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This thing is a solid adventure center that features a wide double rock wall with a climbing rope and a rope ladder that leads to a big open-air fort. Read More

This 700 lb playset has a clubhouse with hardtop roof, 2 belt swings, a trapeze bar, 9 ft slide, propeller swing, climbing wall, cargo net, and more. Read More

Made of steel alloy, this lightweight playset is easy to put together and holds up to 700 pounds, which is great for large groups of kids. Read More

A built-in basketball hoop, soccer net, saucer swing, glider, and traditional swing make this a hub for all things outdoor fun. Read More

The Swing-N-Slide Ranger is great for its affordable price point, and has an optional upgrade with slide pieces. Read More

Whenever I go visit my mom’s house, I’m in awe that my childhood playset is not only still standing, but in use by the neighborhood kids. A heavy iron swing set with bars to hang on and an added metal-and-wood glider of sorts, I can remember my dad gathering a couple of friends and spending hours assembling the heavy parts and making sure it was properly set into the ground so that the weight of me and my friends swinging as high as we could didn’t flip the monster playset over. (Sandbags can be a good option, and you want to build on level ground.)

These days, there are a variety of outdoor playsets out there, with easy assembly and parts designed to prevent rust and avoid injury. Picking an outdoor playset can be tough, though, and you obviously want the safest option available for your children—while still making sure that they’ll have fun with it.

Here are some of the best outdoor playsets you can get on Amazon.

The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.

Made of cedar with powder-coated steel brackets, the Mount McKinley from Backyard Discovery is sure to look good in anyone’s yard. This thing is a solid adventure center that features a full-width, double rock wall with a climbing rope and a rope ladder that leads to a large open-air fort with a steering wheel and play telescope, to adequately defend your fortress from any unwelcome pirates. Watch your kids make their quick exit through the eight-foot-long slide (with extra high rails to ensure safety) and swing high on one of the two swings, or swing on the trapeze bar.

You may need some extra tools in order to put this playset together, but the cedar is soft, so you’ll want to take time to read the directions through, so as not to damage anything with high-powered tools. Anchors are included, and should be used to ensure proper setting in your yard for increased safety. While we wouldn’t recommend doing this project alone—that’ll take a long time—it is entirely possible.

A good price for a solid outdoor playset, the Mount McKinley is recommended to accommodate children from three to 10 years old. Users report minimal wear and tear, even after years of rain, sleet, and snow, and people like that overall this playset is pretty compact in relation to others available.

Lots of activities to choose from

Takes a long time to assemble

The Lifetime A-Frame Adventure Playset is a beast. Its 700 pounds is made up of a clubhouse with hardtop roof, two belt swings, a trapeze bar, nine-foot slide, propeller swing, climbing wall, cargo net, and activity board (with a ship’s wheel and binoculars).

As with anything that sits outside for long periods of time, you’ll look for durability, and this outdoor playset has exactly that. Made of polyethylene and powder-coated steel, this outdoor playset is weather resistant, and won’t warp, crack, or splinter like wooden playsets. Rounded edges and plastic caps are included in order to prevent injury, though children will still need supervision, especially on the cut-out rock wall.

Due to the nature of this playset, there’s no need for cement or anchoring, and its durability is backed by a five-year limited manufacturer warranty. Assembly is said to be somewhat difficult, even with extra hands, so be ready for a bit of a challenge in order for your hard work to pay off.

Basic in design, the XPD Recreation All-Star Playground is a classic choice in outdoor playsets. Made of steel alloy, this lightweight outdoor playset is easy to put together and holds up to 700 pounds, which is great for as many kids as your patience can handle. With a disc swing—as well as two traditional swings, a glider, and slide—this is a great kit at a really nice price point.

Due to the size of this playset, you will want to take into account the size of your yard, but even still it isn’t a massive piece. And assembly is said to be even easier than expected, taking roughly two hours to get together using the instructions provided. A lot of activities for a great price, the All-Star Playground is a real steal and is sure to please children of any age.

A good alternative for pricier outdoor playsets, this pick from Fitness Reality Kids is a great all-in-one option that might even put your local park to shame. Kids of all ages are said to love this playset, and while recommended usage is from three to eight years old, reviews mention that this is a better pick for smaller children.

A built-in basketball hoop, soccer net, saucer swing, glider, and traditional swing make this a hub for all things outdoor fun, and kids are sure to find that it soon becomes their favorite multipurpose toy. This outdoor playset is lightweight without sacrificing fun or safety (it comes with stakes to protect against tipping), but when it comes to assembly it isn't the easiest, as not all the pieces come labeled.

Swing-N-Slide offers a simply designed swing set that won’t take up the entirety of your yard. The Ranger is great for its affordable price point, and has the option to purchase with or without slide pieces if you decide to upgrade to the Ranger Plus.

For those looking for flexible seated swings instead of hard plastic seating, this is a good choice, and some people have even installed a toddler swing in place of the hanging bars between the swings. While there’s a slide attachment for the Ranger Plus, this is a very straightforward playset that is probably best used to supplement other activities in the yard, rather than encourage pretend play.

Reviewers say their building experience was painless and that they like the look of this cedar playset in their yard. But the low price may reflect the quality, and some report cracking in their wood. For this reason, we wouldn’t suggest this as an outdoor playset to grow with your family but rather something for the short term.

Wood isn’t great quality

Ceara Perez-Murphy is a staff writer at Reviewed.

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