In today’s digital age, encouraging kids to step away from screens and engage in outdoor play can be a real challenge. Many of us grew up spending hours outside—climbing, sliding, exploring, and getting a little dirty—experiences that shaped our childhoods. If you’re looking to give your children those same memorable moments, investing in a backyard playset is the perfect way to inspire them to get outside, stay active, and embrace play.
To help get you the best playset design for your backyard, we’ve compiled our list to guide you based on your family’s needs and preferences. Let’s explore!
Why Choosing the Best Playset Design Matters
When looking at a playset for your backyard, remember there are many options and sizes with different features and prices. Therefore, before you decide on one, take some time and think about what your family needs. For example, how old are your kids, and what do they enjoy most? Swings, slides, climbing? Or a little bit of everything?
Next, look at your backyard and determine how much space you have to accommodate the playset. You don’t want the set to overwhelm your backyard, leaving little room for your children to run, explore, and play freely. The goal is to balance an exciting playset and preserve open space for other activities.
By considering all these factors before making your purchase, you ensure that you get the best playset design for your backyard.
1. Maintenance-Free Vinyl Swing Sets
As the name suggests, our first playset design requires minimal to no maintenance! This is especially desirable for parents, as their busy schedules make time and energy sparse.
Key Features
Our maintenance-free vinyl sets are made from the best material and safety features, so as parents who know that safety is a top priority, you can have peace of mind knowing that your children can play safely.
Powder-coated stainless steel braces are added as structural support to withstand heavy use and hard outdoor elements. The foam grip chain ensures that the little ones can swing comfortably, and finished vinyl caps eliminate sharp edges, so your children can play freely.
Customization Options
Want to add more specific features tailored to your kids? Our maintenance-free playsets have full customization, so you can create one to your liking!
Who It’s Best For
Our maintenance-free vinyl swing sets are suitable for all ages and come with various activities, ensuring plenty of fun time and daily physical exercise that’ll leave your kids happy!
2. Wooden Treehouse Peak Playsets
As the best-quality wooden playset in our inventory, the Treehouse Peak playset comes in unmatched designs, with features and unique accessories. The treehouse is also made from 100% premium cedar, free of toxic chemicals, and exceeds all ASTM standards. You’ll get the most versatile and safe wooden backyard playset around!
Key Features
The Treehouse Peak playset comes in different deck sizes and four deck heights, providing flexibility to accommodate different activities. It’s also built with bidirectional bolt-through construction, which increases modularity and allows for a variety of play features.
The double-walled rocket slide provides high side walls, which make it safe even for younger kids. Grips, grab handles, rock climbing holds, and arched walls are all safety features that ensure kids can confidently climb, swing, enter/exit, and adventure!
Customization Options
The Treehouse Peak has fully customizable options, allowing you to add and adjust many of its features. For instance, you can attach a pergola and a picnic table to the treehouse fort!
Who It’s Best For
The peak playset is large, so it’s best for those with a bigger backyard. The Treehouse Peak playsets are over 28 sq./ft. of play space per deck (XL size) and around 42 sq./ft. of play space per deck (Jumbo size).
The wooden treehouse peak is one of the strongest playsets, so it’s suitable for all ages, even adults!
3. Summit Outlook Playsets
The Summit Outlook playset is the way to go if you’re looking for an affordable, attractive, and feature-rich set. Our Summit outlook playsets are top-of-the-line in the low to mid-priced playset market.
Key Features
The Summit Outlook is the most innovative value playset around. Its unique hybrid style option allows a lower playhouse and a tire swivel swing to be in the same structure. In addition, the playset is available in two deck sizes and heights, two swing beams, and multi-deck configurations.
The safety features are also excellent. Post-and-beam floor joist systems are installed, just like a house, providing an all-round, solid building. Other safety features include metal grab handles, slatted walls, flat step ladders with handrails, and marine-quality ropes.
Customization Options
Summit Outlook playsets can be customized to your liking without breaking the bank! No matter which features you want to include or replace, you can be sure all components are of the best quality.
Who It’s Best For
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly playset without compromising quality, our Summer Outlook playset is the right fit. View our Summer Outlook playsets here.
4. Classic Lifetime Swing Sets
You’ve got to experience the old-time design with new features and premium construction of our classic Lifetime swing sets. These playsets are designed for parents and children, so get your kids and enjoy some fun, outdoor activities!
Key Features
The classic Lifetime swing sets include both Treehouse and Peak models. These swing sets are constructed with the best materials and are made to last!
Who It’s Best For
The classic Treehouse and Peak swing sets are one of our strongest playsets, suitable for kids and adults. So, if you want to spend time with your children playing on the playset, the classic Lifetime playset designs are perfect.
5. Ready-to-Assemble Boxed Sets
Like their name, the ready-to-assemble boxed sets are predesigned, predrilled, prestained, pre-sanded, and packaged. They’re very simple and easy to install, and clear instructions are included. The Gorilla boxed set is a fun playset with various play activities.
Key Features
The Ready-to-assemble boxed sets have many basic playset features, including swings, a slide, a flat step ladder, and a rock wall. They’re durable and safe for little kids to play on. When you buy the Gorilla Boxed sets from Bear Playgrounds, you get a lifetime warranty and a delivery option where our team will help unload and install them if needed!
Who It’s Best For
If you prefer a straightforward option without the need for customization or want the satisfaction of assembling a playset yourself, our ready-to-assemble boxed sets are the perfect solution. These kits include everything you need to build a high-quality playset, making them an ideal choice for DIY enthusiasts or families seeking a budget-friendly, hassle-free option.
6. Design-Your-Own Playset
If you have a specific vision in mind and can’t find a pre-designed option that fits, why not create your own custom playset from scratch? With our help, you can design the perfect playset tailored to your family’s needs, bringing your dream backyard playground to life. We’re here to make your vision a reality!
Customization Features
Customization options are plentiful when it comes to designing your own playset. Whether you want a 100% natural cedar swingset or a maintenance-free vinyl playset the choice is yours.
Let us know about your design, and we’ll send you a quote. And if designing your own is a bit overwhelming and you need some assistance, our team can help you design your backyard playset!
Why Choose Custom
With your custom-designed playset, you can choose which base look you want, what play features you want, and what other add-ons you want to include. Thus, the playset can be tailored to your family’s needs and preferences.
Need Help Choosing the Best Playset Design?
We understand that each family is unique, and we know that as parents, things like time, value, and safety are important. Our playsets are made with the highest-quality materials and features!
To begin making your backyard a place where everyone can play and relax safely and comfortably, contact us today or visit our website.
