Swing Set Safety: 10 Tips to Keep Kids Safe on Wooden Swingsets

Wooden swingsets have been a classic and consistent source of fun for different generations of kids and are still offering fun today! One of the major downsides of wooden swingsets is that they require you to do regular maintenance on them to ensure they’re safe to use for a long time. However, they are still one of the most stable and durable options out there, but there are some safety considerations you need to think about when choosing a wooden swing set:

1.   Use safe surfacing for protection

One of the first things that can make your swingset loads safer for your child is providing safe surfacing for the swingset. There are various options, but one of the best is laying rubber mulch underneath the swingset to give kids a softer landing if they fall.

People often use things like grass and turf to sort this out. Unfortunately, grass and turf aren’t the best choices because they don’t absorb an impact nearly as well as rubber does. When it comes to the possibility of your child falling off the swing and hurting themselves, you want a surface that will soften the blow.

2.   Keep the areas around the swing set clear

Another aspect to be mindful of is to try your best to keep the swing set area free from obstructions or other playground activities. This is to avoid the potential for a collision with other people or objects while your kids are playing.

Ideally, there should be enough room in front and behind the swing to ensure that if they swing with the full range of motion, they won’t hit anything or anyone on both sides of the swing. It’s also important to educate your kids about being mindful of swings and encourage them to stay away from swings when someone is on them.

3.   Install the swing set on level ground for optimized stability

A key to keeping kids safe on swings is ensuring that they are stable places to play. You’ve got to start from the ground up with this one, because if the ground is unlevel, the swingset might be slanted, making it uncomfortable or even hazardous to play on. Not to mention, if the ground is uneven, your kids could also trip as they run around the swing set. It’s in everyone’s best interest to level the ground properly before installing the swing set.

4.   Sand and round edges for safety

This only really applies when you have a wooden swing set. Often, wooden swing sets could have sharp corners where the parts join together. Imagine if your child happened to slip and bump their head on one of the sharp parts, it could result in a very serious injury. To avoid this, sand down these areas until they are well-rounded.

5.   Use coated chains to avoid pinching

Have you ever had your hand or another part of your body pinched by the link between the chains of a swing? It’s pretty painful, to say the least. Thankfully you can try to ensure this doesn’t happen to your children by getting the chains coated with a rubber-like paint, ensuring that they are softer to touch and less harsh when moving.

6.   Replace worn accessories and parts

This is a pretty important one. When you’ve had the swingset for a while, some of its parts are bound to wear eventually, especially if it’s a wooden swingset. Because of this, you need to be attentive when dealing with any potential issues that may arise, such as wood rot, rust, loose parts, and any other issues that could make the swings less safe.

Where to get the right swing set

Wooden swingsets are nice, especially if you’re into the more traditional swingset style. However, there are many alternatives nowadays that would be easier to set up and potentially safer for your kids, too. For the best swing sets for kids, check out VulyPlay.com—they’re known for their wide range of customizable and quality swing sets.

Final thoughts

We are by no means against wooden swingsets. They’re a classic piece of playground equipment, look great in a backyard, and can offer kids just as much fun as other swing sets. That said, when working with someone raised off the ground and with numerous risks to your kids, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. So, consider the safety tips above and allow your kids to enjoy their swingset in a safe and secure environment.