Do you struggle to persuade your kids to play outdoors? If so, you are not alone. Modern kids lead a highly sedentary lifestyle compared to children a few decades ago. Computers, video consoles and smartphones have turned our kids into screen-devoted couch potatoes. This might be great for their hand-eye coordination, but it is not so good for their physical health. One way to combat this problem is to provide plenty of fun play equipment for them to use outdoors. Swing sets are a good choice, but if space is lacking, a set of monkey bars could be just the ticket.
Monkey bars are a highly versatile activity toy. You can hang them from a tree branch, or fix them to a ceiling if you want to create an indoor play area for active kids. If used regularly, this kind of play equipment can help to build up your child’s upper body strength. They will also burn off lots of excess energy, which is never a bad thing when you are dealing with younger children!
So if you are thinking of turning your yard into a jungle gym, here are 9 of the best choices.
The Best Monkey Bars for Active Kids
Jungle Gym Kingdom Trapeze Swing Bar with Rings Lowest Price | Check price at | |
Gorilla Playsets Trapeze Assembly with Rings | Check price at | |
Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Swing Set with 9 Foot Wavy Slide | Check price at | |
PlayStar Commercial Grade Gym Rings | Check price at | |
Metal Monkey Bars from Swing-N-Slide | Check price at | |
Eastern Jungle Gym Ring/Trapeze Bar Combo | Check price at | |
Lifetime Geometric Dome Climber Play Center | Check price at |
1. Jungle Gym Kingdom Trapeze Swing Bar with Rings
Kids will have a ball with the Jungle Gym Kingdom trapeze swing. One of the most popular sets around, it can be attached to an existing swing set or fixed to a convenient branch. The swing set has a powder coated trapeze bar and plastic covered easy-grip rings below the bar. Add this to the garden and your kids can enjoy a whole new level of fun.
2. Gorilla Gym Kids Deluxe with Indoor Swing
The perfect way for kids to get active indoors or in a limited space. The Gorilla Gym Indoor Swing attaches directly into your doorway with: no drilling, no holes, no bolts, no marks on your walls or door frames. With an assortment of secure attachments the Gorilla Gym is an innovative and fun way for kids to get their monkey on, rain or shine.
3. Gorilla Playsets Trapeze Assembly with Rings
The Trapeze Assembly with rings from Gorilla Playsets is a fun and durable play set for kids. The trapeze bar is solidly constructed from powder-coated steel. The triangular monkey rings are independently mobile, so kids can swing around to their heart’s content. The set is strong enough to take an adult’s weight (as long as it is securely fixed), so you do not have to sit and watch your kids have fun – join them!
4. Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Swing Set with 9 Foot Wavy Slide
The Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure swing set offers hours of fun for active kids. It comes with monkey bars, gym rings, three belt swings, a firefighter’s pole and a nine-foot wavy slide. Safety is always an important issue with children’s play equipment, but you can rest easy if you have this set in your garden as all hard edges are nicely rounded and the swing chairs have soft rubber grips to prevent any painful pinches.
5. PlayStar Commercial Grade Gym Rings
The PlayStar Monkey Bar Rings and Trapeze Ring Swing Set is a premium play set for kids, made in the U.S., the rings come with power grips and metal grommets for rugged play sessions. The chain fixings are a heavy-duty welded-link construction with a soft rubber coating for extra comfort. The set includes two rings, a chain and quick links for easy attachment. Kids will have lots of fun playing on this set, but the rings and trapeze bar can easily accommodate an adult’s weight, too.
6. Toy Monster Jungle Monkey Bars Tower
The Jungle Monkey Bars Tower is easy to assemble and highly portable. Kids can swing from the bars or use the structure as a base for their blanket tent or pirate den. The tower is made from high quality materials in a range of different colors. Interlocking tubes connect with self-locking springs, so it will not take you long to assemble and disassemble. The set is designed for kids aged 3-6 years.
7. Metal Monkey Bars from Swing-N-Slide
The metal monkey bars from Swing-N-Slide are made from heavy-duty cast steel with bronze brushing and a strong two-bolt mounting system. The steel bars can be used as a swing set ladder or mounted on to a large tree trunk if your kids need access to a treehouse. The monkey bars are very easy to fit and kids will love this classic play activity. It is great for building upper body strength!
8. Eastern Jungle Gym Ring/Trapeze Bar Combo
The Eastern Jungle Gym rung/trapeze bar combo features two monkey rings and a trapeze bar with hanging chains. The chains are bright yellow and the monkey rings and trapeze bar are green. The rings and trapeze bar are a Plasticol coated steel construction. The chains are also Plasticol coated for soft grip and no pinching. The straight coil chains are super strong and should provide many years of happy play in the back yard.
9. Lifetime Geometric Dome Climber Play Center
The Lifetime Geometric Dome Climber Play Center is the perfect outdoor play frame for building a child’s strength, coordination and confidence. Built to handle heavy-duty play, the frame is made of weather and rust resistant powder-coated steel. Your kids can swing around for hours as they work on their skills as a future champion gymnast.
Outdoor play equipment is the perfect tool to encourage your kids to be more active – so try some of these durable bars and watch them swing around all day long!
Feature image courtesy of Flickr, jessicahtam.