Add a trellis to the fence. Or plant trees or shrubs. Don't, however expect anything like these to reduce the noise.

I just wanted to offer my sympathies for your situation. I am fairly noise sensitive and that would certainly bother me. Can you plant some deciduous trees or perhaps something more dense like arborvitae along the fence? (Sorry I'm not an expert in your area so perhaps arborvitae isn't the right choice.) It isn't going to completely block the noise but might help diffuse or muffle it. Also, how old are your windows? Depending on the age, newer windows might help block some of the sound from coming inside the house unless the windows are open.

Focus on what you can control in the house. Soft music on, fans for white noise, new and better windows etc.

Kids make noise and have fun. It is what it is living in a family area. Kids also likely shut down the noise by 8pm

Plantings have no discernible effect on sounds.

Add a fountain, too. As an older person, I have learned to try to listen to the sounds of children with tolerance if not a little joy. Took me a lot of years, but it might help to look at it that way. Sounds of younger children playing is easier to take than teens partying! Ask me how I know. ETA: I also agree about the windows. They can make all the difference!

HFFF

(Typo above) Kids aren't really the problem...its the sense that someone can easily over a reasonably tall fence into my pool and every room we spend time in, so im feeling somewhat dedparate for a privacy solution that doesnt cost a fortune.
Hurricaine windows would be great for the house but (5 sliding doors) pricey. If i replace the (old) fence, 75 ft long, I can do 8 ft high but the structure is 10+. I dont want to do that and find out it doesnt solve the issue, possibly need a coordinated plan with trees or?

Plant some bamboo? You need the clumping kind and not the running kind. We needed to block views from a new house that was built behind us, slightly uphill from us. We planted bamboo that was probably 8 ft when we bought it. We live in a dry area, so we watered the heck out of it in the beginning and a few years later it is probably 30 - 40 feet tall. We don't see the house in the back at all, even from upstairs! It does drop leaves, so you probably don't want it next to your pool. We bought a variety that had the potential to get tall, but there are many varieties that don't grow as tall.

Ah gotcha. Less about noise more about privacy. Depends how quickly you want it dealt with. We have a neighbour issue where he has tarps and all kinds of ugly stuff on his side. We have planted magnolia trees and one day they will be epic. For now they barely scratch the surface of what is needed.

But it doesn’t bother me enough to care..:yet!

Is your fence the kind that you can add to its height rather than replace the fence?

Well, frankly, you're screwed unless they move the playset. The fastest-growing hedge will be clusia rosea. You could have 6+ ftt of hedge in 2 years. They grow like weeds and have no pests, and are drought tolerant once they get established. The hedge with the fence of composite material s your best bet. The composited will reflect the sound back to the playset.

You can't have the fence be open because that defeats the sound deadening.

No amount of water short of a fire hydrant will have any effect on the noise.

The unique feature about the clusia rosea or pitch apple hedge is that each leaf is like a succulent filled with tissue and water (think Jade Plant) so they are better insulators than most leaf hedges.

Italian cypress are tall and thin and don't take up a lot of room.

If there is a more pleasant sound than children playing, I haven't heard it. Geesh.

Except when they are screaming for hours and hours. We used to have this situation, but now that the kids are older, it has subsided.

Sometimes you just want to have a cup of tea on your deck in peace and quiet.

Agreed eld6161. Some kids play, laugh, and giggle. I love those kinds of kids. :) My house overlooks a soccer field and I love to hear the sounds of kids playing and laughing.

At a prior house, those kids SCREAMED. At the top of their little lungs, for hours at a time. Fighting, swearing, screaming. Just like their delightful parents.

We moved. I'm a whole lot happier.

Agree. Oversized play structure is attached to swing set that is metal on metal screech with each swing. Thanks for all suggestions. I think replacing old wood fence w new 8 ft rear fence (looking at composite) and tall plantings are best solution... i like the suggestions of tall calusa (fat leaves do sound like they'd help w noise but do want them 12 ft tall and not 12 ft wide) and adding in some flowering trees that dont get too wide for the small width of the yard.

IMO an 8’ fence in a 10’ wide space will make that feel like a tunnel and I don’t thinkmit will have any effect on the noise as for someone climbing the fence and getting into your pool , whare I live the pool needs to be surrounded by fence with a locking gate to enter so if thye get into your pool after all that there really is no way you will keep them out. I don’t like kids scraming all day either but the normaal sounds of kids playing has never had an effect on my life. Maybe talk to neighbors about oiling the play set to keep the screech to a min.I don’t know about the rules whaere you live but check if there are some about height of fences.

I have a pool "screen cage" with security doors so its not any danger. With permit, perimeter fence can bed 8 ft. tall. I talked to them last year and they took the old play structure down (it was right on the fence and had a window that opened to my yard) and they added something taller so that ship has sailed. So i am on houz for reasonable solutions to make my area feel private.

I don''t think investing in an 8 foot fence is going to solve your issue if it's privacy you need. I would speak with a local nursery about the best planting options in your area to obtain the privacy you seek.

Thank you for your suggestions, and understanding, much appreciated.

I feel for you, C C. I am also noise sensitive and kids screaming, splashing and shouting for hours on end would drive me right around the bend.

So does that make me a crabby old lady? A bad person cause I don’t appear to enjoy kids playing? Just cause I’m different from a lot of people doesn’t make me WRONG.