Outside play is us. Winter is in full retreat as sun, sunscreen, and warm weather take the stage. Families nationwide are scrolling, searching, liking, messaging, planning, and even, I dare say, plotting which backyard swing set or playhouse will be the highlight of their year. Whether by Googling, Tiktoking, or even going old school and walking in and picking up a catalog, parents are trying to figure out which swing set, design, and brand fits their backyard vibe.
I, Justin, have worked in the swing set industry for 6 years now. From sales to marketing, I have clambered, slid, crawled, swung, and clowned around on all kinds of swing set designs. The following is my swing set shopping guide for 2025. If you stick with it and read through it, you will know all you need about shopping for a swing set in 2025.
The Starting Point: Your Backyard
The best thing you can do is walk out into your backyard with your significant other and talk about where and how much space you are willing to dedicate to your new backyard swing set. Getting on the same page here can save frustrating conversations later. Take a tape measure and get some basic dimensions of the area. This knowledge will be instrumental in ensuring the set fits into your space.
Here are a few extra notes to consider when out there. Does your backyard slope, or is it bumpy? That can affect the swing set install. King Swings can install a swing set on a space that drops 12’’ over 20’ but more than that, you will need to do some landscaping.
Where does the water collect in your yard? Will the set block access to any part of your property? How will the swing set affect your neighbors? The new trees you planted will have large branches reaching out in a few years: will they interfere with your set?
Think long-term when you are sizing up your backyard for a playhouse or swing set. For a King Swings playset, think 15+ years down the road. A little forethought can prevent problems in the future. So spend as long as you need to discuss the placement; it is a fantastic starting point.
Key Takeaway: Measure your area to ensure your swing set will fit, and consider the long-term when selecting your playset’s location.
Next: At what age should you get a swing set?
A common online search query centers around the age at which parents should get their kids a swing set. Everyone has their opinions, and I generally agree with the guidelines that swing sets are great for 2-12-year-old kids with the stipulation that you know your kid’s best. Follow your gut.
But first, let me ask you about your risk tolerance. Strange question, right?
Your acceptance and tolerance of risk are important factors in how early you introduce a swing set, playhouse, or playground equipment. Yes, we build our swing sets and playhouses as safely as we can, but there can always be the slip, the tumble, the bump. The younger the child, the more likely a tumble or slip will happen.
Yet, a swing set or playhouse fulfills an important task: teaching children to assess physical spaces, move in them, and be safe.
This blog post goes into great detail on when to get a child a swing set. The takeaway I want you to get is to trust your instincts. That all being said, I believe two years old is a great age to introduce a swing set into your family. A swing set can really help that little one get confident on their feet, build strength and coordination, and develop self-confidence.
Key Takeaway: As the parent, trust your instincts about when to introduce a swing set but the sooner you do, the sooner your children can start reaping all the benefits.
Step Three: Know Your Kid’s Dreams
As you pull up to a playground and the kids spill out to have some fun, observe what they spend most of their time doing. Do they swing? Slide? Race about playing tag? Careful observation of what your children enjoy doing at your local park can help you plan your playset.
And, of course, ask your kids. DM us for a physical catalog and slap it down in front of them so they can browse through and circle things they like. You might assume your kids want the massive rock wall, but they agree that, for their games, the playhouse with the big slide is way more fun for creative play.
Key Takeaway: Knowing what your kids want will help you find a swing set that will keep them coming outside day after day!
Step Four: Begin Your Research
With the first three steps accomplished, this is a great time to start shopping. Visit websites, read reviews, ask for physical catalogs, and all that good stuff. Here are a few things you should research.
1) Will this set grow with your children?
Don’t just buy a swing set for your kids’ current age. Think down the road and ask yourself if the backyard swing set or playhouse you are considering is tall enough, fast enough, or has enough fun options to keep your kids interested year after year. Don’t just buy for right now. This is why King Swings advises not going any lower than a 5’ deck height for the long-term use of your swing set. Items like high swing beams, taller deck heights, faster slides, and the like will greatly increase the time your kids use your swing set.
2) Is the swing set made out of quality materials?
Yes, great, the swing set only costs $699, but take a second look at the materials used. Look for stainless steel or zinc-coated hardware and high-quality wood. Are the holes for the screws predrilled? Don’t get sucked into blind excitement over a “great price” you ultimately get what you pay for.
King Swings uses southern yellow pine, Trex decking, powder-coated hardware, stainless steel, and other high-quality materials. Our swing sets are made by hand when the order is placed, not sitting in some dank warehouse in a cardboard box.
