bought the material for a wooden set for my DS's 4th BD. DH & my Dad built it together. It was set back from the house and my kids used it almost daily for years through the warm months. Even when they were pre teens they'd go out to the swings & just hang out or bring a book to read on the platform at the end.

We built a simple wooden set with 3 swings and a mini climbing wall & lookout platform behind our lakehouse. The kids (& even my grown kids) often use it while we grill and entertain nearby.

My GDD's will head out with their listening devices, insert the earbuds and just swing and sing ;)

I am another who has found our playscape a godsend. Ours was free, we dragged it over from a neighbor's yard, and we live between to school parks that are less than a two minute walk from our house. The reason they've been so appreciated is that when a younger child is napping the older children can run outside and play without waking the babies. My nine year old and her friends still use it regularly too. If you are handy look into a used one.

Sueb20, lol.....I'm pretty sure there is a country song lurking in that story!

I see my neighbor's son and his friends on theirs a lot. Mostly they appear to be playing pirate or some imaginary game. When we had one back in the 50's, we played on it all the time. It was one of those metal sets that when you got swinging hard enough, the front legs lifted off the ground.

We didn't have room for one for my kids and they never asked for one. They just played in the street, in the driveway or in the woods (for hours).

On the other hand, driving around, I see tons of them just sitting empty. Guess you have to know your own kids.

we didn't have a set, because we moved several times and also it didn't seem to make sense when there were several in the neighborhood and very large playgrounds to locally go to... but, my kids did love playing on them!

we had a neighbor who had an expensive set that they moved with them when they moved-- the moving co just disassembled it and then were to reassemble it at their new home...

but, my kids really loved trampolines- that would have been their strong preference... i even researched them and found a company in either oregon or wash that seemed to make great tramps, but then chickened out buying one- didn't want the liability- but i still sometimes think i should have gotten it!!

My daughter (and our neighbor kids/nieces) loved hers. It was just the metal type, nothing fancy, but they had years of fun on it. We gave it away when DD was older, and it made me cry. :') (Another era of her childhood over.)

I guess when I say 'local' playground it's not actually close.

For a short time I considered trying to find a used one since DH was so convinced it wouldn't be used, but I actually couldn't find any! I have to say I'm kind of over buying second hand large items where the pick up turns into a project. Had a few fun CL experiences years back. It was raining for that last one, ugh.

DH has made it somewhat of a boy vs. girl thing since they never used theirs. I keep reminding him how there will be future kids.

We had a rock solid metal one growing up that lasted forever. My mom babysat in the summer so there were quite a few kids over and it was used heavily. When we outgrew it the neighbors took it for their grandkids. It went to another home not long ago and I believe it's STILL being used.

I'm annoyed and saddened by the quality and price comparison of swing sets today. It appears the inexpensive metal ones are, for the most part, junk. Then there's that wide middle range where most on the cheaper side (not actually cheap!) severely lack in one area or another. The models with forts, that I think are great, DH is worried about kids falling and getting really hurt. I say it will be fine. The one I think we've settled on has swings, large slide, trapeze, 2 different types of glider swings, and a climbing ladder that runs up both sides and bars that go run the length so you can swing across. I know...as if a kid couldn't fall off those bars, right!?

Both DH and I were always outside growing up and that's the plan for our kids. At our house we did get into video games, but were limited to only certain times on the weekends to play. I think it's sad that the youth seems so heavily involved with electronics, especially the computer/phone and social media, at such a young age.

Thank you everyone for the feedback. I enjoyed reading all the stories!

Be sure to research fall zones and appropriate materials for underneath. Hope it's a big hit!

I wonder how many of those who reported heavy use of their swing sets are in the ....ah.....'older' crowd? We used ours all the time when we were growing up in the 50's and 60's but we were also outside all the time - playing all those kids games that no one seems to play now. Anyone remember Hide and Seek, Red Light, Green Light, Stop - Mother May I, Hop Scotch, Red Rover, Hula Hoops, roller skates (with keys), jump rope,........... Families tended to be larger and TV didn't dominate our lives. We played basketball, rode bikes and played Peter Pan in the woods. If we were inside we played board games, cards or pulled our our coloring books.

With all those wonderful memories of our own childhood DH built an oversize swing set for our kids using double 2x12s for the overhead ladder and supports. It was fairly simple - 2 swings, a rope swing, a ladder on both sides and across the top, and a huge tarp to turn it into a fort or cave or den or tent. . Our kids used it - and so did the neighbor kids since it was nice and large, plus we had a sandbox and a tree that was easy to climb.

