Do-it-yourself wooden hanging swing for children. DIY children's swing: diagrams and assembly. How to make a safe swing for children with your own hands

To take a little break from everyday life in a quiet and cozy environment, and also to please your children, we suggest you build a swing with your own hands. After all, they not only play the role of an element of relaxation, but will also have a beneficial effect on family relationships.

Kinds

All swings can be classified according to the number of axes of rotation:

• With one axis of rotation. Such swings are easy to make and are the most simple option. The movement of the seat occurs exclusively back and forth perpendicular to the beam on which the structure is placed. The minimum height from the ground to the seat in this case is 35 cm.

• With several axes of rotation. In this case, the movement of the seat from side to side is added. This design is quite labor intensive. Suitable for older children. The distance from the seat to the ground is the same - 35 cm.

• With one suspension point. The elements with the help of which the swing sets in motion - a chain or rope - converge at one point under the crossbar. In this case, the distance from the ground to the seat and from the seat to the structure supports will be 40 cm.

They are also divided according to purpose:

• Mobile. This version of the play building has a simple, lightweight design, making it easy to move from one place to another. For example, in any place convenient for playing: even in the house, even outside in the shade.
• Family. They have a huge heavy structure. At first glance, it looks like a bench without supporting elements with a large backrest. This swing can accommodate the whole family. A U-shaped structure is used to fasten it, and chains or cables with excellent strength are used as fixation. This type of play structure can be covered with an awning or a roof can be built over it - and you can ride even in the rain.
• Children's. This category of swings is made in the form of boats or hanging chairs. Children will be able to ride them only when adults are nearby with seat belts fastened.

Distinction by type of structure:

• Hammocks. Fastening occurs using a metal crossbar. This can, of course, be replaced with a strong lower tree branch, provided it is straight enough. The weight that the hammock structure can withstand is about two hundred kilograms. When using this design, you can feel the flight above the ground. This option is very popular among those who like to read books.
• Singles. They have a variety of designs. No need to install an additional crossbar. The peculiarity is that it is easy to install, so this type of swing can be installed anywhere. Various materials are used for construction.
• Sun loungers. This system accommodates three people: one child and two adults. The configuration of the swing is such that its fixation is necessary only at one point, so it can be installed in an apartment. The strength of such a product, despite its apparent lightness, is quite high due to the metal alloy.
• Hanging. The design of this version of the swing is usually made of a seat and several cables or strong chains. The cable elements are fastened on each side. The dimensions of such a product are varied: they depend on the materials used. The distinctive qualities of the design are strength, lightness and comfort.

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Required Tools

Before you start making a swing, you must first prepare the required tools and materials. So, what do we need:

• File and sandpaper for metal.
• Welding installation.
• Electrodes.
• Container for preparing the solution.
• The ingredients for making the solution are crushed stone, water, cement, sand.
• Fasteners – bolts, nuts.
• Metal pipes.
• Wrenches.
• Shovel.
• Grinder with discs on a metal surface.

Preparing drawings

After all the preparatory steps have been completed, it is necessary to put the idea on paper. To do this, you need to understand what kind of swing design we will make.

Having decided on the design and type of swing, mentally imagine them in reality, as if you were already swinging on them. Now is the time to draw them. After completing the sketch, we recommend searching for similar options on the Internet. After all, the drawings can be either unique or those on which work has already been completed. It’s better not to “reinvent the wheel”, but to take ready-made options - this way you will save time and effort.

Below are several options for drawings with which you can independently build a swing for children.

How to make an outdoor swing

Made of wood

To make wooden swinging elements you will need the following material:

• Glued laminated timber 8x8 or 10x10 cm.
• The plywood is thicker.
• Solid wood.
• Boards.
• Chains, nuts, bolts, screws, self-tapping screws, studs.

Manufacturing process:

• Using a drill, we dig 2 holes 1-1.5 deep and 20 cm in diameter.
• We make pit cases from roofing felt.
• We throw the remains of bricks or large stones into the holes and fill them with concrete.
• As soon as the concrete has set, we install metal corners to install supports.
• The above-ground component of concrete foundations must be sanded and painted in a bright shade.
• We tighten the base with screws (120 mm). To do this, first make a cut in the timber and install the studs. Using a hacksaw, we cut out the spacers and attach them to the structure with pins.
• Using self-tapping screws, we make a seat from thick plywood. We coat it with varnish and attach it to the sides of the chain.
• We make cuts in the pillars and install them on the mounted corners.
• We hang the seat.

How to do wooden swing you can find out with your own hands from the following video.

The wooden swing is ready.

Made of metal

In order to lay the supports we will need:

• 74th metal pipe – 2 pcs.
• Bearings – 2 pcs.
• 15th pipe – 1 pc.
• Cement mortar.
• Shovel.
• Sand.
• Welding machine.
• Iron strip 7cm – 1 pc.

Support installation process:

• In thick pipes we make special holes at the top. This is necessary so that the crossbar rests on them.
• Prepare cement mortar.
• We dig holes for supports.
• We dig in the pillars and concrete them.
• On the crossbar we install 2 bearings with limiters made of steel strip. They must be welded to limit side to side movement of the bearings.
• We install the crossbar on the support. We also weld it.

List of necessary materials and tools for organizing a seat for a new swing: Welding machine.

• Hammer.
• Screwdriver.
• Angle grinder.
• Pipe bender
• Roulette.
• 32nd pipe – 8m.
• Chain – 6m.
• Board 314x25 cm.
• Steel strip 341 cm long.
• Carabiner for chains – 2 pcs.
• Bolts for carabiners – 2 pcs.
• Coloring composition and water-repellent liquid.
• Small screws - 42 pcs.

