Gorilla Playsets | Wooden Swing Sets | Wood Playsets

Now on sale the Blue Ridge Chateau, our top selling Gorilla Playset, and the Blue Ridge Frontier with the turbo tire swing with swivel is the perfect swing set for residential backyards. The Big Skye II Swing Set and the Pioneer Peak feature a fort, slide and lots of fun for children. Outdoor play is a great way for children to exercise and enjoy the fresh air.
Browse our store - with over 300 different swing sets by the nations leading manufacturers you will find the perfect playset!

See All Swing Set Accessories: Tower Toys, Baby & Toddler Swings, Gliders & Swings, Ground Cover & Hardware, Poles & Climbers, Sandboxes & Seesaws, Slide Covers & Slides, Tire Swings, Tarps

Outdoor play memories will remain with the kids for a long time. Do you remember the days in our own backyard as a child swinging on the swing set, or going to the park? Those memories are wonderful for children to have and to reflect back on later in life. When we receive calls from customer's who have swing set questions, we always hear "I had a swing set as a child and I remember how much fun it was," I am looking for a swing set for my children, can you help me find the swing set that will be perfect for our family? And the answer is YES! We can help and answer all of your swing set questions.

Playground - a place for outdoor play, especially by children, often containing equipment for games and sports.

Playground is an outdoor area set aside for play. Playgrounds were first started for children. But people of all ages enjoy the many different playground activities offered today.

Small children can play informally in sand piles, and on seesaws and swings. Older boys and girls may play or practice a variety of games and sports on the playground. Adults may participate in such games as tennis, badminton, and horseshoes. Many playgrounds have sufficient space for basketball, baseball, and even football and soccer. Some playgrounds have outdoor swimming pools.

Playgrounds often become a center of community activity. Parents come to watch competitive contests and other special events. Holiday celebrations, such as those on the Fourth of July and Labor Day, are often held in playgrounds. Many schools hold yearly play days on playgrounds.

Before 1900, children played on the lawns of their homes, in vacant lots, and in the streets. The movement for public playgrounds was started shortly before 1900 by Jacob Riis, a New York City newspaperman. Riis and others recognized the great need for play space and recreation activities in the growing cities. The slum areas had no lawns or vacant lots for play. Most of the early schools did not have land around them that could be used for play. By 1899, Boston had 21 sand lots for small children.

Other Eastern cities followed Boston's example, and soon sand gardens and playgrounds were being organized in several cities. In 1889, the Charlesbank Outdoor Gymnasium opened in Boston. This recreation area provided apparatus for gymnastics, a running track, and space for games for older boys and men. A section was added two years later for women and girls.

Today, practically all schools have playgrounds. Cities have several playgrounds located in various community districts. City playgrounds are usually under the direction of park and recreation boards. Sometimes they are developed and controlled jointly by park districts, school boards, and recreation commissions. Playgrounds are usually provided for in modern city planning. Building ordinances often require that new communities include space for parks and playgrounds.

Playground programs are planned and conducted by trained playground leaders who usually have majored in physical education and recreation in college. They learn how to plan and conduct playground activities according to the educational, growth, and developmental needs of boys and girls.

Contributor:
Walter Harold Gregg, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus of Physical Education and Health, Northwestern University.
Gregg, Walter Harold. "Playground." World Book Online Reference Center. 2005. World Book, Inc. 18 Nov. 2005
http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wb/Article?id=ar434600