Backyard Playsets -- Creative Playthings, Woodplay and Rainbow?

[Marshay]

We would like to get a playset for our backyard, esp now that there are some great specials going on. We definitely want a sturdy, "not cheap" playset that will last. We were looking at Toys R Us, Costco, Rainbow and Creative Playthings. We decided we do not want to install it ourselves.

Creative Playthings Cedar/Redwood playset is in our price range (and they put it together) if we don't add on a bunch of accessories. We are thinking they can be future birthday/Christmas presents, esp as our DD3 gets older.

Do any of you have experience with Creative Playthings -- good, bad or indifferent?

Do you recommend any other playsets?

Thank you!!

 

[mlynn]

We would like to get a playset for our backyard, esp now that there are some great specials going on. We definitely want a sturdy, "not cheap" playset that will last. We were looking at Toys R Us, Costco, Rainbow and Creative Playthings. We decided we do not want to intall it ourselves.

Creative Playthings Cedar/Redwood playset is in our price range (and they put it together) if we don't add on a bunch of accessories. We are thinking they can be future birthday/Christmas presents, esp as our DD3 gets older.

Do any of you have experience with Creative Playthings -- good, bad or indifferent?

Do you recommend any other playsets?

Thank you!!

I just bought this one for my girls this summer. I don't have a great big yard and this one worked out great.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100431432

 

[TinaLala]

I would just move away from those swingsets that have loopy slides because after a few years the kids have a tendancy of sliding out and over the sides of it.

We got a Rainbow swingset - they can be very pricey, but worth it 100%

 

[Mommy2JulietJocelyn]

we have one from Creatie Playthings - Lexington but it is not the redwood one, I did get the wood roof and a bucket swing. No other additions. total was $2695 after taxes. they called the same day to schedule set-up. we weren't ready site wise (wood chips & stuff) so I made it for about 2 weeks later. It wasn't a problem at all. I looked at a lot of places - I didn't get Toys r us because you can't try them out or even see them in person near me. Plus the wood seemed sturdier w/ CP. Plus they had 12 months no intrest too. which means I can have it paid off over the 12months (even though it won't take that long) without having to pay interest. HTH
Carol

 

[mjkacmom]

Definately Rainbow - we've had ours for 6 years, and it's still like brand new, and gets used a lot, especially with dd10's friends. We had a wooden one from Toys R Us - waste of $500.

 

[Chereya]

We also just got a Rainbow this year for our kids. We like their structures because they're based on an equilateral triangle shape so it's very stable (all the supported weight channels equally into the ground). My husband (6 ft, 240 lbs) can swing and climb on it without any wobbling or movement at all. We splurged with the help of Nana and Baba on a $4800 set with 2 swings, a bouy ball (can be changed out for other swing accessory), rock climbing wall, rope climber, trapeze swing bar, slide, and heavy duty 360 degree tire swing. I'm 5 feet tall and the platform is just high enough for me to stand under. My husband waned a set that was going to last through the years as our two boys grow up so we feel it was a good investment. Rainbow also warrants the structure for the original owners forever and will make any repairs if needed. We have been instructed to oil/seal it after the first year and every two years thereafter (or longer if it looks to be holding up well).

 

[Marshay]

I just bought this one for my girls this summer. I don't have a great big yard and this one worked out great.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100431432

We are lucky in that we have a big yard -- but neither DH nor I want to put one together so this wouldn't work for us. But I'm glad yours does!

I would just move away from those swingsets that have loopy slides because after a few years the kids have a tendancy of sliding out and over the sides of it.

We got a Rainbow swingset - they can be very pricey, but worth it 100%

Yeah, the Rainbow looks to be one of the best but for our price range ($2-3), we really can't get what we want. With Creative, we can get the 9' beam which allows adults to use it too (and yes, we plan to do so!)

we have one from Creatie Playthings - Lexington but it is not the redwood one, I did get the wood roof and a bucket swing. No other additions. total was $2695 after taxes. they called the same day to schedule set-up. we weren't ready site wise (wood chips & stuff) so I made it for about 2 weeks later. It wasn't a problem at all. I looked at a lot of places - I didn't get Toys r us because you can't try them out or even see them in person near me. Plus the wood seemed sturdier w/ CP. Plus they had 12 months no intrest too. which means I can have it paid off over the 12months (even though it won't take that long) without having to pay interest. HTH
Carol

Thanks for the info. Right now they are offering the redwood one for the same price as the pine.

Now when I asked about scheduling it, CP said they will build first on the grass and then we can do the mulching around it...but they won't build on the mulch/wood chips. Hmmm ...

Definately Rainbow - we've had ours for 6 years, and it's still like brand new, and gets used a lot, especially with dd10's friends. We had a wooden one from Toys R Us - waste of $500.