Seat manufacturing process:

• We bend the pipes as necessary and weld the frame using a welding machine.
• We treat the wooden surface with a water-repellent liquid and paint it with regular street paint.
• We insert a wooden surface into the frame and secure it so that it holds tightly. This can be done using a metal strip, welding it in several places behind the seat: on the sides and horizontally along the seat.
• We fasten the chains with carabiners with bolts.
• Bearings and chains are also bolted together through iron strips specially bent with a hammer for this purpose. The size of the strips is about 20 cm.

Hanging

The configuration of such swings can be varied. Here are a few of them:

• Bungee- the simplest design. It is made from a rope tied at both ends. There should be a strong crossbar on top, and a plank or round crossbar on the bottom.
• Tire swing- an option similar to the previous one. Suspended both vertically and horizontally. They can be used to create fancy shapes, which gives impetus to the creative process of creating a unique swing design.
• Another option - a board or piece of tarpaulin is suspended from both sides of the edges symmetrically on two ropes or chains.
• With wide seats. This option is usually secured using four ropes or chains. Instead of a wide seat, you can use old chairs without legs, pallets and even benches.
• Soft swing. Their design resembles a hammock. They can also be made from fabric base And wooden sticks or woven from rope.

One of the options for hanging swings will be discussed in the next section of our article.

On a spring

Manufacturing process:

• We purchase a truck spring with a height of at least 35 cm from the metal market - this will be our spring.
• We dig a hole for our spring.
• We assemble the anchor: for this we need a cross (you can use reinforcement with a diameter of 20 mm) and a pipe 50-60 cm long. These two elements must be welded.
• We fasten the anchor and spring using a boss.
• We lower the anchor into the hole, level it and fill it with concrete.
• We weld the boss to the spring. This is necessary to secure the swing body.
• We take whatman paper and draw out the necessary configuration of the body - here everything depends on your imagination. Don't forget about the handles that your baby will hold on to while riding.
• We transfer the design onto plywood and cut it out using a jigsaw.
• We fasten the body to the boss using metal strips measuring 30x4 mm and bolts.
• We paint the swing in bright colors.

You can also learn more about how to make a spring swing with your own hands from the video below.

Now you can use the swing.

We do it for home and apartment

Any homemade design, which is used at home by children, must meet certain safety requirements. This also applies to swings made with your own hands.

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Requirements:

• Material. It must be environmentally friendly. It is advisable to use natural materials. For example, wood is perfect. And in a home environment it is also a good microclimate, which will have a positive effect on the health of your children.
• Order. After the child has played on the swing, it must be removed. Stay close to him while he rides.
• Swing elements should not be hazardous. Hands and feet should not get tangled or stuck in them.
• Workmanship. The entire surface of the swing should be smooth - sand it as best as possible and free it from knots.

Before you start manufacturing, you need to decide on the space where the swing will be located and prepare all the materials necessary for this.

Materials that we will need to make the riding device:

• Plywood (board) with dimensions 400x400 mm for making a seat.
• Boundary strips with dimensions 400x65x20 mm 5 pcs.
• Copper tubes 4 things. with a diameter of 20 mm: two 65 mm long and 2 125 mm long.
• Rope 6 m long.

Manufacturing process:

• The seat board and slats must first be processed with a plane. Sharp and protruding parts must be removed.
• We drill holes in the 4 corners of the seat at a distance of 40 mm from the edges. The diameter of the holes should be 6-10 mm. The limiter strips also need to be drilled with the same distance to the edges. Let us remind you that there are only 5 of them: 2 go to the back, 2 to the sides and 1 to the front.
• We assemble the entire structure. To do this, we insert the rope through all the holes and secure it with reliable knots.
• We hang the swing and paint it.

The swing for the house is ready.

Child safety rules

Below are a few rules to keep your child safe while riding:

• If the swing design involves one suspension point, then the fastenings of its elements must be made in such a way that the rope or chain does not twist during the swing process.
• If a chain is used as hanging components, it should be covered. Unnecessary people may come to the rescue garden hoses. This is necessary to prevent the child’s fingers from getting caught in the chain.
• Placing two swinging devices on the frame is not permitted. In this case, collisions between children when swinging are possible.
• Secure the landing area. Cut bark or sand will soften the blows of possible falls.
• Make sitting easy. Plastic, rubber or wood are suitable for this.
• The seat should have springy qualities. Sides covered with rubber are a completely acceptable option. This should protect children from impacts from the swing.
• There should be no plants within the perimeter of the landing area that could harm the child.
• Carefully process all wooden components with a plane, sand and apply varnish to them. This will prevent children from getting splinters and scratches.
• Drive all protruding parts in the form of bolts and nails, as well as other metal parts, into the wood.
• From more safe structures swings have L- and A-shapes. This is due to the fact that in this case the load on the structure is less than with other forms. The greater the distance between the vertical supports, the more reliable the structure and the less wear on parts when using the swing.
• Hanging swing carabiners tend to wear out quickly - they need to be changed once a year. Use carabiners with plastic inserts, so they will be reliably protected from wear.
• Do not use hooks instead of carabiners. During active rocking, they can break and the child will suffer.
• It is better to lubricate the place where the rope and the fastening unit come into contact with machine oil. This will increase its service life.
• The location of children's swing options must meet safety requirements. These should be places outside of any vertical barriers: walls, fences, trees and all kinds of buildings. If there is strong swinging, there is a high risk of injury to the child. Additionally, inspect the nearby area for the presence of sharp and cutting elements - there should not be any.

