The older grand daughter has a 6th birthday coming up and we know that a
swing and climbing frame would be welcome. They have a tiny garden, so
bearing that in mind, could modern parents let me know what they have found
to be the best for their children's needs, safety being paramount, of
course!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

In message , Sacha
writes
The older grand daughter has a 6th birthday coming up and we know that a
swing and climbing frame would be welcome. They have a tiny garden, so
bearing that in mind, could modern parents let me know what they have found
to be the best for their children's needs, safety being paramount, of
course!

Ahh, it was big'uns 6th birthday last weekend. They got a lovely
playhouse from my mum and dad as combined birthdays/xmas present

I'd recommend having a look at TP toys range, everyone I know who has
their products is very happy with them. Quality of construction, of
materials, the instructions, and customer service is very good.

http://www.tptoys.com/

We bought a climbing frame 4 years ago - A Challenger frame and slide:

http://www.tptoys.com/outdoortoys/st...allenger_climb
ing_frame/

and it's been great. Thought this might not be for them if the garden
is too small, but there are other TP options. You do need to remember
that you needs to have space around the frame as well. If I was choosing
just one option, I'd probably go from the climbing frame as opposed to
swings. Though if space is real push, s single swing is going to be the
most compact option. Though tP do a combined climbing frame/swing as
well.

We also have a large TP swingset as well. Bought cheap off of Ebay a
couple of years ago. It is probably about 15 years old. Some bolts
needed replacing, and some of the ropes broke this year, and the swing
seats are looking bit dodgy, but the frame and everything else has
lasted well

TP aren't cheap, but they are good value and will last, used ones often
sell for quite high prices on Ebay. I wouldn't worry to much about
looking out for sales or cut price deals, there don't really seem to be
any very much.
--
Chris French

On 5/3/07 00:58, in article ,
"chris French" wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
The older grand daughter has a 6th birthday coming up and we know that a
swing and climbing frame would be welcome. They have a tiny garden, so
bearing that in mind, could modern parents let me know what they have found
to be the best for their children's needs, safety being paramount, of
course!

Ahh, it was big'uns 6th birthday last weekend. They got a lovely
playhouse from my mum and dad as combined birthdays/xmas present

I'd recommend having a look at TP toys range, everyone I know who has
their products is very happy with them. Quality of construction, of
materials, the instructions, and customer service is very good.

http://www.tptoys.com/

We bought a climbing frame 4 years ago - A Challenger frame and slide:

http://www.tptoys.com/outdoortoys/st...allenger_climb
ing_frame/
snip

Many thanks, Christ, this is just what I needed and it's immensely helpful.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

chris French writes
In message , Sacha
writes
The older grand daughter has a 6th birthday coming up and we know that a
swing and climbing frame would be welcome. They have a tiny garden, so
bearing that in mind, could modern parents let me know what they have found
to be the best for their children's needs, safety being paramount, of
course!

Ahh, it was big'uns 6th birthday last weekend. They got a lovely
playhouse from my mum and dad as combined birthdays/xmas present

I'd recommend having a look at TP toys range, everyone I know who has
their products is very happy with them. Quality of construction, of
materials, the instructions, and customer service is very good.


I'd second this. Ours had a TP climbing frame for years (I think they
were about 5 and 2 when we got it, and almost mid teens before they
abandoned it). The first few years it was in the middle of the lawn,
then, when they got into older primary age, it moved down to the
shrubbery at the end of the garden and formed a sort of giant climbing
frame with the adjacent mature cherry tree. Then we passed it on to
another young family.

Ours had a plastic platform with a 'tent' over it, forming a sort of
'tree house', and the platform was appreciated as a place to perch and
chat even as they were becoming too old to climb and play. The 'tent'
didn't last so well - it wasn't constructed to have sub-teens climbing
on top of it! I'd give that a miss - you could always make available an
old sheet.

We also had the slide attachment which was much enjoyed when the kids
were young - especially so in hot summers when we extended it with a wet
plastic sheet across the lawn.


--
Kay

On 5/3/07 21:29, in article , "K"
wrote:

chris French writes
snip

I'd recommend having a look at TP toys range, everyone I know who has
their products is very happy with them. Quality of construction, of
materials, the instructions, and customer service is very good.


I'd second this. Ours had a TP climbing frame for years (I think they
were about 5 and 2 when we got it, and almost mid teens before they
abandoned it). snip
We haven't bought the 'den' bit yet but the platform is there. IME,
children do love a den of their own, whether it's under some overhanging
tree branches or a tablecloth draped over the kitchen table.

We also had the slide attachment which was much enjoyed when the kids
were young - especially so in hot summers when we extended it with a wet
plastic sheet across the lawn.

I think the lawn in question is too small for that but we'll have to see how
it fits into the space. I remember my children having a water slide which
was, basically, a long sheet of plastic with a hose playing over it. They
simply ran across the lawn and hurled themselves onto the plastic and I
applied Arnica later! It was an enormous success and a greatly loved play
thing on hot days. Children, water and safely 'out of control' are
unbeatable combinations - just running through a garden sprinkler reduced a
group of Brownies to sodden but giggling heaps here one summer's evening
when they were doing horticulture for one of their badges. Anyway, thanks
to all of you for the TP advice. It was spot on for what we needed and
otherwise, I wouldn't have known where to start, frankly, being a tad out of
date in that direction.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)