Seems that with the warmer weather come the inescapable pangs of longing.
Coveting.
Oh-my-god-I-must-have-it’ing.
Last year we explored a pool. Our girls love the water, a boat seemed too expensive and too logistically challenging, a pool on the other hand, while requiring maintenance and vigilance, would not require dock space, gas, insurance, one of those steel ball thing-a-majiggers on the back of the car and, since I did not grow up around boats, strikes a kind of fear in my heart of spontaneous exploding that I have never suffered with a pool.
Well, as once upon a time we pissed off our mayor and we have certain nosy neighbors, it seemed inevitable that we would get caught in some sort of tangle of small town zoning hell. Sure enough, the part of the yard we would have selected for the pool is in fact our “front yard,” though we use the door on the other street, our mailbox is situated on the other street and we are invited to the block party of…the other street. Laws here state that you may not have a pool in your front yard. (Despite the shit some people have in their front yards)And our back yard? No, just no, no, no.
We spent last summer ferrying the girls to the lake, the access to which can only be gained (by the unmonied folk like us) via a three mile hike through brambles and bushes, over boulders and crevasses…ok, perhaps I exaggerate, but toting two toddlers can make a moss blanketed path seem like a wild jungle gauntlet. We also trekked to points along the Hudson, but they were even more remote and favored by the hard drinking, nature wrecking kind of folks you don’t particularly want to be around, especially with no witnesses for miles and miles.
We are trying to be proactive this summer, thinking about what will best suit our family, and doing what we can in advance of Mother Nature so that we are prepared. Three kids under four, a small business to run, insane gas prices and a desire to make the sweetest memories we can…any ideas? Well, as much as Avery loves getting into the car and pretending to drive places, we thought we could do a bit better.
So…we’re shopping swing sets, well, actually we are shopping “play systems.” The way we see it we have another 5 solid years of playground time. Sometimes the park is great, but other times you want the luxury of a bathroom, kitchen and a safe, moderately private time out area. The plan is to fence in the “front yard” and install a play structure- swings, slide and sandbox. We have neither the yard, nor the budget for the $20,000 systems that make me gasp, I like my playtime with a side of imagination and change (is that the singin’ truck?), thank you very much. And, I think I found the winner today. I give you the 3 daughter wonderland contenders:
Option A:
No longer available.
Care to vote?
Those are all so awesome, how could I ever vote? I'm green with envy, having too small a patch of land for such a contraption. I hope against hope that when we depart for places unknown in the next year or two that we have room for one. Happy playing!
I like the first one – that shaded picnic table will REALLY extend how long you can use the set.
Other ideas:
– a bubble station in a shady spot, with bubble liquid and different kinds of wands and blowers
– an outdoor easel set up for painting
– a small garden with a tomato plant and some green onions for outdoor eating
I vote for B. Because the play area at the top is bigger and you could do painting or lunch up there and that big coved spot underneath is perfect for a shaded sandbox area.
I really like option A. It has the great picnic table underneath for a place to do crafty/artsy thinks.
Have fun with the girls.
As a play set owner, I like A best. Lots of climbing stuff, a little table underneath for crafts, snacking and secret club making. And do I spy monkey bars above the swings? That gives it more longevity. My husband added monkey bars behind our play set last year because the kids had sort of outgrown the swings and slide (although Elyse is loving them this year). The older two are now all about the monkey bars.
We own Option B…and it has served its purpose well! I will say though…but I'm not as fun of a Mom as you…the sandbox area was just grossing me out! My kids loved it but I was tired of them being all sandy and then it would get tracked into the house. Sooo, last Summer we boarded it up. Bummer. But now it makes for a nice little area for a little bistro table and chairs for lunch! Sam's has a cool one with a tube you can crawl through too!Good luck! Either way you go, I think they're gonna love it!
Option Avery. š
Option F is nice. What happened to C, D, and E?
As Ree, the Hotfessional, deduced, the letters of the options represented: Avery, Briar and Finley. I think at almost 35, there won't be a c, d or e…We're quite happy with our FAB choices.
I like option F… though they would all be great. Two slides for 3 girls = fewer squabbles I think? Plus you could put a sandbox in under the playhouse part. Do girls like sandboxes? My boys would be in heaven!
