Since we are still working on furnishing and getting the yard done, this article appealed to me..

A Backyard Play Area

 Have you ever designed or built play areas in your yard that were not costly and were hand built?

 I enjoyed that article, too, even though I don't have young children any more. I thought it had some unique and very frugal ideas... wish I'd seen it 20 years ago! 

We have done some of the old classic things in the yard.

Tires in the trees, this is an old idea

Ropes tied to tree limbs with a large knot at the bottom, these make great swings or for climbing 

As someone who has fallen out of a tree more than one time while on a tire swing, this piece of advice: put tires on chains so they don't break.  At the very least, rope swings should be replaced every year before kids start playing on them again in the spring, because rope will rot and otherwise deteriorate when exposed to the weather. 

Other than that, I LOVED my old tire swing! 

 Yes, we had tire swings, both when I was young and when my kids were young. Instead of having a "jungle gym," my kids played on an old hay wagon and in the barn. But something closer to the house when they were young might have saved me a few gray hairs.

KeriaMom,

We have never had that happen...but...we don't use regular rope. 

We have only used rope manufactured for climbing and boats.These are used in heavy wear situations and last us a couple of years as swings. When used in non stress ways such as planter/yard area borders, they last for years.

Yes, I imagine synthetic ropes would last a lot longer.  I won't say that I'm older than synthetic ropes--I think whatever was lying around got used for my tire swing.  Hemp, most likely.  Just something for someone new to rope swings to think about! 

Also, one of the best toys I had at my grandmother's house was a wagon.  I got the standard metal Radio Flyer when I was three or four, that was rusted out by the time I was about 6 (because kids will never put them up!).  My grandfather build a wooden box, painted it red, coated the heck out of it with sealant, and mounted the old wagon's wheels and handle to it.  That was 22 some-odd years ago and that wagon still exists (never even been repainted, although I got better about putting it up on the porch); my step-sister is growing up with it now.  Even my grandmother has used it from time to time to haul her gardening tools around the yard. 

 And can anything top a large box???

Keriamon:

Just something for someone new to rope swings to think about

It was a good reminder. I didn't even think of it.

I believe I have pictures on this board somewhere that have a large box in it. That would be our daughter's castle. Makes for hours of playtime...free.

My Dad built a swing set and sliding board out of galvanized plumbing pipe (okay, I'm dating myself, this was in the mid 1950's), plywood, and a couple of sheets of galvanized steel intended for use as roofing material. That set lasted long enough for his grandchildren to play on it.

When I was a little girl in the early 60's my dad purchased a saddle at an auction for $5.00. He shellaced it and hung it (with roping attached) on our swingset to replace a swing that  broke. We were the envy of the neighborhood. Had kids over all the time wanting to ride the saddle.