Many people remember the wonderful song from the movie “The Adventures of Electronics,” which is about swings. Almost every yard must have a swing - either a factory-made metal one, or a home-made one with a wooden seat. And they are never empty, because many people like the feeling of flying. If you want to make a swing for your children with your own hands, this article is for you.

Materials used

First, you need to figure out what and how to build a swing. It all probably depends on your goals. If you want to build a structure that will last and be used for generations, use metal. If you are going to hang a temporary swing in your country house or yard, you can construct it from wood or plastic. Although wooden swings can be durable and good-quality, even if they are inferior to metal ones in this regard. Plastic swings are usually built for the smallest toddlers under 5 years of age.

Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. If the wood is available, cheap, environmentally friendly, relatively safe, and easy to work with; then the metal is durable, fireproof, and swings made from it are quite compact. Plastic is lightweight and kids love its bright colors. The location for installing the swing should be selected based on the following factors:

• you must not lose sight of the baby;
• safety - do not fly near wires, bodies of water, or roads; if there is no choice, try to protect the place where children play, at least with a picket fence;
• choose a place that is not too exposed to the sun, but not completely in the shade;
• if you want to build a swing from wood, keep in mind that excessive dampness will quickly deteriorate it;

• protection from gusts of wind;
• make sure that there are no thickets of toxic, thorny, honey-bearing plants nearby, as well as plants that can cause allergies;
• the installation site of the swing should be relatively level;
• Be sure to check the secure fastening of each unit.

Types of designs

Depending on the type of design, swings can be framed or suspended; there are even swings with a spring. There are a large number of options for these types. This includes a pendulum swing, a swing bench, a gazebo, and many others. If you have already chosen the material from which you will mount the swing, draw a sketch of the future structure. Based on this sketch, draw detailed drawings indicating all dimensions. It should be noted that some designs may be portable. Usually these are metal swings, since those made of wood require the frame to be securely fastened to the ground.

There are several types of swing frames.

• U-shaped- this is the most economical option, as it requires less material. But in order for the structure to be stable, concrete supports are required, therefore, this model is stationary. This is an ideal choice for suspended types installed on soft ground.
• L-shaped. This design is more reliable than the previous one. It has 2 side supports on each side, installed at an angle and connected at the top by a jumper.
• X-shaped- This is a subtype of the L-shaped frame. The side supports are placed in such a way that at the top, 20–25 centimeters before the top, their crosshairs are formed, into which the transverse beam is laid. Please note that it is better to strengthen the structure with a side support.
• A-shaped– this is the most stable type of frame due to the use of a side lintel in the design.

The swing drawing includes the following data:

• frame type;
• swing dimensions;
• place of attachment of reinforcing elements (supports);
• number and type of seats;
• suspension type and length.

The dimensions of the swing are taken into account the age and height of the child. If you are going to make a swing for growth, then you should adhere to the following dimensions:

• the ideal width for the seat is 60 cm;
• the seat should hang above the ground at a height of 50–55 cm;
• the distance from the seat to the crossbar should be at least 1.6 m so that the child can swing comfortably while standing.

Swing hangers must ensure the safety, reliability and comfort of the swing. When designing independently, chains, ropes, even metal pipes. Companies involved in the production of swings use springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, and a system of levers as suspensions. But these types of suspension are too expensive and complex for DIY designs. Chains as a suspension are quite expensive, but when adding up all the properties, they are the best option. They are durable, places of wear are immediately visible, they do not slow down with small swings, but they prevent excessive swings (due to friction of the links). But kids can get their little fingers pinched, so for children's swings they use small-link chains or put protective devices on the chains from scraps of rubber hoses.

Using ropes is the easiest and cheapest option, especially if you master the art of tying sea knots. But ropes of any thickness gradually stretch and sag, and spiral twine does not control the swaying. It is worth taking cross-braided ropes, and also try to use ropes for suspension of the simplest swing designs. You should choose ropes made from artificial polymers, such as nylon. Rigid rods (metal pipes) are used, as a rule, using bearings. The motion of such swings is smooth, but they require additional measures to ensure the safety of the child. If you make a swing with such a suspension on your site, take care of the fence and do not let children on it without the supervision of an adult. If such a swing is installed in a common yard, it must have a swing height limiter.

How to make it for the street?

If you are interested in how to make an outdoor swing for children, then first you should choose a location, material and design. After you have prepared the drawing, calculate the number of materials and tools needed. Below, for your consideration, several swing options will be offered for installation on the street, in the yard or in the country.

Tire swing

The simplest design is a car tire suspended on a rope. The frame is a tree. The suspension means can be a chain secured with a bolt and nut. The second variation of this swing is done as follows:

• arrange old tire horizontally;
• cut 3-4 holes in the upper part, insert metal hooks into them and secure them with washers and nuts;
• Thread chains or twine into the loops of the hooks and hang them on a thick branch.

The third option is suitable for the most advanced in terms of owning an angle grinder. You will need to draw a template for cutting the tire, then, following this original sketch, cut it, bend it and secure it with pins so that some kind of animal or bird comes out.

Wooden swing

The classic and simplest option is a swing made from a board on ropes. Four holes along the edges and twine threaded into them are enough. You can also use a wooden lattice, a cut log, or an old chair without legs as a seat.

