Ah, yes, Summer. We beg and beg for you to arrive during the cold winter months, and then when you do, and you fry us with your heat, make us sweat with your humidity, and drive us indoors. Is there a way to beat Summer at its own game and make your vinyl swing set a water park?
Yes! With just a bit of smarts and a few orders from Amazon, you can transform your King Swings swing set into a place of splashing, laughing, and epic water slides!
If you are visual learning, drop down to the bottom for the video content!
CAUTION: Adding water to any slide on our swing set will considerably increase the slide’s speed. Only do the following if you have adequate space around the swing set. Also, when water is involved, parental supervision is always highly recommended!
Let’s slide into our first topic, slides, and swimming pools!
Swimming Pools and Slides
Your first instinct is to run to Walmart and grab one of the large circular blue swimming pools; you would be WRONG!
I can say that from personal experience. That was my first attempt, and the child overshot the pool and crashed out on the ground. So DO NOT go with round circular pools unless they are massive!
Instead, get inflatable rectangular-shaped pools. Why? Inflatable pools are generally painless if you crash into them and can easily slide under the slide before inflation. But, the main reason is the shape. The rectangular shape allows enough space for the child to come down, go off the slide, and get stopped before hitting the far end of the pool.
How deep of a pool should you get?
That depends on the age of your children. But if you have children who are, say four and up, go with the 22’’ tall version of the inflatable pool. It makes it fun and really makes a splash when they come down!
The link to the pool we used in the video is below: Pool.
What are some more tips for using swimming pools with slides?
- Get the slide into position before inflating or filling! It is easy to slip the pool under the slide while it is still flat, but not so easy when it is inflated!
- If you have grass that you love dearly, take the pools down after every use. You will kill the grass under them if you don’t.
- The pools take a long time to fill up, so if you are planning a pool party, start the prep far before the guests arrive.
- Slides like turbo tubes or other tunnel slides can be hard to lift, so ensure you get extra help scooting the pool underneath.
If you have dual slides, measure across them to ensure your pool is wide enough to fit both in. - Take your slopes into consideration. If the pool is on a nasty slope, all the water will collect at that end.
Misting System
And here comes the sales plug, so brace yourself!
King Swings offers a misting system that you can purchase with your new set or as an addition to your existing set. It is a great way to keep the children and the set cool on hot summer days. It sends out a nice mist, allowing you to run it for a while without collecting a lot of puddles around the set.
We offer a misting system that strings along the top of your swing beam, which makes swinging in the summer a lot of fun! We also have one that installs above a waterfall or avalanche slide!
If you want to get one for an existing set or are just curious about its appearance and function, check out this installation video.
Other Fun Items
While they were not the focus of the fun, here are a few more items to up the fun!
- Bubble Blower – Adding a cloud of bubbles really makes the atmosphere around the set feel magical! Be careful not to overdo it, as adding too many bubbles can make the decks slippery.
- Water Fights – While this should not be done in tandem with bubbles because of the chance of slippery surfaces, having a water fight on the set is a blast. Water guns and water balloons are always a great time!
- Popsicles and Juiceboxes – Take a break to enjoy a snack on your lemonade stand or coffee bar!
- Sunscreen – You don’t want to forget that!
Beat the Heat
Adding water fun to your King Swings vinyl swing set is a great way to keep the set cool enough to use during the hottest parts of the day, and it is great fun! Just remember to include adult supervision, enough space, and sunscreen!
If you don’t have a King Swings swing set, and this sounds like a lot of fun, guess what? We would love to help you solve that problem! If you have any questions, contact our swing set design team; they would love to help you!
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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