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Evolution of Playground Swing Sets

Playground swing sets have certainly changed in the last thirty or forty years. The ruling form in past times was an assembly of metal structures, like the slide, monkey bars, merry-go-round, and of course the swings themselves. Sets in backyards were composed mostly of less sturdy versions, usually a swing and slide combination. But in the past decade or so, the two types have become more alike.

These days, even though the metal swing sets of the past haven’t entirely vanished, play structures of wood are generally more popular. Of course, they can’t be made of just any old wood, and the material must be correctly treated for weather and durability. But with that done, playground swing sets of wood are almost as strong as metal ones, and are in many ways much safer. And components that aren’t made of wood, such as swing seats and slides, are now made of strong plastic.

The modern playground swing sets, like their residential counterparts, also tend to be more compact. They don’t always feature separate, freestanding structures as they used to, with the swings in one location, the slide in another, the teeter-totter in another, and so on. These newer sets are more modular, many having a small central tower off of which different elements branch. So the frame for the swings might come off one side of the tower, while the slide extends from another side and a climbing wall might lead off from yet a third side. The swing accessories, in both the playground and home sets, can be added or changed as the local needs dictate.

The main reason for most changes to swing sets on playgrounds in the past decade or so appears to be safety. In order to prevent injuries, many swing set plans now take unyielding surfaces out of the picture, making many of the components of resin or plastic instead. The hope is that children will be safer on playground swing sets without even realizing it. All they will know is that they’re having the time of their lives as they play.

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