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Best Swing Sets For Every Budget Plus Other Backyard Toys

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Kids playing on swing set (caption: Best Swing Sets)Have a dire need to get your kids out of the house to play outdoors? You’re not alone, especially when you have a posse of neighborhood kids over. A backyard play or swing set can save your sanity. It’s a family must-have, for sure. We review the best sets by price point, with pros, cons, features, and more.

Article Overview

Here are the best swing sets under: $300 | $400 | $500 | $1,000 | High-End

We’ve also got: How To Anchor (Video) | 5 Other Outdoor Toys To Consider | Add Even More Fun To Your Yard

Best Swing Sets For Every Budget

All of our top swing set picks meet or exceed ASTM (American Society of Testing Materials) safety standards, which the U.S. federal government requires for all home outdoor play and swing sets.

Best Swing Sets Under $300

You’ll be hard-pressed to find decent wooden playsets in this price range (except for our first review), but there are several well-made metal swing sets available for under $300.

Swing-N-Slide Orbiter Swing Set Review

Swing-N-Slide OrbiterView on Amazon

The Swing-N-Slide Orbiter wooden swing set comes with 2 swing seats that hold up to 115 lbs and a ring/trapeze bar combo. The Woodguarded posts carry a 5-year warranty that protects against warping, rotting, insects and splinters. Recommended for ages 3-10.

Pros

Cons

  • Meets ASTM safety standards
  • Easy to assemble
  • Adjustable height and detachable swings
  • Excellent for small yards
  • All hardware and ground anchors included
  • Good warranty
  • Limited ability to expand with more components
  • Several user complaints about the paint chipping quickly on the crossbars

Price & Specs

  • Check Amazon for availability
  • Free Shipping
  • Limited 5-year warranty on the wooden frame
  • Assembled: 113″ L x 96″ W x 84″ H
  • Swing Set Weight: 112.4 lbs

Sportspower Metal Swing Set Review

Sportspower Super 8 Fun Metal Swing SetView on Amazon

The Sportspower is one of the best backyard playsets you’ll find if you’re on a tight budget. It’s ideal for medium to large yards and can accommodate up to 8 kids at once, with 2 swing seats, 1 glider, 1 slide, and 1 mini trampoline (supports 100 lbs per kid). Recommended for ages 3-8.

Pros

Cons

  • Meets ASTM safety standards
  • Made with 2-inch heavy-duty weather-resistant steel tubes
  • Assembly process is easy (especially with 2 people)
  • Good warranty
  • Some users complain that the swing seats are too stiff and the other play components seem cheaply made
  • Ground anchors not included

Price & Specs

  • $451.47
  • Free shipping for Prime members
  • Limited 3-year warranty on metal frame
  • 90-day limited warranty on other parts
  • Assembled: 221″L x 102.25″W x 72.225″H
  • Swing Set Weight: 165 lbs

Best Swing Sets Under $400

There aren’t a ton of play or swing set options in the $300-$400 price range, but you will find our recommendations below.

Big Backyard Andorra Cedar Wood Swing Set Review

Big Backyard Andorra Swing SetView on Amazon

This wooden swing set packs a lot of fun into a compact design, with two swings, a wave slide, a rock wall, an upper covered playhouse (with chalkboard) and a sandbox beneath. The Andorra holds up to seven children with a maximum weight of 110 lb. per child. Recommended for ages 3-10 (maybe only up to age 7 based on user reviews).

Pros

Cons

  • Meets ASTM safety standards
  • High-quality, 100% premium cedar lumber construction
  • Adjustable height and detachable swings
  • Excellent choice for small yards
  • All hardware and ground anchors included
  • Wood is pre-treated with eco-friendly coating
  • Good warranty
  • Many customers say it’s too small for kids over 7 or 8 years old
  • Assembly can be difficult with confusing directions
  • Several users complained about missing parts in their delivery

Price & Specs

Best Swing Sets Under $500

With this price range, you’ll see more options for entry-level, higher-quality wooden swing sets.

Backyard Discovery Prestige Wood Playset Review

Backyard Discovery Prestige All Cedar Wood Playset Swing SetView on Amazon

This affordable wooden swing set is a great fit for smaller yards. It comes loaded with two belt swings, a trapeze bar with rings, a rock wall ladder, snack stand, sandbox and an 8-foot wave slide with high walls for added safety. Recommended for ages 3-10.

Pros

Cons

  • Meets ASTM safety standards
  • 100% cedar wood with a chemical-free stain
  • High-quality material resists mold and decay and is UV resistant
  • All hardware and ground anchors included
  • Good warranty
  • Takes a long time to assemble (5-10 hours)
  • Some customer complaints about the wood cracking

Price & Specs

  • Check Amazon for availability
  • Free shipping for Prime members
  • 1-year manufacturer’s defect on parts
  • 5-year warranty on wood for rot and decay
  • Assembled: 156″ x 132″ x 108″
  • Swing Set Weight: 176.4 lbs

Best Swing Sets Under $1,000

Here are our picks for the best metal and wooden swing sets under $1,000.

Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Review

Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Swing Set with 9 Foot Wavy SlideView on Amazon

This high-end metal swing set is extremely sturdy and can accommodate 6 kids at once (640 lb total limit). It features 3 belt swings, gym rings, monkey bars, a fireman’s pole and a 9-ft. wave slide. The materials are all very high-quality and will last for years. No recommended age range was posted, but customers say it is too high for young children.