I hear you on the Rainbow -- everyone who has one loves it from what I heard...our problem is we'd have to pay over $4k to get what we wanted...thus my dilemma about Creative Playthings. Now of course CP, says they are just as good as Rainbow but w/o the middle man since you buy direct from the factory with CP...not sure if that all is true, or just their marketing.

We also just got a Rainbow this year for our kids. We like their structures because they're based on an equilateral triangle shape so it's very stable (all the supported weight channels equally into the ground). My husband (6 ft, 240 lbs) can swing and climb on it without any wobbling or movement at all. We splurged with the help of Nana and Baba on a $4800 set with 2 swings, a bouy ball (can be changed out for other swing accessory), rock climbing wall, rope climber, trapeze swing bar, slide, and heavy duty 360 degree tire swing. I'm 5 feet tall and the platform is just high enough for me to stand under. My husband waned a set that was going to last through the years as our two boys grow up so we feel it was a good investment. Rainbow also warrants the structure for the original owners forever and will make any repairs if needed. We have been instructed to oil/seal it after the first year and every two years thereafter (or longer if it looks to be holding up well).

Thanks for the thoughts. If I knew spending $2-3K would be a bust, I'd be willing to spend more on Rainbow...but alas, willing and having the money are two different things.

I can definitely see the tire swing and rock wall in our future ... but those would have to be "special" gifts as DD3 gets older.

Thanks everyone for your comments! I hope to hear from others, too!

 

[2Kds2K9]

Just my 2 cents. We were at a home show years ago and both companies had play sets on display. (Rainbow and Creative Playthings.) This allowed us to go back and forth and look at the features on each one. My DH being OCD about safety, chose the Rainbow System hands down. Liked that there were no sharp edges or any place that a child could get hurt. (other than just plain falling off.)

We've had ours for 10 years now and it's been a charm. Had to have a few pieces replaced due to carpenter bees and Rainbow was great about getting us the new pieces.

Again, JMO!

Enjoy!

 

[Marshay]

Just my 2 cents. We were at a home show years ago and both companies had play sets on display. (Rainbow and Creative Playthings.) This allowed us to go back and forth and look at the features on each one. My DH being OCD about safety, chose the Rainbow System hands down. Liked that there were no sharp edges or any place that a child could get hurt. (other than just plain falling off.)

We've had ours for 10 years now and it's been a charm. Had to have a few pieces replaced due to carpenter bees and Rainbow was great about getting us the new pieces.

Again, JMO!

Enjoy!

Now that would be great if I could see them side by side...but as you know in NoVa, they are in two separate locations.

If you/your DH can go into any more detail about specifically why you thought CP wasn't as safe, I'd be very, very grateful.

I guess we could save up for 2 more years and then get a Rainbow one if that would be the best option.

I'm just confused and $3-4+K is just so much money!

 

[Marshay]

Just wanted to provide an update.

We went back this weekend to look at Creative Playthings and Rainbow. This time both DH and I climbed up on everything to check it out for ourselves. And both of these brands had a lot of creaking and groaning and squeaking. Rainbow was better but still I didn't expect that.

So we went to Outback Play Systems/Woodplay and really loved their product. It's all redwood (both CP and RB have a mix of redwood and cedar) and when DH and I jumped, bounced, swinged (swang?) and climbed on everything, there was absolutely no movement, no creaking or groaning or squeaking.

So I think we're going to purchase a Woodplay one this weekend. We'll go back one more time to make sure. Their prices are more than CP but less than Rainbow since they are offering a 30% discount.

 

[2Kds2K9]

Marshay,

Both CP and Rainbow had them set up at the Home Show at the Expo Center. It's held every Jan/Feb. As we bought this 10 years ago, I don't remember the specifics, but that overall we felt Rainbow was much safer. No exposed screws or metal pieces to get scratched on, the rubber covering over the swing chains, things like that.

Also, most importantly, ask about the warranty. Ours has a life-time one and it's been no hassle for us. As I stated previously, we had an issue where carpenter bees drilled holes into the wood. I just took pictures of teh pieces and holes and Rainbow got the new pieces out to us pronto!

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Marshay]

Marshay,

Both CP and Rainbow had them set up at the Home Show at the Expo Center. It's held every Jan/Feb. As we bought this 10 years ago, I don't remember the specifics, but that overall we felt Rainbow was much safer. No exposed screws or metal pieces to get scratched on, the rubber covering over the swing chains, things like that.

Also, most importantly, ask about the warranty. Ours has a life-time one and it's been no hassle for us. As I stated previously, we had an issue where carpenter bees drilled holes into the wood. I just took pictures of teh pieces and holes and Rainbow got the new pieces out to us pronto!

Good luck and enjoy!

Thanks for the info!

My DH (the construction expert) definitely agreed with you on the CP (once we went back and looked with a critical eye).

I think we decided to upgrade to the Woodplay...we'll just go with a basic fort and swing beam...and plan to add on options (tire swing, rock wall, upgraded slide, etc) later.