From scrap materials

Even an unnecessary hoop can serve as the basis for the seat. It is braided with rope so that you can sit quietly in the middle. The hoop is additionally wrapped in foam rubber, batting or other similar material for softness, then covered with fabric. At four or more points of the hoop, fasteners in the form of metal rings are fixed, ropes or chains are passed through them - all that remains is to choose the tree to hang the finished structure.

Canvas swing

Take two large metal triangles, rivets and a piece of tarpaulin. Fold the fabric several times and sew around the perimeter. Then insert the triangles and secure with rivets. Next, secure it to a tree branch using ropes.

Wooden swing on supports

The following materials should be prepared:

• strong rope;
• bars;
• plywood and slats for the seat;
• galvanized bolts for fastenings.

Dig two holes 1 m deep to secure the support beams. Treat the bottom of the supports with bitumen to protect against rotting. Install them vertically in the pits, cover them with a 30-centimeter layer of a mixture of crushed stone and sand, then fill them with concrete. Attach a cross beam to the upper ends of the posts. Make a seat out of plywood and a picket fence, or in the form of a bench. Secure to the support structure with strong ropes.

Metal swing on supports

You can also make a metal swing yourself. To do this you will need metal pipes and beams, hooks, a metal cutter, and a welding machine. The manufacturing process includes the following steps:

• cut the pipes into pieces of the required length - make 7 pieces of 2 m each and another 2 of 1–1.5 m each, 4 of the 2-meter ones are for the supporting sidewalls, 1 for the crossbar, and the remaining ones for the base of the frame;
• weld the rectangular base of the structure;
• weld the support posts to the base, then weld the crossbar to the upper ends of the supports;
• dig 4 holes to a depth of 80–100 cm;
• install beams in the finished pits; they should look slightly above the surface of the ground along the edges of the pits;
• fill the pits with beams with concrete;
• weld the hooks to the cross pipe;
• now weld the finished structure to the metal beams;
• attach the seat to the hooks.

Pendulum swing

To make this simple swing you will need 1 wide long board 5–7 cm thick, a cut log up to 70–80 cm high, 4 U-shaped fasteners made of reinforcement, 2 seats. First of all, dig a hole about half a meter deep. Install a vertically cut log into it and fill it with concrete for reliability. Next, cut four (two on each edge) holes in the middle of the board, 1 cm wide and 2–3 cm long. They should be located from each other at a distance equal to the width of the fastener. Cut two more similar holes closer to the edges of the board, leaving space for seats.

Attach 2 seats to the edges of the board. In front of them, thread them through the prepared holes and secure one U-shaped fastener so that the child can hold onto them with his hands. Lay the board horizontally on the log. Place the bottom ends of the two fasteners into the cut holes. Drive the fasteners into the log so that a few centimeters remain above the surface of the board, and most of it is securely seated in the log. Rock the board. Each edge should be able to touch the ground. If you did everything correctly, the pendulum swing is ready.

How to make it for home?

Usually, hanging swings for the youngest children are installed in the apartment. They use parts made of wood or plastic, since they are lighter than metal ones, but options are also possible here. The frame for hanging the seat is most often the door jamb, but it is also possible to attach it directly to the ceiling beams (if there are any). It is worth considering several designs that you can assemble with your own hands.

Swings for children are one of the necessary elements for arranging a family plot. They will be relevant both in an ordinary household and in the country. And if you consider that now there are many different designs, each of which can be assembled by a simple person with his own hands, then you can minimal costs create a real children's corner that can not only provide leisure time for children, but also significantly improve the overall appearance of the site.

In this material we will look at 9 master classes that answer the question of making a wide variety of children's swings with your own hands:

• Stationary single-seat made of timber;
• Stationary doubles on a metal A-frame;
• Balancer from car tire and boards;
• Hanging for home in the ceiling;
• Hanging on a tree from a board;
• Hanging on a crossbar for apartments for children under 5 years old;
• From fabric to wood or to the ceiling for children from six months;
• In the form of a hammock with a pre-prepared mesh;
• Figured swing.

How do children's swings differ from adults' ones?

First of all, before you start looking for master classes on creating children's swings for the garden and at home, you should remember that such designs must differ from those intended for adults. Main differences:

Therefore, we offer you a variety of options precisely with the aim of ensuring maximum compliance of the swing with children's needs. At the same time, in our selection of master classes, we took into account the needs of children of different ages and can offer wide choose for every taste.

Types of swings for children

There are a wide variety of swing options for toddlers and older children, some of which can be easily made at minimal cost from scrap materials. Others may require specific tools and useful skills. Still others can rightfully be called real works of art.

By type of frame material

In general, there are a huge variety of design options made from exotic materials. For example, created entirely from ropes or rubber, fiberglass and other polymers.

However, it is not surprising that the palm is almost always held by traditional options made of wood or metal. We should also not forget that individual structures can contain both wooden and metal elements to achieve the best performance in all necessary parameters. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the comparative table of wooden and metal structures.

Relative availability and low cost of the material;	Higher cost of consumables;
Ease of processing;	The need for tools and skills to work with metal;
The need for special care and surface treatment;	The need for treatment with an anti-corrosion compound;
Relatively weak wear resistance and durability;	High strength and wear resistance of the structure;
Fire hazard.	Absolute fire safety.

Wooden swings for children are a good choice, as they often require minimal amount costs. Yes, a lot various types wooden swings, both for indoors and outdoors, can be built simply from scrap materials available in almost every household or left over after construction. In addition, wood is an extremely easy material to process, so making a wooden swing for children with your own hands does not require any special skills or complex tools.