Pros

Cons

  • Meets ASTM and CPSC safety standards
  • Free-standing (no need to anchor) and easy to assemble
  • Made of sturdy powder-coated galvanized steel and high-density polyethylene
  • Lead-free and weather-resistant materials
  • Excellent customer reviews
  • Good warranty
  • Too high for kids under 4 or 5 years old
  • Several consumers say the included hardware is poor quality
  • Doesn’t come with ground anchors

Price & Specs

Swing-N-Slide Chesapeake Playset Review

Chesapeake Playset

View on Amazon

The wooden Swing-N-Slide Chesapeake is one of the best backyard playground sets you’ll find for under $1,000. Swing-N-Slide has been a leading manufacturer of DIY playsets for more than 30 years.

There’s plenty to keep multiple kids occupied — monkey bars, a 5-foot climbing rock wall, 2 heavy-duty swings, a cool wave slide, a heavy-duty ring/trapeze combo, 2 large decks and more. Recommended for ages 3-10.

Pros

Cons

  • Meets ASTM safety standards
  • Great value for all the play components you get
  • Swings, slide and ring/trapeze bar can hold 250 lbs. each
  • Includes pre-cut, pre-drilled premium stained lumber and large support posts with swing beams for structural stability
  • Good warranty
  • Difficult to assemble
  • Some reviews report that the wood starts to crack with time

Price & Specs

  • $1,171.45
  • Free shipping
  • Lifetime warranty on the slide
  • 5-year warranty on wood and other components
  • Assembled: 15’11” W x 15′ 11″L x 10’3″ H
  • Playset Weight: 475 lbs

Backyard Discovery Tucson All Cedar Wood Playset Swing Set

Backyard Discovery TucsonView on Amazon

This affordable wooden swing set is a great fit for smaller yards. It comes loaded with two belt swings, a trapeze bar with rings, a rock wall ladder, a snack stand, a sandbox, and an 8-foot wave slide with high walls for added safety. Recommended for ages 3-10.

Pros

Cons

  • Meets ASTM safety standards
  • 100% cedar wood with a chemical-free stain
  • High-quality material resists mold and decay and is UV resistant
  • All hardware and ground anchors included
  • Good warranty
  • Takes a long time to assemble (5-10 hours)
  • Some customer complaints about the wood cracking
  • Expensive

Price & Specs

  • Check Amazon for availability
  • Free shipping
  • 10-year limited warranty on lumber
  • 1-year limited warranty on accessories
  • Assembled: 211″ x 87″ x 117″
  • Playset Weight: 230 lbs

Best High-End Swing Set: Mountaineer Cedar Play and Swing Set Review

Mountaineer Cedar Play and Swing Set

View on Amazon

Gorilla Playsets, the leading high-end playset company, manufactures the Mountaineer. This set comes in at over $2,000, but, believe it or not, that’s a good price for the high quality you get with Gorilla.

You also get a ton of accessories with this set — a wave slide, tube slide, two swings, a ring/trapeze bar, a deluxe rope ladder, a rock climbing wall, a picnic table, a sandbox, and much more. Recommended for ages 3-11 or older.

Pros

Cons

  • Meets or exceeds ASTM safety standards
  • Very sturdy
  • Heavy-duty, solid 4 x 4 wood framing and 4 x 6 swing beam provide total weight capacity of 800 lbs
  • Great for older kids
  • Tons of play components
  • Weather and insect-resistant materials
  • All hardware and ground anchors included
  • Excellent warranty
  • Expensive
  • Mixed reviews about assembly instructions and it takes 24+ hours to assemble

Price & Specs

  • Free shipping
  • 10-year limited warranty on lumber
  • 1-year limited warranty on accessories
  • Assembled: 20’W x 11’H x 14’6″D
  • Playset Weight: 794 lbs

How To Anchor A Wooden Swing Set

Don’t want to mess with concrete? This brief video shows another option to anchor a wooden swing set to the ground.

5 More Toys To Consider For Your Yard

40" Waterproof Saucer Tree Swing Set As a parent, you may be searching for ways your child can play safely outside at home. Here are some additional options for you in case you can’t find a swing set that fits your budget at this time.

  1. Saucer Tree Swing Check Amazon for availability : Multiple kids can hang out on this swing.
  2. Inflatable Pool : This one is large enough to fit parents too.
  3. Water Table $85.99 : Kids of all ages love playing with these.
  4. Sandbox $115.08 : Includes a mesh cover to keep animals, sticks, etc., out when it’s not in use.
  5. Electric Car $279.99 : This tractor has a trailer, so your kids can help pick up sticks before it’s time to mow.

Best Inflatable Hot Tubs: Add A Splash To Your Yard

Playing on the swing set is all fun and games until summer hits and it’s 90 degrees outside! Check out our review of the best inflatable hot tubs so you can cool off after having fun on your new swing set.

And after all that activity, you’re probably starving. Take a look at our Kamado grills review to find out more about the latest craze in the grilling world: charcoal-fueled modern versions of the Chinese or Indian clay ovens.

What features are most important to you in a backyard swing set or outdoor play option?

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Sally Jones

While attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s graduate school for journalism and public relations in the late 1990s, Sally began a long career researching and writing about business, technical and scientific topics. Her decades of experience as well as a passion to stay on top of the latest online tools and resources combine to help small businesses (and freelancers like herself) flourish. Her work has appeared in many notable media outlets, including The Washington Post, Entrepreneur, People, Forbes, Huffington Post, and more.
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