Outdoor Playset - Which to Buy?

I have a rainbow play system. No clue if they sell them in CA, but I plan on my kids getting use out of it for 15 years. We got it from a family that's daughter just stopped swinging on it, and she was 12. It has two forts, two slides, two swings, plus a glider, etc.

I got mine free. We just had to take it apart and move it. We then spent 2k replacing wood and on rubber mulch. Rubber mulch is the way to go, it doesn't rot, smell, there are no bugs in it, etc. And it acts like a giant sand pit my son likes to shovel in. It only cost a few hundred more than wood mulch, but it lasts 8 years. So worth the money.

A friend of mine has had a rainbow play system for the past 5 years, it's very durable and excellent quality, the kids love it because it has a lot of play features on it. But I think she paid around $3,000 for it on sale, so they're pretty expensive.

We bought ours from Wooden Swing and it was great.

We spent about $2500 and I sold it a fee years ago for $400 . The family who bought it brought in a pro to take if apart and reassemble at their home.

The guy who took it apart commented on how it was in great shape and had been cared for nicely.

When we bought such a set 10 years ago, it was from Costco. At least at that time, the directions that came with that set were maddening (they may have improved since then), but once we got the whole thing together, that was a wonderful playset! It was very sturdy. In fact, when we drive back through our old neighborhood, we can see that the set is still standing, and still under heavy use from the neighborhood kids. So, if you're a Costco member, you might want to check their wooden playsets out.

ETA: Here's the type we had: http://www.costco.com/.product.100096544.html?cm_sp=RichR...

We have a huge one that we walk to about 4 blocks away. There are a ton of things to do on it - several towers, three slides, bridges, climbing structures, picnic tables, benches. and about 8 swings. There are always friends there, which is great because my kids learn to share and negotiate. I've never had to replace any wood or mulch - I have "people" to do that for me and pay for it every spring. Oh, and I got it for free.

eta - oh yeah, if I feel like driving about five minutes, I have about 7 more I can go to.

A friend of mine has had a rainbow play system for the past 5 years, it's very durable and excellent quality, the kids love it because it has a lot of play features on it. But I think she paid around $3,000 for it on sale, so they're pretty expensive.

We have had a Rainbow set for 14 years. The next owners will have to stain it and replace a few boards, but other than that it is very sturdy and we used it every day when the kids were little. As others have said, they are expensive. In our case, it was worth the investment. I was home with the kids so we played on it often. I have heard moms who work outside the home say that they don't use their playgrounds as often because they just aren't home as much. The investment you want to make might depend on how often you think it will be used. We also splurged on professional installation, which I think makes a big difference in stability and durability (unless you are very handy or know someone who is very handy to install it). Our set has a sandbox, playdeck (kind of like a fort), two swings, disc swing, gymnastics bar with handles, monkey bars and a fireman's pole. The monkey bars are very popular with boys.

We got ours at costco.

Another vote for the Costco one ... We bought ours last year and it's great, though I do agree the directions were a little maddening for my husband and father when they did the building. Fortunately, they work well together, so all was good.

We toyed with the idea, but decided against it. Ours is an only child. We both work, and don't have any outdoor space. Thought to buy and install one at grandpa's house (he does pick ups and drop offs before pre-school and summer camp). At the end of the day, we thought a park outing is probably better for all concerned. Grandpa and DS get a change of scene, there are other kids about, grandma gets some reprieve.

We did put a toddler bucket swing in their tree, and have since upgraded to a swing. total cost for each <$30.

Best,
F. B.