(ARA) - The time of year when relatives get to play Santa for the little ones in their lives is almost upon us, and if you're racking your brain to come up with a gift idea that will make a huge impact, look no further than the back yard.
“ When children are younger, they'll get hours of fun from a simple slide. ”
Give a gift that will keep on giving by rekindling the kids' enthusiasm for their backyard playset. "When children are younger, they'll get hours of fun from a simple slide. As they get older, they yearn for more exciting options. We can help you make their dreams a reality," says Karl Jessen, president of Detailed Play Systems, an Internet-based company that makes playground equipment affordable for all.
Among the most popular options his company offers are updates for slides and swings. Detailed Play carries several playground slide options including wave, scoop, combo, and spiral slides. Along with the usual belt and full bucket swings, they also have buoy ball swings made using a real nautical buoy ball and Winston Cup tire swings made from tires that were actually used in a NASCAR race.
For the younger set, tube tunnels provide hours of play, and add on easily to existing playsets. The 24-inch diameter tube will foster lots of imaginative play. "Young kids also love our bubble panels," says Jessen. "They can be a window on the world, the nose of a space pod or anything else kids dream up." The panel is a polyethylene sheet with a clear Lexan bubble.
Steering wheels and telescopes are also simple, inexpensive ways to add variety to the playset. If you'd like to add or replace a vinyl top, Jessen's company offers custom tops in many colors. Custom vinyl sandbox covers are also available.
But perhaps the most popular items in his inventory are climbing walls like "The Mountain Climb," a realistically molded one-piece rock climb. It is over five feet tall and can be attached to playsets with five-foot deck heights.
Detailed Play Systems also offers two types of rock holds. "The composite/sand rock holds look very realistic," says Jessen. Each hold attaches individually to the wooden structure behind it to form an easier or more challenging climbing route, depending on the skill level of your child. Tough polyethylene molded rock holds are larger to make it easier for younger children to grasp and climb; they also fasten individually onto a wooden subsurface.
With all the activity going on around your playset, you'll want to be sure you have an appropriate, safe surface surrounding the area. "Asphalt, concrete and even grass are considered hard surfaces not safe for use under a playset," says Jessen. Mulch, wood chips, fine sand and fine gravel are considered acceptable surfaces, but the best options are synthetic soft play surfaces specifically designed for use with playsets, such as the shredded rubber mulch available from Detailed Play Systems. These are non toxic to children and pets and one application lasts for years.
For more information, and to see the complete selection of playset accessories, visit www.detailedplay.com or call (800)398-7565 to order a catalog. Shipping is available in the 48 contiguous United States.
Courtesy of ARA Content