We limited TV and it probably also helped that this was before everyone was connected to the internet 24/7. My kids are in their 30's so I never had to deal with kids walking around with iPads. We bought a computer when they were in grad school - it was an Apple 1C or 1E - and they liked playing Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego or the Oregon Trail.

Now we have 2 new families near us with beautiful wooden swing sets with climbing boards and tents and they were used while the kids were preschool, but now are seldom used unless they have a play date. Around here kids don't roam the neighborhood the way I did or as my own kids did in the 80's.

Maire

Chiming in late, but we bought our playset when our oldest was in kindergarten and the youngest was just a baby. My husband was totally skeptical but it has seen a ton of use - especially the fort part. Nowadays it seems to host a lot of battles that involve nerf guns. We are considering taking it down because we've had two years of terrible runoff issues from a huge new build next door and need to do some serious relandscaping. But my oldest son (about to turn 12yo) was outraged at the thought of losing it, so I've called the company we bought it from to come check it out and see if it can last a few more years.

Marie, to answer the age question, my oldest is only 9 and our many neighbors who play outside on theirs and ours are all ages between 4 and 12 so some neighborhoods have not changed that much from my childhood. I will say my neighborhood has mostly children who come home after school and not go to daycare so maybe that is why so many use their yard swing sets while other ones sit empty for no one is home to play?

My kids played in our backyard a lot. Swingset was probably the least used. We had a sandbox, used a lot, but a tree house and a trampoline were used constantly. They asked for packed lunches they could eat on the trampoline and in the treehouse. When they had kids over to stay the night, they slept on the trampoline. My girls are in their 30's, we never dealt with internet problems. I was also a stay at home mom and the kids had plenty of time to be outside, if they chose to.

PS. Never any serious injuries!

We did not have a swingset and to the best of my knowledge, never asked for one. My parents and grandparents had acerage between them. There were woods behind us. We also had a family with a girl and boy down the street that had a wooded area behind them. That was our playground. There was an old pirate ship (really a wooden ship that we called a pirate ship, not sure where it came from) that seemed "hidden" to us that we loved to play in. A sinkhole in the woods behind my grandparents. In the fall when it was filled with leaves, it was a great "slide"! Back in behind my parents was an old family cemetery where we search for hours for bottles, etc., things from the past. We always had a dog, my pappaw had chickens and beagles, and we had bikes - from tricycles on up. Those were the big plaything for us - those bikes. Even my little tricycle had a basket on it and I can remember to this day a small pup that I used to ride in the basket. LOL We played "house" outside and "cooked" with concoctions from mud, leaves, etc. This started in mid-late 60s and we spent much of our time outdoors (hmmm maybe why I have such a love for outdoor activities???). TV wasn't turned on during the day, my mom thought we needed to play (burn energy probably) - and if it was pretty, we should be outside. We did have an old rope swing at some point.

I can remember my barbies having a "home" outside and their beds were covered in redbud leaves. I can remember taking a book and sitting under a tree reading. Those were the days!

Most kids I see around here love to climb on things and play ball or ride scooters in the street. The playgrounds have a lot of climbing options, usually with some sort of theme.

I only see small toddlers and babies and their parents using the swings.

I would love to swing on a swing that goes super high.

i think part of the 'problem' these days besides boys video game focus in their free time is all of the organized sports, etc. available these days. if your kids are athletic (and if you are too) they most likely will want to join different team sports at a relatively young age because that's what a lot of their friends will be doing. there were team sports (ie- little league) to some degree in elementary school when i was a kid, but nothing like it is now!! once kids are in school, it really is pretty amazing how busy kids can be, especially if there's more than one in the family, even if they're not a part of an activity crazed family! (theirs plus going to their siblings' practices and games, etc) there's less opportunity to spend long, aimless hours outside... :(

There's also no one else outside to spend those hours with. It varies by location and happenstance of course. Where we are now, there are not so many kids home during the day. Their parents work so the kids are at daycare or at school and then after care. It's better here than some places we have loved but not nearly as good as the last place we lived. And nothing like dh and I remember from growing up in the 70s.

Not a swing set, but we had a huge maple tree in the backyard and Dad did a disk swing with the rope through the center off one of the limbs. I spent many hours in the summer time enjoying swinging in the shade under that tree.