Swing Set

What is any home with a pool and a white picket fence without a swing set to match? As modern toys grow increasingly advanced, an old-fashioned swing set may seem outdated. But most toddlers aren't quite prepared for an X-Box or Game Cube, especially when their tiny hands aren't big enough to handle a game controller.

Enter swing sets, which rank up there with pogo sticks and hoola hoops on the list of indefatigable all-purpose toys. There are generic swing sets that boast a simple seat, a swing chain, and a couple of poles. Then there are deluxe swing sets, which come with sliding boards, jungle gyms, and other surfaces for youngsters to crawl.

Fun and Safety in One on Your Swing Set
Many parents are reluctant to splurge on a swing set for fear their child will end up with sprained ankles, wrists, and worse. But any toy is a potential danger if kids are left to use them unsupervised. Swing sets are designed with two- to eight-year-olds in mind, so provided you're there to monitor them, your children are as safe as you let them be.

Children will always find new ways of getting into trouble, but that's why they're children. Bunk beds, trampolines, scooters, and paintball games are just a few of the potential daily hazards that kids face. But what are you to do? Deprive your child of his or her youth? The best advice is to check with the expert at your home furnishings or toy store to make sure you've properly set up your swing set. Then let your children swing and slide to their hearts' content.