Thursday, March 20, 2014

Three Considerations When Buying a Trampoline


Trampolines are fun and provide plenty of exercise. But how do you choose which one is the best for your yard? There are some very important things to consider when buying a trampoline. These include fitting into size restrictions of your yard, having a safety net, and buying from a trusted vendor.

  Size Restrictions: Everyone’s yard is a different size. Trampolines are available in different shapes and sizes to complement your backyard such as 12’ and 14’ round systems and a 10’ x 17’ rectangular system. Of course, the area of the trampoline itself isn’t all that must be taken into account. You must also add be sure there’s room around the trampoline to allow access to it. 

  Safety Net: Safety is a big issue when having fun. Safety nets protect children as well as adults from bouncing off the trampoline. No matter what age the children are, it’s important to take every measure to ensure safety.

  Buying From a Trusted Vendor: In order to ensure durability and quality, trampolines should only be bought from trusted vendors. They will last longer and provide more fun than a poorly put-together trampoline. To see if the vendor you are favoring qualifies as trusted, look at customer reviews, the age of the company, and presentation of the company on their website. Ask if the company offers professional installation and consider having them set it up for you.

Spend some quality time with your kids while exercising and having fun! Visit Backyard Dreams at www.backyard-dreams.com and take advantage of their spring promotion - $100 off any AlleyOop trampoline and half off delivery/installation as well as 25% off any Backyard Fun Factory Playset.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Creative Games on Play Sets Provide Hours of Fun and Exercise


There are an endless number of games that can be played on backyard wooden play sets and swing sets.  Here are just a couple of the games that can provide hours of fun and exercise for your children.

  Scavenger Hunts: A great way to celebrate birthdays and holidays, many people have fond memories of looking for small toys and candy hidden around their houses and backyards. A play set provides far more places to hide these treasures and makes for a good place to take a break from all the action. Be warned, a stale pack of candy may be found months after the celebration!

  Groundies: This is a fun one for play sets. One person is ‘It’ and everyone stands in a circle. ‘It’ counts to ten while everyone else runs to the play set.  Once ‘It’ reaches the count of ten, he or she can open their eyes. The player who is ‘It’ tries to tag the other players, who then become ‘It’. The player who is ‘It’ can open their eyes when on the ground but must close their eyes if they go onto the equipment. If a player is on the ground, ‘It’ can yell ‘Groundies!’ and anyone on the ground is then ‘It’.

Play sets help children to explore their creativity and allow you to spend some quality time with your kids while exercising and having fun! Visit Backyard Dreams at www.backyard-dreams.com.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Fun Games With a Play Set


Backyard wooden play sets and swing sets can provide hours of fun.  Here are just a few examples of the games that are fun for all ages.

  Hide and Seek - A classic game that can be played nearly anywhere is more fun with the new hiding spots a swing set provides. One child counts to ten with his eyes closed while the others scramble to hide in the yard and in the play set such as in the hidden part of the slide.  The child that counts then becomes the ‘seeker’ and tries to find each child in his hiding spot. The last child to be found wins the game. 

  Tag – Tag provides even more fun with new challenges and strategies kids need to face to win the game. The children can play Anything Goes Tag where one child chases the others until all are tagged.  A variation is Base Tag, which allows certain ‘safe-zones’ such as a pole or a swing where players cannot be tagged.  Children have fun finding creative ways to get to home base without being tagged. They can only stay at home base for a count of five before they have to run again and avoid being tagged. The last child tagged is the winner and then becomes the tagger in the next round.

  Jungle Jeep Safari - Musical chairs on a play set. Using different pieces of equipment such as slides, swings and steps as ‘Jeeps’, have the kids walk, jump and crawl around the play set until you say “Look out for the tiger”. Then the kids will try to get on one of the ‘Jeeps’ so that they are not the last one standing. Then remove a ‘Jeep’ and play again until there is only one child left.

These are only a few of the fun games that are playable with a play set in addition to the normal swinging, sliding and make-believe. These games can be mixed and matched to be even more fun depending on the age of your kids. Play sets are a win for everyone in the family. Spend some quality time with your kids while exercising and having fun! Visit Backyard Dreams at www.backyard-dreams.com

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Wooden Play Sets Are Built To Last


Wooden play sets are a great investment in your child’s future.  Wooden play sets last longer than electronics and other children’s toys. The average gaming console lasts for only two years, and most children will lose interest in the games long before then. Play sets last for generations, and even with much use, they will be around for years to come.

Play sets make a great addition to every family. Children will spend hours every day playing on play sets with friends, getting in touch with the outdoors, and maximizing their creativity. Play sets are more energy efficient than other toys, making them better for the environment.

While children complain about being bored in the house and are likely to sit in front of electronics while eating and remaining sedentary, play sets can change that!  Children will remain active and engaged in the outdoors when they have a play set enticing them to play outside.  Children won’t easily become bored with their wooden play set, which is wonderful because they last for generations.

Not only will your child have fun, but you also can have fun with them! Swing and play sets are better, more entertaining, and more durable for your child than other toys.

Now that the temperatures will start getting warmer and spring is approaching quickly, a play set is the perfect addition to every backyard. Visit Backyard Dreams at www.backyard-dreams.com.




Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Wooden Swing Sets are Great For Generations to Come


Remember playing on a wooden swing set when you were a child? Those long days spent playing with friends centered around the wooden play set in your or your friend’s yard? Such fond memories deserve to be passed down to the next generation, your kids. Think of the number of hours they will spend away from screens with friends, enjoying the outdoors, learning to play fair, and most importantly having fun.

Swing sets and wooden play sets are far more efficient than other sources of entertainment. Unlike videogames and movies, which become bland after one play, wooden play sets take one to the lengths of their imagination. Wooden play sets certainly have more “game modes” than other toys and video games. From hide and seek to make believe to just swinging on the swings, consoles seem inferior when compared to play sets! When a child is young and bursting with imagination, it is important to have an entertainment source that can keep up!

Playing in an environment where they must move to keep up with the fun is extremely beneficial to children of all ages. Not only is it fun, but it also promotes healthy living, much more so than a movie or videogame. From running up and down to pumping your legs to swing even higher, fun and exercise are combined like never before. In a day and age when nature is so difficult to really get in touch with, a play set outside makes it fun to be outdoors and immersed in nature every day.

Visit Backyard Dreams at www.backyard-dreams.com.