However, wood also has a number of disadvantages. For example, these include less resistance to negative influences environment and necessity special processing. In addition, wood is a fire hazard and less durable than similar sized metal ones. structural elements.

The wear and tear of wood is higher, which is a very significant factor when it comes to making outdoor swings for children, since they are constantly exposed to stress.

Children's metal swings for the dacha are distinguished by considerable durability and high strength, but making them yourself may require both the acquisition of materials and the availability of specific tools and experience in working with them. Of course, there are extremely simple designs that almost anyone can make, but the costs of creating them will also be higher than with wooden analogues that are similar in nature.

Although metal is more durable, it is also a more dangerous material for children to use because it has greater hardness and weight.

By type of fastening

Depending on what type of fastening will be used on a children's swing, its placement and directly all other design features will depend, including the complexity of manufacturing and the total cost of costs.
There are a huge number of different mounting options, so we will consider only the basic methods of fastening children's swings in the house, on the street, as well as portable structures that can be placed where it is necessary and convenient.

Stationary children's country swings are often strong, massive structures, which in some situations can even be additionally strengthened with a columnar foundation, which provides them high level security.

Such designs also have corresponding disadvantages - constant exposure to the street requires appropriate treatment with anti-corrosion coatings, as well as high strength. But in general, a well-made stationary outdoor children's swing can last several decades. The main structures in this case can be:

• Balancers;
• Hanging A-shape(or any other);
• Carousels;
• On a spring.

Hanging for home and street

Hanging children's garden swings are the simplest design that dates back centuries. Roughly speaking, a banal block on a rope also has a right to life, although safety and comfort in this case leave much to be desired, especially when used by young children.

If necessary, they can be installed both indoors and outdoors, and some of the structures can be easily disassembled and transported to the desired location with a minimum of effort and time. In total, two main materials are used for fastening: chain and rope. See the photos below for what you can attach a hanging swing to.

The seat for such a swing can be either open or have a backrest. The material can be either plastic, wood, metal or a combination of the above materials.

In general, a hanging swing is the minimum that can be made in a matter of hours, giving your child an excellent way to spend leisure time.

Children's portable swings will be convenient option for situations where the final appearance of the house or site will still change, and it is necessary to provide leisure time. They have the advantages of both stationary outdoor and home structures.

However, not every option can be executed in mobile form. For example, it is almost impossible to make a mobile spring swing, since it requires a strong and deep foundation. In general, the main advantages and disadvantages can be summarized in a short list:

• Portable swings are mobile, which means they can easily be protected from bad weather and other negative environmental factors.
• Many options are prefabricated, making them easy to transport and store.
• Mobile baby swings usually require more complex design or smaller loads.
• Wear resistance and service life are lower than that of stationary options.

In general, this option is suitable in many situations, as it greatly simplifies the solution of a wide variety of business issues.

According to the age

As mentioned above, when building a homemade children's swing or purchasing one, it is extremely important to take into account the age of the child's children. In general, the options existing on the market imply a basic division into three age categories, the features of each of which will be described below.

Swings for babies are almost always mobile or home, since children under three years of age need increased parental control and a special approach to materials. In particular, most of these structures have an extremely small height, so that even an accidental fall or impact of a structural element cannot lead to injury to a child.

Self-made swings for children under three years of age must either be in the form of cradles, or have reliable locking elements for the baby that he could not unfasten on his own, or be operated strictly under the supervision of adults without the child being able to use the structure in their absence.

Swings for children aged three years and older can also be used independently by children. They can be made in almost any design options using a wide range of materials. However, they are subject to additional safety requirements and are smaller in size than adult swings to minimize any risk of injury to children.

If you want to make a swing for children over 3 years old, you can also use the drawings for full-fledged adult structures, simply reducing their overall dimensions by one and a half to two times.

Swings for teenagers may not differ from designs for adults, both in materials and in size. Here, special attention is paid not to the exterior and appearance, but directly to the characteristics of the swing. The only limitation may be the standards of GOST R 52167-2012, which provides for the absence of rigid suspensions, dimensions and other standards.

Stationary single swing made of wood

Stationary children's swing made of wood is one of the most interesting options, the independent production of which will cost minimal time and money. There are a large number of different design options, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages, but we will look at building a U-shaped wooden swing for children with our own hands, as in the photo below.

Peculiarities

Children's U-shaped swings made of wood require minimal material consumption, but such a design will in any case be stationary. Installing a stationary swing without the possibility of moving it to a new place also serves as an additional guarantee of safety, because stationary models are highly durable and simply physically cannot tip over.

The features of U-shaped outdoor children's swings include the following factors:

• Simplicity and low cost;
• Exclusively stationary option;
• High strength and reliability;
• Absence large quantity racks reduce the risk of injury;
• U-shaped stationary children's swings for the garden have wide potential for further construction of a children's playground on the site.
• A U-shaped swing requires installation of a foundation.

Do-it-yourself U-shaped swing made of wood for children

1. Prepare a flat area for future swings.
2. It is necessary to cut the timber so that you get 2 vertical posts 3000x150x150 each and 2 horizontal crossbars 1500x150x50 mm.
3. A U-shaped structure should be assembled on the ground. For assembly, use 1 long self-tapping screws. on a horizontal post on each side for fastening, as well as 3 pieces evenly for greater structural strength, as in the photo below.
   
4. Cut the corners with a knife or plane vertical racks and sand them down with sandpaper.
5. The bottom meter of vertical posts should be treated with a protective coating against moisture. The best option would be to cover it with used motor oil.
   
