If you don’t have a swing set yet, you may be first be interested in the types of outdoor swings you may install. If so, you’d better check out the articles about wooden, metal and plastic swings or how you can buy used or build it yourself. But if you already have done that, it’s time to think about the swing set accessories.
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The Purpose Of Swing Set Accessories

Most accessories are made for wooden or plastic swings, there is less to add on a metal swing which is another reason to ask yourself twice whether you want to buy such. There are accessories which are especially for kid swing sets (most of them actually) and others who are appropriate only for adult and canopy swings (like pillows for example).

Fun Accessory Ideas

Enough talk, let me give you few examples about fun or useful swing set accessories that you can buy. You can click on the pictures to see them large along with more details about the accessories.

	We spoke about pillows few paragraphs above, so let’s see these pillows for example. The pillows are most appropriate for a hammock swing. They make it not only more comfortable but also a lot more stable and increase the sitting area. With such pillows a large enough hammock can let two adults swinging together at the same time.
	If you have a canopy swing you definitely need a cover. It will protect you and the canopy fabric from sunlight and will let you swing outside even when it’s slowly raining. Most canopy swings come assembled with a cover from the beginning, but it needs to be changed about once per year. The canopy swing covers usually cost between $50 and $150 depending on the quality of the fabric and the guarantee you are getting.
	What if your swing set is primary for kids? No problem, there are some very cool, simple and cheap toys you can add to offer them even more enjoyment. See for example this simple Swing-N-Slide Steering Wheel. Such toys cost $10 – $20 and can give so many new ideas for outdoor play for your children. When buying such a toy, better pick one made of plastic (durable polyethylene) instead of metal, because metal ones may bring you some troubles in case of rust.
	One slightly more expensive but a lot more useful toy is the Swing-N-Slide Climbing Rock. These climbing rocks fits best to wooden swings but there is no real reason (except the look) not to put attach them to a metal or plastic swing set. This accessory will stimulate more physical activity and may help you grow a mountaineer! Well, if nothing else, it’s a lot of fun.
	If you and your children like the idea of more active swinging and combining it with other sports, then Ring/Trapeze Combos are yet another great and very affordable accessory – usually costs just $20 – $30 and can be of such a great help for the kids physical growth. Such rings can be attached to any kind of swing set as long as it is high enough. Of course special attention to safety is required.
	If you have a baby but don’t want to buy a special toddler swing, don’t worry, you can still let it play on the set. There are excellent baby swing accessories that can be attached to the seat or directly to the main beam. The toddler accessories which allow additional protection with a belt or plastic border are much preferred because of the extra safety they provide.
	If you have more kids, gondolas are within the greatest accessories you can buy for their swing set. They are usually made of plastic with carbon steel frame and are appropriate for kids of age 3 and above. The gondolas can be attached to different kind of swing sets, but often only a specific gondola is for only some specific type of swing, so you need to check for compatibility when buying. Usually the gondolas cost $200 – $400 which makes them an expensive accessory.

Tips For All Kinds Of Swing Sets

First and most important: take care for safety – your own, your children’s and the swing’s one. Here are few important actions about keeping the outdoor swing safe and in good condition:

• Regularly check chains, swings and slides for damages. Do replace every suspicious part immediately to avoid accidents.
• Don’t get out of the swing set while still in motion. Teach your children the same.
• Reduce exposure to rain and snow when possible. You can cover the swing with polythene or canvas when you don’t use it for a long time.
• Avoid staying close or walking around the swing when someone else uses it. This advice is very important for kids as they can get seriously injured by a swinging adult or even other kid.
• Dress appropriately. Long dresses, shoe-laces or belts can get caught into the chains and cause accidents. As usual, pay special attention to how kids are dressed when swinging.

Of course don’t get obsessed by the security – the swing sets are quite safe tools in general. I would say they are safer than bicycles or rollers.

Maintenance of different kinds of swing sets

Now, let’s really talk about maintenance. There are some specific actions to take in order to keep different kinds of outdoor swings in good shape:

• Wooden swing sets. They are not very pretentious. Take care to clean them each few months. Paint them each 1-2 years or when you see a need. Frequent painting will not only keep the overall look of the swing set great, but will also protect the wood from decay. (Learn more about wooden swing sets)
• Metal swing sets. They need regular threating against rust. Painting also helps just like with the wooden swings. Regularly check the puttings for holes – besides causing potential danger, these holes often are inhabited by inserts and wasps. (Learn more about metal swing sets)
• Plastic outdoor swings. They are very easy to maintain because they don’t need painting. Cleaning is easy and quick, just be careful what cleaning preparation you use. (Learn more about plastic swing sets)
• Canopy swing sets The canopy swings require special attention. The canopy fabric and the cushion can easy rot after rain or lose their color due to long hours under sun light. If you have a canopy swing build of special materials for outdoor usage (in most cases this will be true), you are partly protected. But still it’s good to take care covering the canopy and the cushion to protect them from rain, snow and too much sun. Frequently check the canopy for insects especially if you have animals in the garden. (Learn more about outdoor canopy swings)
• Outdoor baby swings. Your toddler swing needs careful and frequent cleaning as the babies don’t have strong immunity. Double check all the chains and ropes as well. (Learn more about outdoor baby swings)

As you can see there is not much to do but still the swing sets need to be taken care about once in a while.