“Dad, push me,” it sounds again and again. For hours the cheering goes back and forth, getting higher and higher, and the kids can't get enough of the fun. The preference for uniform movement begins in infancy. Mothers and fathers know: Hardly anything calms babies as quickly as gently rocking. In this case, too, children learn through active comprehension. In the case of rocking, the vestibular organ in the inner ear, which is responsible for maintaining balance, is trained. So what could be better than training the development of your offspring by building a children's swing yourself?
How can I build a children's swing myself?
To build a children's swing yourself, you need pressure-treated wooden beams, threaded bolts, swing suspensions, ground anchors and tools such as a drill and folding rule. Follow step-by-step instructions to build a sturdy swing frame and matching swing seat.
The swing frame
If there is no old tree in the garden with relatively straight branches, you will first need a swing frame and enough space to set it up. For safety reasons, there should be no buildings or large plants in the swing area. Since children like to jump off at full swing, it is better if flower beds are not directly adjacent. Grass, sand or special rubber mats are recommended as a surface.
Material and tools list:
| Material | Dimensions | |
|---|---|---|
| Feet | 4 pressure treated wooden beams | 15 cm diameter, 300 cm length |
| 2 pressure-treated cross beams | 15 cm diameter, 150 cm length | |
| Crossbar | 1 pressure treated wooden beam | 15 cm diameter, 250 cm length |
| Connecting material | 8 threaded bolts | 16 mm diameter |
| 16 washers | M 16 | |
| 16 nuts | M 16 | |
| TÜV tested swing suspension | ||
| Anchoring material | gravel and concrete | |
| Ground anchor with matching screws and washers | ||
| Tool | Drilling machine with matching screw heads and wood drill attachments | |
| Forstner drill | ||
| Inch rule | ||
| pencil | ||
| Spirit level |
Assembly instructions
- First, the 300 cm long round beams are placed on top of each other so that they cross each other at a height of 250 cm. These are drilled through and screwed together with countersunk nuts using the Forstner bit.
- Attach the 150 cm long cross beams with threaded bolts. To reduce the risk of injury, also sink the nuts here.
- Assemble the second side part in the same way.
- Screw the suspensions for the swing into the middle of the round wood intended as a cross beam. The distance should be about 10 percent larger than the swing board.
- Screw the upper beam to the side parts (threaded bolts).
Setting up the garden swing
So that the swing has a stable stand, the swing feet must be set in concrete. Dig four holes at least 60 cm deep and fill them with a 15 cm thick layer of gravel and concrete. The ground anchors are inserted into the still wet material.
The swing seat
Here you can use a finished model or build a great swing seat that is also relatively non-slip from the kids' discarded skateboard.
For this you need:
- The base of the skateboard from which you have removed all other parts.
- Ropes made of weatherproof polypropylene with a diameter of 10 mm.
- Sturdy carabiner hooks.
- Wooden sticks that should be slightly longer than the width of the skateboard.
- Cordless drills and wood drills.
And this is how it works:
- Mark two opposite holes on the sides and drill.
- Pull through wooden sticks at both ends, about three centimeters from the edge.
- Divide the rope into two pieces of equal length.
- Thread through the holes of the skateboard so that the open ends are the same length.
- Tightly knot directly above the seat.
- Tie a knot in both ends of the rope at the child's reach height, measured from the seat.
- Put in the wooden round stick.
- Secure with a sturdy knot.
- The carabiner hooks serve as suspension.
Building instructions for a tire swing
If you have a large tree with sturdy branches in your garden, a tire swing is a great alternative to the classic wooden swing board. The swing frame, built according to our instructions, is also stable enough for this popular children's swing.
You will need for this project:
- an old tire
- a rope set for tire swings.
Provide the tire placed horizontally on the ground with sturdy hooks at four points at equal distances. Attach the attachment and hang the tire swing.
You can alternatively hang the hoop vertically. To do this, just screw one or two hooks into the tire so that it hangs vertically. Your child can now sit in or on the ring. This makes this variant also suitable for smaller kids, who find it easier to gain momentum.
Tip
If you build the garden swing and swing seat completely yourself and attach it to the frame with knots, you should use very stable connections that hold reliably. Sailor knots are the method of choice here. There are numerous instructions on the Internet that you can use to easily teach yourself.