6. On the vertical crossbar, 30 cm from the middle, holes are drilled for bolts, which are fixed on it with eye nuts, which should be directed downwards. Don't forget to use washers.
   
7. It is necessary to dig a foundation for the racks with a depth of 1200 mm. A sand cushion of 200 m is poured under the foundation, and the posts are buried a meter deep into the dug holes. Next, fill it with concrete (you can use M400 cement to make it in the proportion: 1 cement x 3 sand x 5 crushed stone).
8. Hang the carabiners on the eye bolts.
   
9. Prepare a seat from a board measuring 250x600 mm. Drill one hole with a diameter for a rope in the corners of the board at a distance of 20 mm from the edges, as shown in the photo below. Also nail two 250x50mm boards at the bottom of the board to strengthen the seat (don’t forget to drill them for the rope too).
   
10. Pass the rope in a loop through the carabiner, and the free ends of the rope through the holes in the seat. Secure it under the seat with a knot. Subsequently, the seat height can be adjusted. Repeat the same procedure with the second carabiner.
    
11. Treat the wood with primer, varnish or paint of your choice.
    This design will have to withstand weight up to 200 kilograms, so you don’t have to worry about child safety

Stationary metal swing for two

For a large family, a good solution would be to make a stationary children's swing from metal with your own hands for two.

Peculiarities

Key features of children's metal swings:

• almost any similar metal structure can easily withstand loads of up to 300 kilograms;
• Self-production will require a welding machine and the ability to work with it;
• The need to purchase structural elements, since they are not always available;
• Indicators of durability, reliability and wear resistance will be higher than that of similar wooden models.

DIY A-shaped metal swing for two children

A simple and accessible design for everyone, an outdoor metal swing for two children at the dacha is the most optimal in terms of time spent, the necessary skills and the total cost of consumables. If you do everything according to the scheme we recommend, you will get an attraction like the one in the photo below.

The procedure for making such iron swings for children yourself will be as follows:

1. First, let's make the frame of the swing. Let's take two long pipes, 5000 mm in length and 40 mm in cross section. Each of them must be bent with a pipe bender at an angle of approximately 30 degrees, as in the figure below.
   
2. The second stage we will need two tubes with a cross section of 25 mm and a length of 500 mm. We weld them to our curved tubes so that we get spacers. You need to do it as in the picture below with each of the two supports.
   
3. The final stage in the construction of the frame will be the fastening of the two resulting halves with a vertical pipe with a cross-section of 40 mm and a length of 3000 mm. We use a welding machine. The end result looks like the photo below.
   
4. It is important to understand that such a swing will be stationary, since we will secure it with a columnar foundation. If you want to do portable design, then the bending angle of the support posts should not be 30 degrees, but 40. The spacers are welded not in the middle of the supports, but in their lower part so that an isosceles triangle is obtained. However, we are making a stationary version, so we will prepare the foundation.
5. We dig holes 600 mm deep. Width approximately 100x100 mm. The location of the holes along the base of our swing frame. Take 4 square pieces of steel 80x80 mm for mortgages (steel thickness from 3 mm). Compact a 100 mm sand cushion to the bottom of the holes. Next, insert the reinforcement bars so that their tops are just at ground level.
6. Fill the holes with concrete mortar. Next, we weld the mortgages to them. Embeds must be welded when the concrete has set, but has not yet completely hardened. We will secure the mortgages using concrete anchor bolts, 4 pieces for each rack. Next, we weld the base of the frame to the mortgages. The foundation and frame are ready. You can see the drawing of the foundation for a children's metal swing below.
   
7. To fasten the seats to the horizontal crossbar, you need to fix 4 loops with eye bolts, onto which the chains for the swing will be attached.
   
8. To make a seat, take a 600x200 mm board. Drill 4 holes along the edges with an indentation of 15 mm and a diameter of 5 mm for fastenings for metal triangles (without a base), to which the chains are in turn attached. Fix the triangles on the board using screws and a screwdriver in the holes that you made earlier. Do as in the picture below (only using a board).
   
9. Do the operation twice to secure the two seats. Hang them at the right height depending on the child's height. As can be understood from the procedure described above, such a design requires minimum expenses and time consumption.

Children's swing balancer

The design of balancers is perhaps one of the simplest and most ancient. Considering that such swings can be used by at least two people, they will be an excellent option for shared leisure time with the whole family with a child, or for several children.

The advantages of balancers, in a sense, are also their disadvantages. Thus, such a swing perfectly develops teamwork and encourages social interaction between children with each other, however, if the child is often left alone, such a design will be completely useless for him, unlike other options.

Diversity existing structures extremely large. This can be either a simple swing made of logs or complex and beautifully decorated attractions containing plastic and metal elements. In addition, some options can be strengthened with additional springs, which significantly enhances the pleasure of swinging.

You can learn more about the production in a separate article on our website. The material contains 4 master classes. But still, we decided to highlight one interesting version of the balancer in this article. Read on to learn how to make a children's swing from tires.

Children's swing made from tires

Old tires are an excellent material for making swings. After all, car tires are durable, soft and flexible at the same time. All this allows it to be used for making a wide variety of home, outdoor and gardening tools, furniture, and, of course, children's swings. The most popular and affordable option Tires have always had the simplest design, requiring only a hanging point, a rope and the tire itself.

