Isabel is definitely an outdoor child. She loves being outdoors. The only problem? I suppose she'll get bored pretending to water the garden sometime soon. She even begs to play basketball with the older boys next door. And they let her play with them, which is really sweet since they are a good 3 and 4 years older than her.
This is what we are looking into:
Climbers and slides:
1. The cheapest option at about $100, but worried she may grow out of it quickly:
2. The most expensive option ($212), but looks very sturdy and like there would be plenty of activity to keep her entertained for quite some time and 2 kids could fit on it at one time:
3. Treehouse slide. Smaller than #2, not as many climbing activities ($125)
And then I'm drawn to playhouses because I will have two girls, and they are just sooooo cute!
1. The cheapest and smallest option ($112)
2. Still a small house, but looks larger than #1, and has a floor inside of it to keep grass and dirt out ($143):
3. A nature house, very different looking ($225)
4. Or I could get a bigger house, but would be looking at the over $220 range maybe even on up to $300:
5. Or a gazebo (on clearance for $99, but only has a fabric roof):
Or I could go all out and get this for $600:
But it's basically a house and a climber with a slide. And if I got two different items, we could put them in separate parts of the yard so it wouldn't be so overwhelming.
Any thoughts? Suggestions? What do you think? Which are your favorites? What would you pick?
Comments (8)
i would totally love to have that last one.
i'd say get something you know that's going to entertain your daughter, but don't spend a ton, because they grow out of those toys so quickly.
If the last one is too expensive I would get the second one, and a cheaper house. The house doesn't need to be elaborate at all and kids will LOVE it! If you have too seperate things it gives kids even more todo becuase they can play games that use BOTH! Like a friend can come over and live in one "house" and your daughter in the other. Two smaller ones is always better than one big one in my opinion.
if you have a handy hubby, get a bunch of treated lumber and make your own. it's almost definitely cheaper, but you'd still have to buy a slide attachment.
if homemade is not your thing, though, don't try, because it'll be a lot of work, and probably very frustrating. but the possibilities are endless, and you can always add on more if she gets bored in a few years.
from going through this in the summer, go with the $600 one. The one we picked has a swing set off the one side of it, with 2 swings.
We had a really hard time picking, but the last one also works great in winter because they can sit up high out of the snow. And less snow gets tracked into the fort area.
There are so many more options for the children to do on it, and its crazy amounts of fun.
The others are fine for one child.. but if you have siblings who go though even then occasional moments of not wanting to play together, they can be on opposite ends of the play set.
I would look on your local Craigslist. We've purchased a couple off there, they are always cheaper and it's given us the opportunity to see what our girls really want. We've bought two that we have turned around and sold (for the same as what we paid) and now we have figured out what our girls want in a play set.
@Kait82521@xanga - I have tried craigslist several times. Looking through my email, I have sent out over 10 emails to craigslist sellers who have not contacted me back. Only one has contacted me and that was to tell me that she sold it. It has been frustrating for me. I have sold things on craigslist and check my email daily and return emails the same day they are written. I have been disappointed using craigslist for the outdoor toys. I've never had any problems using it to purchase a swing or a kitchen set. :(
@plantingthings@xanga - I do have a handy hubby. :) He built our fence, picnic table, grill cart. But when we went to price what he would need (wood, shutters for the house, steps for the slide, slide, nuts, bolts) it ended up being cheaper to purchase. Not to mention paint or stain. :(
OK, I'm getting the Woodland Climber for my son. After looking at all of the models, I can tell you your girl will outgrow all of the other models too quickly for you to get your money's worth. They can use the top for imaginative play, the slide is bigger so they can use it longer, and underneath would make an excellent 'cave' or 'nursery' or whatever your sweetie dreams up.
In July, a neighbor down the street splurged for the $600 one. It took her husband a weekend to assemble, and she was heartbroken because her kids don't use it at all anymore unless their friends beg them to climb on it. Their three year old is already too tall to stand inside- their five year old, never could and is to big for the slide and the tunnels underneath. They have the tree house climber for inside and the kids used that more than anything... well, they launch their cars down the slide, and the 3 year old lets her dolls go down it. They're far too big for it once they're out of diapers...
I'd recommend getting one of those 'tent' style play houses- they sometimes get more use out of them because they can be moved inside and out. You can get three or four, for half of the price of one, and your girl can have a real MANSION going on.
Hoped some of that helped...
A handmade version, even though more expensive, can be adapted so that it can be used for MANY years. My next door neighbor had this awesome wood club-house that we could fit in even in middle school. Then you could just go for a cheap slide that you could upgrade later to a full swingset.