I vote for Option B. A and F appear to have canvas-like covers which would need to be replaced every so often. B might withstand those snowy winters better.
We have something akin to Option B in our backyard. Because even play comes with a price we couldn't afford, we got a kit, had the lumber delivered and built it ourselves.
By "we" I mean my husband and my father-in-law, the latter of whom stood around and primarily supervised while an ansty 5 year old boy danced around in eager glee for his "swig set."
We talked about a pool last year, but that would have required a fence, insurance and suddenly become best friends with the neighbors around us who would be all, "So, I see you have a pool. Here's little Timmy. We'll just have a few errands to run…" I could afford none of these things!
Whichever option you choose, I vote it will be a big hit. Ours has been a swig set, a space station, a fort, a boat…
LOL b-f? you crack me up.
I really like A, I don't know why, it just seems so outdoorsy
I like option B. Because really who wants a playground that already comes with a bunch of kids on it?
I kid.
A
Can you believe we still don't have one of those in the Trenches?? Yeah, we have NO backyard until we do major landscaping, but unfortunately, it's considered WETLANDS. Involving permits and such.
*sigh*
But we do LOTS of imagining and bike riding and sports playing nonetheless.
Tough choice. Any one of those would be awesome although I'm partial to B with the rock climbing wall.
Is there any place that has these set up where the kids could play on them and decide for themselves?
Option F looks GREAT and so does Option A. But really I would totally use any of those. Um, for my future kids, I mean.
i like em all, but i gotta go with option a. bc i am a lazy mom and there appears to be a little table in the shade for me to sit at š
Option A cuz that rope ladder is wicked cool.
I like "A".
You could do a little garden. The girls may love keeping up with it – weeding, watering, etc. If you did vegetables, they would get a kick out of eating them (bonus). Tomato plants are fairly easy and plentiful with the fruit…and if you are superwoman, you can freeze some sauce and enjoy your summer memories all year long.
Flowers would also be fun. The girls could dry their favorites and use them to make special holiday gifts this winter.
They seem very cool and so much more exciting that the cheap Joy Store swing set that I had which overtime began to bow in the middle. So safe. It also came complete with rusty metal legs that would come out of the ground when swinging commenced. I digress that was 1983, we've come along way in the way of "swing sets".
I'm siding towards A, seems like the most options for all kids and the rope climbing thing looks cool.
I can't tell you what to do, but we do own B. It's lovely and fun and the girls never get tired of using the area above the slide as a tree house or a pirate ship. So, whatever you end up will be a good choice. Have fun!
PS. I agree with BrainandStacy, the sandbox grossed me out after the first year. Get a cover.
What happened to Options C, D and E?
Anyway, I vote for F because it has two slides!
i like option B the best, but they're all cool. š
I think B or F. Two slides would be nice; sandbox definitely. Rope ladders scare me!
Fun Fun Fun
I needed something for my son a while back, but we live in a condo with only a balcony. So I got him a Kangroo climber it has a slide and a door and holes to climb through. It fits in his bedroom.
You have such a great idea your kids will just love it.
I can't pick because I can't see the difference.
Smiles!
I like option F because it boasts 2 slides. They could have slide races! What fun!
I pick the one that comes with free assembly. Seriously-hire someone for it!
Mine is half that size and it took Matt and me about 10 hours working together to get it done.
I love the pool idea, sorry it's not an option.
They all look fun! How could you go wrong with any of them??
we like option B at my house…looks similar to our set-up.
I vote for B – the rope ladder in A gives me hives. I hate them.
I have been dying to get Carter something like this!!
We inherited Option B and the Beans love it. The best is when Audrey lords over us in the loft all afternoon, dispensing her orders and opinions and Maggie, giggly and brave, tries every which way to tumble down the slide. It's too much fun, so I just pull up a lawn chair and watch.
Wow, I can't wait until we can get one of those. It makes me giddy just thinking about it.
We have a pool, and trust me, it's overrated. Waaay overrated.
I highly recommend getting a "gently used" one. We got ours on Craigslist for a mere fraction of what the previous owner paid. It had been set up for a year when they moved to a house with a VERY slanted yard. For the amount they get played with, it seems a sin to pay retail prices. (Ebay usually has a ton too if you serch close enough to pick it up.)