3) What is the warranty?
The warranty and how well the company upholds it tells you a lot about the quality of the swing set. A great warranty that ignores claims is bogus, and a weak warranty tells you about the quality of the swing set. Check the company's reviews and note if a theme emerges about poor customer service. Read the warranty carefully and watch for phrases that sound good but don’t mean anything. More on that later.
4) Who will install it?
Yes, the price is great, and yes, it looks ok, but if it is in a giant box, guess who has to install it? You! What seems like a fine idea in the store when your kids are looking at you with pleading faces is another thing entirely when there if fifty billion pieces laid out in your yard, you are missing a screw for step 142, and your kids are repeating a certain naughty phrase that leaped out of your mouth when you pinched your fingers.
King Swings delivers and installs all of our swing sets. That means you can save your weekends, save your back, save your marriage, and have the peace of mind that your kid’s swing set is assembled correctly.
5) Does the swing set pass the visual test?
Step back and look at the swing set. Does it look like the big bad wolf could blow it down? What are the most common dimensions of the wood pieces? Could a group of angsty teens coursing on the tower make it topple? Will it support your weight if you play with the kids for a bit?
Compare the size of the structural beams of any big box store to a King Swings’ swing set. We use 4x4s, 2x6s, and 2x4s. Our swing sets can handle an adult clambering all over them (check out our YouTube channel to see this in action), and the big bad wolf would die of exhaustion before he could even get a wobble from our sets.
Key Takeaway: Do your research. An hour or two of careful research can save you a lot of time when actually shopping.
Step 5: Find Your Brand
With the onslaught of digital advertising, every swing set brand and its mother is shouting for your attention as you try to watch cute cat videos. How do you sort through all that noise for a good company?
Read reviews. Check out their Google reviews, Meta reviews, and so on. In an age where so many of us buy sight unseen, reviews are the best tool we have to ensure we are getting a great product and experience. King Swings has 500+ five-star reviews, with happy families praising our product, process, and install crews. Spend some time reading through our reviews, then shop confidently.
Know if you are going through a dealer or the manufacturer directly. If you want the best info and help, King Swings encourages you to go manufacturer direct. Our in-house sales team lives and breathes swing sets, so we can help you quickly and efficiently design your dream swing set. Plus, you don’t have to go through a middleman to get help if you do have an issue.
Lastly, is customization available? Customizing is a huge undertaking that requires that the sales team and the manufacturer know their stuff. Many cheap, mass-produced swing sets are just a take-it-as-you-see-it. The best brands offer the option to tweak the design to fit your space, budget, and needs.
King Swings loves to customize, and we encourage it. We want your family to be thrilled with your swing set or backyard playhouse. So send us a thousand questions and request dozens of estimates with different layouts. We are here for it.
Red Flags for Brands
I don’t want to throw mud, so we won’t linger long here, but here are a few things to watch out for when shopping for a swing set for your backyard.
Bad current reviews: yes, every company can go through hard times and get better, but if current reviews are bad—yikes. Look for reoccurring themes in reviews.
Deceptive warranty: Read the warranty carefully, and don’t just go by the highlights. If someone is claiming a 20-year warranty, what is that actually covering? Is it the structure or something else that is not important? Be wise and educate yourself.
Unable to reach a real person or slow responses: This is fine if your purchase goes well and the set is fine, but what if you have a problem? Suddenly, all those chatbots that kind of answered your questions are not so helpful.
Key Takeaway: Look for brands that are honest and upfront, have great reviews, and are responsive. Customizing is imperative to get that perfect fit.
King Swings: Premium Product, Premium Experience
That is a bold statement above, but we have the reviews to back it up. King Swings' handcrafted vinyl swing sets have been bringing families joy across the nation for the last 35+ years. We use high-quality components, value each customer, and train our teams to deliver the best possible experience. And part of that experience is setting realistic expectations. We shoot straight; we aim for customer satisfaction, not just another sale on the sales sheet.
To get started on bringing the playground home, browse our website to get familiar with all the playsets and playhouse swing sets we offer. Then, contact our team to do any customization you wish. After that, a simple deposit gets you on the schedule, and the next thing you know, you will be looking out your kitchen window, coffee cup in hand, watching your kids play outside on their swing set.
And you didn’t even have to tell them to go outside.
Dad to three kids, Justin knows how important it is for children to get lots of physical exercise. His time as a school teacher reinforced that idea. He is passionate about creating fun, enjoyable playgrounds that are safe but full of learning opportunities.
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