You can make such a swing from tires yourself in just a few minutes. However, safety, as well as interest for children, will leave much to be desired. You can reduce the danger of tire swings by following these simple instructions:

• Use only high strength static climbing rope;
• Check tires for strength and do not use torn material;
• The thickness of the branch must be at least 25 cm, and the distance from it to the tree post must be at least one meter.

But besides that simplest design exists whole line a much more interesting, safe and original swing made from old tires, which will allow you to organize an interesting exterior on the site and give any child the opportunity to have fun.

Such designs have reduced wear resistance and are not the most attractive appearance. Not in every exterior they will look appropriate and relevant.

Next, we will look at the process of creating a quick, convenient and simple swing from tires with your own hands. This will be a horizontal balancer - a very attractive design that is not very often installed by people in households. So, such swings will be an excellent addition to other attractions described in this article and will allow you to create a real children's playground in your dacha or in the courtyard of a private house with minimal cost and effort.

To create the implementation of your plan, you will need the following tools and materials:

• Screwdriver and wrench;
• Drill;
• One tire;
• Board 3000x150x40 mm;
• Two bars measuring 700x50x50 mm;
• Sandpaper;
• Saw;
• Construction knife;
• Screwdriver bolts with round heads, washers;
• Paint and varnish materials and equipment.

All of the above dimensions do not have to be perfectly accurate - this is the advantage of this swing, since it allows the use of almost any suitable material, including various old boards available in almost any household.

1. First of all, you need to select a suitable tire and prepare it. The ideal option would be old domestic summer tires, as they will be rigid enough to withstand constant, long-term loads. High-quality foreign soft tires, especially winter ones, will be better used in a more profitable way.
   
2. Preparing the tire for the swing will require you to cut it horizontally into two halves. Most of them are reinforced, so instead of a construction knife, you may need metal scissors or a hacksaw. One of the halves will become the basis for the swing. The second half can be cut in half and additional shock absorbers can be made from the finished quarters at the ends of the swing.
   
3. Preparing boards and bars. Since the board will be used by children, sharp corners should be sawed off and sanded to avoid possible injuries during operation.
   
4. Next, you should mark the middle of the board and mark the location for installing half of the tire. At the extreme points it is necessary to mark places for attaching the bars - it is to them in the horizontal plane that the tire will be attached.
   
5. Holes are drilled in the board with a drill and bars are attached to them using self-tapping screws, 5 fasteners for each bar (see diagram). Afterwards, points for the holes in the tire are marked, drilled, and the tire is secured exactly in the middle. In total you will get 16 mounts.
   
6. After this, you can begin installing shock absorbers from tire quarters - they should be installed on the edges of the board. The shock absorbers are also attached to bolts, the heads of which should be on the top side of the main swing board.
7. When all the elements are secured, you can begin paint treatment. It is recommended to treat the tire silicone grease or simply rub with glycerin. The swing itself can be processed in any way convenient for you. For example, using wood stain and varnish, or using ordinary oil paint.
   

Hanging swing

There are a huge number of varieties of children's hanging swings for the garden and at home, which can differ both in materials and location, method of fastening, type of seat, age of the child and many other parameters. However, the basic principle of their operation, regardless of the chosen design, is the same.

The key feature of hanging swings in general is the presence of the suspension itself, as well as its fixation points. Roughly speaking, the most primitive version of this type of swing, even without the use of a seat, is a banal rope suspended on any horizontal beam. However, often hanging swings for children still have seats.

For apartments and houses in the ceiling

A ceiling hanging swing for the home is not only excellent entertainment for a child, but also an opportunity to add variety to the interior. The main thing in this case is to correctly build the suspension and select the seat - this is what we will focus on.

The procedure will be as follows

One of the simplest and most ancient types of hanging swings are those on a tree made of boards. They do not require any complex manipulations or experience working with different materials, not even erecting racks. So, in order to make a swing on a tree from a board, you only need a board, a hole drilled in it, a rope and 5 minutes of free time.

Considering the simplicity of this design - a rope is thrown over a tree and tied in a loop, and then fixed in the holes of the board, anyone can make it with their own hands.

But you should remember several features of installing a hanging swing on a tree, namely:

DIY swing for little ones

A cradle for babies is also a swing that has come to our time from the most ancient times. Even the youngest children benefit from swinging on a swing - it develops the eye, vestibular apparatus, sense of rhythm and space.

However, the approach to such designs must be completely special, since the safety of children under three years of age comes first and imposes a number of extremely strict restrictions.

Features of such swings

The key feature of swings for babies is the mechanisms that ensure their safety. In general, given the existence of many different types of swings for children under three years old, as well as the characteristics and differences of even such tender ages, their main principle should be:

• The impossibility of a child accidentally or intentionally falling out of the structure;
• The child’s inability to use the swing independently in the absence of adults;
• Absence small parts, hard edges and corners;
• At least four seat suspension points.

At the same time, you should not think that it is possible to ensure all such safety standards only by purchasing swings for children in the store. In general, if you have the right tool and minimal skills in handling it, you can make them yourself, including from a variety of scrap materials available in every household.

Types of swings for babies

In general, swings for kids can be outdoors, but indoor versions are much more popular, as they allow you to always keep the child under control and provide him with a pleasant and useful pastime at home at any time of the year. Swings for children under three years old can be:

The materials used in the construction of swings for children can be very diverse, but it is not recommended to use wood anywhere, with the exception of support posts and other purely structural elements.

Seats are best made of fabric or plastic.

On the crossbar in the house for children under 5 years old

This block is more designed to help you understand how to make a crossbar for hanging a children's swing in an apartment. However, we will also look at installing the seat. If you can make the crossbar yourself, then all you have to do is choose one of the design options (or use ours).

