Rainbow Play Systems: Good or Bad?

We got our playset from Creative Playthings. They are cheaper than Rainbow, but very much worth it. My girls love it and my 6 year old still plays on it.

Hi C., I don't have any experience with that play set, but when my son was little, we loved almost ANYTHING that Little Tykes made! Very durable and affordable when you could catch a good sale too. I know we had like an outdoor play ground ourselves too! But he LOVED it! So I say go for it no matter which playset you choose. Good luck!!

We love our Rainbow play system. The swings are so much better that the cheaper ones we bought and broken in just 2 summers of use. My boys have loved to climb and swing for years, at least 10, on our Rainbow play system.

My sister has a Rainbow for her two children, and seems to really like it. It cost about $2,000 though. If you consider wood, pay attention to the type of wood, pine is a softer wood and I think the cheaper sets tend to have more of it. Also, be prepared to stain/seal it to keep it looking nice.

I grew up on a metal one-don't remember much drama with it. My kids have a wooden one from SAMS (bought 5 years ago) and the only thing with it is the canopy ripping, as another mother said about hers.

What ever gets the kids outside in the fresh air is helpful. I would suggest to get what you could afford without breaking the bank. My sister considered the swingset as an alternative to the cost of a vacation for a couple years.

Good luck with your decision, my son turns three in September-these are active days!

My house I bought came with one, so I didn't spend the money, but it is very durable and my daughter loves it.

We got a wood swingset from Toys R Us when our kids were little. I'm sure it was cheaper than the Rainbow brand. Our neighbors had an even cheaper metal and plastic swingset. Both swingsets were kid magnets. Put a swingset out and kids flock to it and your child makes new friends! If I had to do it again, I may have bought a higher quality set. After a few years, the canopy ripped off, but the kids invented a new way to play without it. A few years later, the slide broke and eventually had to be discarded. The metal things that hold the swings rusted into the wood, so we could no longer switch out swings. Later, the trapeze broke and the kids tied it to a swing for an odd contraption...but they were pre-teens by then. We hung a hammock from it to a tree for a while and that was fun. So, the swingset devolved over the years, but that did not deter anyone from playing on it. As kids get older, they just hang out on it and talk. The downside to wood swingsets is the occasional splinter and wasps are attracted to it. But, metal swingsets get rusty and if the caps fall off the ends of the tubes, wasps actually make nests in them. I think wood looks much better, and I would guess that the higher quality sets look better longer. I would look at it as something your daughter (and subsequent children) and friends will be playing with, off and on, until they are teenagers.

When we bought our house it came with a Rainbow swingset. I was still pregnant when we moved in so my son has had it his whole life. He has been playing on it since he was old enough (starting at about 9 months we hooked his baby swing to it) He loves it. He never gets bored of it.. especially the slide. We were so lucky to have it come with the house because they are really expensive, but I have found that it is totally worth it.

Rainbow is a good set however they do not honor their warranty. Do not spend the money because of the warranty.

If you have a Sam's membership they sell really nice playsets. It may be a better cost than rainbow. Good luck - I'm sure your child will love any playset you choose.

We purchased a Rainbow Play Set about five years ago for our two daughters and we are still glad we made this investment. (Holds all the kids in the neighborhood!) Great reputation and will hold it's re-sale value up to 50% if you keep it stained and well maintained. (We plan to keep ours for another 5 years or so and then sell it.) Will also hold all adults for swinging and climbing, which makes it fun for mom and dad too!

Hint. Look to buy in the Fall/Winter before x-mas. Kind of like buying a car as they are getting rid of old models and will negotiate and discount the prices. (May want to look in paper or on the internet and see if you can find one used as well.)

Good luck!