Backyard play set help

[teacherlisa1978]

It would help to see a picture of your yard to visualize it, but I agree with put it up and don't worry about the yard space too much, it will likely get a lot of use.

General advise, buy the best one you can afford. The one we bought was very well made, but we bought it in the fall so saved quite a bit, and DH and his father installed it. DH even added a section on it that he built himself. We never had anyone hurt on it, and we had it up from the time our kids were 3 until about 14-15 or so. We gave it to our neighbors a few years ago - he showed up with a bunch of guys and off they went with it, I can still see it from my house and it still gets a lot of use to this day! (Which made me happy when I was sad to see it go.) Even as teens, my kids would have their friends over to the pool and bonfire and many of them would still wind up on the swings or climbing up on the climbing structure - even at that later age they get nostalgic and love to do some of the things they did as little kids, IME, so all the more reason to get one that's sturdy.

Great advice. I know when I was a teenager it was still fun to hang out and talk outside on swings and clubhouses with friends. That's what I'm picturing. I think I found a set that has some fun climbing stuff, a neat fort, and a slide. There's no swings so that makes it more compact. I'm looking at paying someone to put it together as it doesn't come with installation.

Thank you all so much!

 

[Aliceacc]

As I understand it, the OP HAS The room, but doesn't want the playset to take over the yard. So it only needs the safety margin when it's actually being used.

I say go with the set your son will most likely enjoy. We're talking a few years. Then you can have your whole yard.

This is speaking as someone trying to think out a high school graduation party in a yard where the above ground pool is the most prominent feature. We'll just work around the pool for the party, and the kids will continue to enjoy it after the party.