Playground Timber Projects

Turning your backyard into an amazing playground for kids (and even adults) will make for endless hours of fun for the whole family. Here are some ideas for three wonderful, child-friendly timber constructions to spoil your kids with.

A swing

Most of us have fond childhood memories of sitting on a swing, dangling our legs and flying through the air… Constructing the wooden frame for a swing only requires a few solid beams to construct an A-frame type of structure securely fastened with nuts and bolts or use brackets. The swings themselves can be attached with rope or metal chains which are sturdier. Ready-made swing seats which include the chains can be bought or you could use a wooden board or an old tire as the seat. Here are some instructions for building your own swing set: https://oldsaltfarm.com/how-to-build-a-wooden-swing-set/

A tree house

A wooden tree house is a dream for any kid with a sense of adventure! Choose a strong tree with branches that spread out widely not too far above ground for building this cosy little hide-out. About 2,5m above ground is a good height, as it’s exciting enough, but not too scary for kids, and high enough for adults not to bump their heads against when walking underneath the tree house. Adding braces at the base of your tree house will help to stabilize the structure. Apart from the basic platform of the wooden treehouse you could consider adding a ladder, railing, a roof etc to improve it. Here is a good step by step guide to constructing a treehouse:  https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-treehouse/

A jungle gym

Climbing around on a jungle gym is not only great entertainment for the kids, but actually good for their athletic skills and overall fitness. Keep your kids healthy, active and promote outdoor exploration. There are many variations and designs for a jungle gym and it can easily be combined with other playground items like a swing or a slide. Here are instructions for a rustic wooden design: https://www.sawpa.co.za/diy-projects-monkeying-around

In South Africa, building a fun outdoor playground area for your kids will never be a waste with the many days of sunshine we get to enjoy! You could also build a see-saw with just a few wooden beams, some other constructions to climb, add some benches for adults to sit on while they watch the children – or even build an outdoor gym to keep the grown-ups busy and motivated.