Who has a Rainbow Playset for their children?

[sassyat30]

DH and I are looking into getting a Rainbow for our two kids (almost 7 and 11) as well as for the other neighborhood kids to play on.

Our old swingset is 10 years old and isn't safe anymore, plus the kids are getting too big for it, anyway. Our neighbors have a Rainbow and the kids all love it.

Experiences with yours? Do your kids play on it? We're looking at Rainbow just because of the safety of the wood and the quality of the parts.

Our budget is around $2500 MAX for this, so we aren't looking for anything fancy.

How long have you had yours and do your kids still play on it?

 

[lemondog]

We got a very similar, NICE wooden playset at Costco for half that price. My kids love it! Sam's has a similar version.

 

[java]

We got ours about 7 years ago and yes my kids still play on it(well not my 13 year old but everyone else does 10,5,3) And we have not had any major issues besides the bees!

 

[sassyat30]

We got a very similar, NICE wooden playset at Costco for half that price. My kids love it! Sam's has a similar version.

Yes, but I bet you had to pick it up and put it together yourself, right?

For the health of my marriage, I'm willing to pay extra to have the professionals deliver it and install it.

ETA: The delivery and installation are included in the price, plus they have some great deals running right now at our local Rainbow.

 

[breezy1077]

We've had ours for 5 years now and the kids play on it everyday (weather permiting). They are the most sturdy I've run across. They also are extremely liberal on their weight limit so I can actually play with the kids (not that I'm fat just mean adults can play also). I also love the fact that they don't splinter - one of the things I hate about the cheaper sets. They also hold their value. I know when we're done with ours I can sell it.

 

[mjkacmom]

We've had ours for 5 years, and it's great! We spend about $3,000, including installation, and it's still used daily by our 5, 5, 7, 10, and 11 year old, plus friends. It's in perfect condition.

 

[sassyat30]

We got ours about 7 years ago and yes my kids still play on it(well not my 13 year old but everyone else does 10,5,3) And we have not had any major issues besides the bees!

What about bees??

 

[sassyat30]

We've had ours for 5 years now and the kids play on it everyday (weather permiting). They are the most sturdy I've run across. They also are extremely liberal on their weight limit so I can actually play with the kids (not that I'm fat just mean adults can play also). I also love the fact that they don't splinter - one of the things I hate about the cheaper sets. They also hold their value. I know when we're done with ours I can sell it.

That's a large reason we looked at a Rainbow...the neighbor behind us has a play system they got at Menards and the wood is splintering like crazy...

 

[Maleficent13]

What about bees??

Bees like wood.

 

[solferino]

Our school has one that was a gift from a family that was moving and couldn't take it with them.

OMGoodness, it is just the best and the kids love love love it, especially the twisty slide. (ages preschooler thru 6th grade)


We have a similar system here at home and DD has really enjoyed it.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Our neighbors behind us have one -- although, the $10,000 model, the King Kong Colossal (or something like that). It's really sturdy and well built and (this is the best part) guaranteed for life.

They had a problem with bees as well (they ate away the wood and nested inside ) and Rainbow sent someone out right away to literally replace like 1/2 the wooden beams and all sorts of other parts -- all free of charge.

 

[java]

Bees nest on the wood. We usually get about 2- 3 wasp nests a season-
When the Bee population dwindling stuff was in the news my kids kept saying tell them to build some swing sets and they'll have plenty of bees.
Unfortunatly it is not the honey bee that the wood attracts = more the wasp or yellow jacket variety.

 

[Maleficent13]

Is there anything you can do to treat the wood so it's not appealing to bees?

 

[sassyat30]

Bees nest on the wood. We usually get about 2- 3 wasp nests a season-
When the Bee population dwindling stuff was in the news my kids kept saying tell them to build some swing sets and they'll have plenty of bees.
Unfortunatly it is not the honey bee that the wood attracts = more the wasp or yellow jacket variety.

We have bees that nest in the eaves of the house, so maybe they'll stay there. LOL

 

[sassyat30]

Our neighbors behind us have one -- although, the $10,000 model, the King Kong Colossal (or something like that). It's really sturdy and well built and (this is the best part) guaranteed for life.

They had a problem with bees as well (they ate away the wood and nested inside ) and Rainbow sent someone out right away to literally replace like 1/2 the wooden beams and all sorts of other parts -- all free of charge.

Yeah, my DH just about fell over when he saw some of the models are $50,000 plus!

Sorry, we're peasants that can't afford even $5,000 for a swingset!!

 

[Bob Slydell]

Is there anything you can do to treat the wood so it's not appealing to bees?

Actually, the problem I heard was that the treatment that Rainbow used recently (supposedly, they've changed formulas) attracted the bees, which caused a lot of the problems. Bees are attracted to wood, but not to the levels that Rainbow was having happen -- it was like bee-nip.

 

[sassyat30]

Actually, the problem I heard was that the treatment that Rainbow used recently (supposedly, they've changed formulas) attracted the bees, which caused a lot of the problems. Bees are attracted to wood, but not to the levels that Rainbow was having happen -- it was like bee-nip.

Bee-nip!

 

[sassyat30]

I may just make a trip to the Rainbow showroom today (ALONE ) and see what I think.

We haven't said anything to the kids, just in case we don't get one. Probably a smart strategy on our part...though they have asked if we could get a different swingset, as they can't play on ours anymore.

 

[Mkaz]

I am so lucky that I have a talented husband. He started making one for our son. He bought the lumber and hardware. He designed it himself. I'm guessing between the hardware and the lumber, it was around $200.00 Their spring project is to finish the fort that it attached. Then we are going to stain it.

 

[Bob Slydell]

I may just make a trip to the Rainbow showroom today (ALONE ) and see what I think.

We haven't said anything to the kids, just in case we don't get one. Probably a smart strategy on our part...though they have asked if we could get a different swingset, as they can't play on ours anymore.

Going alone is a very, very smart idea