The Appleton Swing Set by KidKraft is perfect for small spaces.
With a compact footprint of just 80 sq. ft., Appleton packs miles
of fun into every well-crafted inch—accommodating up to six
lively kids. Starting with an exhilarating high-rail wave slide,
the adventure continues with a quick scramble up the rock wall
ladder to the shade of the gable-roofed upper deck. There,
enclosed by protective side slats, children can safely draw or
write on the vinyl chalkwall, survey their magic kingdoms or just
sit and play. Outside, a trip to the sandbox for archaeological
digs or a ride on one of the two sturdy belt swings provides
plenty of fresh air activity. Adults will appreciate the
high-quality, 100% premium wood construction and ease of
assembly. Appleton is one small wonder that packs a big punch.
For children aged 3 years to 7 years.
Review: Great playset, especially if you get it on sale - Got
this on sale for $350, which seemed like a great deal. It's been
3 months since I put it all together and so far, it's holding up
great. Playset is on the smaller side - don't expect something
from a public park, but it's perfect for toddlers and small kids,
any under 4'6" and 80 pounds (it's rated for 110 pounds but kids
that big are probably on their smart phones instead). Any playset
that is bigger will likely cost way more ($1,500+), so this is a
great deal all things considered. My set came with all the
necessary pieces, nothing broken. Cedar wood is of good quality
and smells nice. Cedar is considered a softwood, but these planks
seem sturdy enough. Still, be careful when you drill in screws or
bolts The wood appears treated in some way as the water beads
off, but I'll see how it holds up this winter (I live in Southern
California so I'm more worried about sun damage - I'll likely
need to stain/seal before each summer). It took me and a friend
about 7 hours to assemble it all - we spent an hour organizing
and about 6 to build, with a long lunch in the middle that
involved a lot of beer (not recommended). Required tools - socket
wrench with 5/16 and 1/2 drives along with a power drill. You'll
need a Phillips drive bit and the hardware provided include a
Robertson drive bit - definitely use it over anything you may
already have. Most of the holes are pre-drilled and I encountered
only one piece that seemed to be pre-drilled incorrectly
(fortunately, I have a power drill). Other tips - you need a flat
surface. Sort out ahead of time the wood pieces by number group
and the hardware size (bolts, screws, washers, nuts) together by
size so they're easy to grab - this is what took so long to
organize as we figured out some of the hardware could be set up
in advance (bolts paired with their washers and nuts, etc). Don't
tighten anything until the end so you can maneuver all the pieces
into place, especially when you manhandle the swing portion to
the main station. Finally, take your time reading the
instructions - they can be a bit confusing and if you look at it
wrong, you may mix things up (I actually mirrored the whole set
on accident, but that actually worked out to be a better fit for
my backyard). I modified my version in order to support
installing a pirate ship wheel (basically, there are some
horizontal supports you can screw on from the outside of the
"fort" rather than inside) and left the back space open, taking
out the chalk wall and putting a rope ladder instead. All in all,
considering how little it cost, I am happy about this and so is
my son, so that's all that counts.
Review: Compact play scape - This quality for the price. Easy to
set up. I was able to do this myself in four hours. Perfect for a
small backyard. My three year-old daughter loves it. As long as
it is on level ground, it is very sturdy. There are plenty of
extra parts.