Thanks everyone for your insight!

 

[2Kds2K9]

Don't forget general maintenance. My DH, Mr. Safety OCD, goes out at least twice a year and tightens up all the bolts. They do loosen up a bit!

We also put railroad ties around ours and filled up the area with wood chips. DS Saunders, who is in NoVa, seems to have the best prices for wood chips delivered.

Enjoy!

(Don't tell my kids, but I still go out and swing once in a while!)

 

[Marshay]

Don't forget general maintenance. My DH, Mr. Safety OCD, goes out at least twice a year and tightens up all the bolts. They do loosen up a bit!

We also put railroad ties around ours and filled up the area with wood chips. DS Saunders, who is in NoVa, seems to have the best prices for wood chips delivered.

Enjoy!

(Don't tell my kids, but I still go out and swing once in a while!)

Thanks for the recommendation on wood chips. Yes, we definitely have to add a safety zone around the playset...but may wait until spring to do that. I'll definitely compare DS Saunders to some other places (Costco, Home Depot, Meadows Farm, etc).

 

[jabristor]

We looked at all the different ones a went with Cedar Works.
What we liked best is that the set is made for FAMILY play (both adults and children can play) and is made of white cedar which is rot/insect resistant and splinter free.

Check them out at cedarworks.com

 

[Marshay]

We looked at all the different ones a went with Cedar Works.
What we liked best is that the set is made for FAMILY play (both adults and children can play) and is made of white cedar which is rot/insect resistant and splinter free.

Check them out at cedarworks.com

Thanks for the recommendation. I saw them but want to purchase from a place where I can actually climb on the equipment and see it in person. It was very enlightening to do so.

 

[jabristor]

Thanks for the recommendation. I saw them but want to purchase from a place where I can actually climb on the equipment and see it in person. It was very enlightening to do so.

Cedar works does offer a SEE-A-SET program... If you call them they will put you in contact with a family in your area that has a set you can go and look at, play on, and ask questions about...
I'd welcome you to come see our set but we live in FL.

 

[ACarr]

Marshay (as well as anyone else who wants to weigh in) - I think we are in the same position you were a couple of years ago, looking at backyard playsets and trying to figure out which is best. So far, we looked at Rainbow and Woodplay (we are also in Northern Virginia). I think we may have liked the Woodplay a little more but it is difficult to compare and I'm not sure how to tell which is better in terms of quality, features, price, etc. Our kids are young so I definitely want something that will last for 10+ years. I have catalogs for Creative Playthings and Cedarworks as well but have not looked at these yet. I would appreciate any thoughts or recommendations you have based on your experience, including how you like your Woodplay set. Thank you.

 

[dhardawa]

After debating for about two years, I finally broke down and bought the Rainbow set this year. I'm very happy with it. Yes, it creaks some, but I think that is par for the course when there is that much wood and two big kids are swinging on it. The whole structure is so solid and there is no movement I can see.

I loved the Cedar Works sets, but had the same problems you did. I wanted to see one and there was nowhere here to do that. I'm not comfortable going to someone else's house and climbing on their swingset. Not to mention, I wanted it installed and Rainbow did that.

I don't regret my purchase at all. The kids love it and I love it.

 

[Marshay]

Marshay (as well as anyone else who wants to weigh in) - I think we are in the same position you were a couple of years ago, looking at backyard playsets and trying to figure out which is best. So far, we looked at Rainbow and Woodplay (we are also in Northern Virginia). I think we may have liked the Woodplay a little more but it is difficult to compare and I'm not sure how to tell which is better in terms of quality, features, price, etc. Our kids are young so I definitely want something that will last for 10+ years. I have catalogs for Creative Playthings and Cedarworks as well but have not looked at these yet. I would appreciate any thoughts or recommendations you have based on your experience, including how you like your Woodplay set. Thank you.

The installation was very quick and very professional (ie., they cleaned up, everything was done correctly, even including which color swings I wanted where, etc). The wood is S-O-L-I-D. Like I said previously, for some reason, I really didn't feel like the other companies, including Rainbow were as strong. But I guess that was just some kind of gut feeling b/c my husband said that Rainbow would be fine too.

We just both liked the configurations for our Woodplay and they had a much better deal than Rainbow did.

We are also tall people (6' and 6'6") so we added the "raise the roof" extension and I'm so glad we did. I can now stand in the clubhouse section and also we can sit down inside it and still have plenty of view to look out in the yard. It's just a nice little feature to add on.

We also upgraded the slide to the 'adult' slide that allows more weight -- another must-do in our book, as we love to slide down the slide, too (and another reason to do the raise the roof so we don't bang our heads when getting to the slide.)

I'm sure you will be pleased with Woodplay if you go with them. They also did not do any high pressure sales. They were like, come try out the swings, here's the sale, let us know.

Good luck in your decision!