What’s the best wooden play equipment for kids?

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The longer days of summer are fast approaching – and with brighter and warmer weather, there’s no better time for kids to spend their days outside in the fresh air. Unfortunately, modern life means many kids spend too much time in front of screens, from computers and TVs to mobile phones and tablets. So, if you want your kids to get outdoors and benefit from physical exercise this summer, you’ll need something that motivates them to play in the garden.

There are lots of things children can do to entertain themselves and burn off energy outside, but what better way to get kids active and inspire their imaginations than installing wooden outdoor play equipment?

Read on to learn about wooden play equipment for children and which types you can choose from to bring more fun to your back garden.

Why Choose Wooden Outdoor Play Equipment?

With many different types of outdoor play sets available, you might wonder why wood is the best material. After all, wood notoriously requires regular upkeep.

However, while timber does need protective treatments reapplying once a year or so, this isn’t that much work considering that solid and durable timber play structures can last for over a decade or more when looked after properly.

Not only is timber hardwearing, but it also looks more natural than metal or plastic, blending in with most garden aesthetics. It’s much more visually pleasing and helps children feel closer to nature, even if there are no trees around.

To ensure safety and eco-friendliness, children’s wooden outdoor play equipment should only use the best quality timber from sustainable sources.

For example, TP climbing frames use pressure-treated European timber from responsibly managed forests, certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).

Wooden Swing Sets

A wooden swing set is a classic piece of play equipment found in gardens and playgrounds for decades. Featuring a swing seat attached to an A-frame with ropes or chains, kids can push off the ground and swing back and forth.

A swing does require enough space around the frame for the seat to swing fully backwards and forwards safely, but if you have a bigger garden, it’s possible to get swing sets with multiple swing seats, or other additional features.

For example, a wooden swing and slide set provide a popular combination of a swing or two plus a wooden ladder and plastic slide. This offers more options for children playing by themselves, or for siblings or friends playing together.

Wooden Playhouses

Also known as a Wendy house, a wooden playhouse is another staple for smaller back gardens. Like a small garden shed with a door, window, and apex roof, sturdy wooden playhouses are great for getting a child’s imagination going.

They come in many shapes and sizes, so you can choose a footprint that fits into your garden layout, and many designs to help your child create the perfect den, from classic little houses to pirate galleons or castle towers.

Wooden playhouses are easy to customise if you decide to decorate or paint them, so they can become a palace for a princess or a clubhouse for a secret gang – whatever they want to be, and wherever their creativity takes them. 

Wooden Play Towers

While most kids would love a treehouse, not every home has a garden with a tree that’s big enough. It also usually requires custom building to fit the layout of the branches, with more safety risks – but there’s a popular alternative.

A wooden play tower, which is essentially a raised playhouse on wooden stilts that’s accessible by a ladder, provides kids with the experience of feeling like they’re up in the treetops, while only being a few feet off the ground.

Some may have a platform as low as 2ft, while others may be as high as 4ft or more, but higher models will typically have the option of a plastic slide attached – which not only provides an extra element of play, but also a safe way to descend.

Wooden Climbing Frames

If you want the best of all worlds, and there’s enough room in your garden, why not invest in a wooden climbing frame? These outdoor play centres can create a full playground for children of various ages to explore.

For example, combining a playhouse tower with not just a slide, but even more features like a swing and a firefighter’s pole, creates an exciting interactive environment that helps kids to play physically and imaginatively in different ways.

Depending on the height of the structure, there may even be room underneath to add a sandpit, ball pit, or mud kitchen, or kids can use blankets or tarpaulins to create a hidden den, gaining even more use out of the climbing frame.

Which Wooden Outdoor Play Equipment is Best?

Now you know more about the different types of outdoor wooden play equipment on the market, you’ll need to decide which one is best for your child, garden, and budget.

To figure out which style of wooden play set you should start looking for, you’ll need to consider the answer to questions like:

- How big is your garden or outdoor space?

- How old and how tall are your children?

- What do your children like to do to play?

- What is the maximum you’re willing to spend?

- How many children do you have?

- Do you want multiple features in one unit?

Whether you simply want a slide and swing set or an extended playhouse tower, you’re sure to find an affordable option that fits your needs in the range of TP climbing frames available to buy from trusted supplier Wicken Toys.

Not only do they have a display site in Milton Keynes, where you can visit to check out their outdoor play equipment in person, but many climbing frame models are available with an installation service for certain postcodes, making life easier for parents!

Be sure to check out their website to find your ideal wooden outdoor play equipment, and get in touch with their team if you have any questions. 

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