The procedure will be as follows:

1. Start making your home swing by assembling the seat. To do this, you will need 7 multi-colored tubes 300 mm long and two 300 mm fastenings for them, as in the photo below. Insert the tubes into the slots. Thus, the square base for the seat will be ready. If you do not have such fasteners, use self-tapping screws to attach the tubes to each other.
   
2. The second step is to install 4 vertical tubes on the sides of the swing, and then place 4 more tubes in a square on top of them. Using the same principle, we will install another tube for the back. As a result, you should get something like in the photo.
   
3. We do not additionally fasten the resulting structure with anything, since we will continue to use rope. We pass the rope through the holes made in advance (as in the photo). As a result, you get a solid structure that can be hung. These recommendations are more suitable for assembling a purchased dismountable swing, but you can use the general advice from this article to do everything yourself.
   
4. The next step will be the actual installation of the crossbar for such a swing in an apartment or house. You can use a regular piece as a crossbar round pipe with a cross section of no more than 30 mm. The length of the pipe depends on the distance between the walls in the place where you decide to install it. We recommend using narrow corridors or doorways.
   
5. The pipe is attached to the walls using two metal wall mountings (can also be called steel sheets 80x200mm with a thickness of 2-3mm). Two holes with a diameter of 5 mm are drilled in the mortgages, as well as in the wall on each side, and anchors are driven into them. And the pipe itself is directly inserted into a piece of round tube with a diameter of 35 mm, which was previously welded to steel sheets.
6. Next, you need to hang the children's home swing on the crossbar. This is done using special fastenings, on which the rope from the seat is attached.
   
7. You can wrap all the structural elements with tightly stuffed, brightly colored scraps of fabric and secure them to the swing with twine. Also place a cushion on the seat. The swing on the crossbar for the home is ready.

This crossbar will also be useful in the future - you can use it to do pull-ups and also hang other swings when the child grows up.

The benefits of using seat tubes will be most relevant to parents of very young children. Plastic pipes are an ideal material for structures intended for children, because their weight and hardness are much lower than that of wood, and, especially, metal. As a result, even an accidental blow with such a seat with full amplitude cannot harm the child’s health.

Made from fabric for children from six months

This simple hanging outdoor swing will be an ideal option for relaxing in the garden or cottage with your baby. You can make them in less than an hour, and if you have everything prepared necessary materials– collection will take even less time.

From materials and tools you will need:

• Two pieces of natural fabric 800 mm long;
• Four wooden slats with a length of 300 mm and a cross-section of 25 mm;
• Sewing supplies;
• Drill;
• Rope for hanging;
• Sandpaper;
• Fastening elements (anchor, carabiner).

The procedure for making a swing from fabrics for children with your own hands from scratch will be as follows:

	1. Process carefully wooden slats sandpaper until any corners, irregularities and splinters disappear and drill holes in the rivers along the edges with a diameter of a rope;
	2. Lay out the cuts crosswise. In this case, the width of the lower part of the cross should be half that of the upper one.
	3. Sew the cuts so that they form a flap with loops and thread pre-prepared slats through them.
	4. Thread the rope through the holes in the slats and tie. The height of the suspension will be controlled using nodes.
	5. You can hang the swing from a tree or crossbar using this ring. It is put on a pre-prepared carabiner, which, in turn, is attached to an anchor. We have already described how to do this earlier in the article.
	6. The design is ready for us - you can give your baby the joy and pleasure of relaxing in nature.

Children's swings made from scrap materials

Our people have always been famous for their skill. The lack of cash did not make our ancestors despondent, but, on the contrary, encouraged them to find non-standard solutions and use any available materials. There is even a saying dedicated to this: “The need for invention is cunning.” And such ingenuity can be used in almost any matter - for example, it was in Russia that they came up with many interesting options for how to make a children's swing from scrap materials with your own hands.

What can be used for such a swing

For various types of swings, you can use almost any unnecessary materials left in the household. First of all, this concerns ropes and boards - in the simplest cases, even such a set will be enough to install a comfortable and simple children's swing from scrap materials. But with the right level of ingenuity, anything can be used:

• Plastic pipes;
• Metal constructions;
• Chains;
• Twine;
• Fabrics;
• Plastic items;
• Tires.

And many many others. We will offer you a very original children's swing-hammock, which will be very easy to make with your own hands from scrap materials, especially if you have unnecessary nets or just a large amount of twine.

DIY wicker swing-hammock

Making a wicker hanging swing from scrap materials with your own hands is very simple. It is not even necessary to have a ready-made network or uniform threads. A hammock woven from a wide variety of scraps will look much more original. Of course, such an approach will require long and thoughtful weaving of the network and the formation of the necessary pieces. Therefore, further we will consider the construction of a swing-hammock from scrap materials, provided that the network is already ready (it is better to entrust the weaving to women, or even buy a ready-made one).

Step-by-step instructions for building a country swing for children from a ready-made network:

Figured swing

It is quite difficult to surprise modern children with the usual simple joys of life. They want to see something new and bright, and a simple swing for many children is no longer an object of dreams. However, a good, bright and unusual figure swing will certainly be able to attract the attention of even the most spoiled brats.

What can be a figured swing?

Almost any swing can be figured - both hanging and balance beams or spring rockers - it all depends, first of all, on the skill of their creator, the breadth of his imagination and available funds, tools and materials.

Some craftsmen create real masterpieces from car tires, others carve works of art from wood, and still others simply order ready-made figured forged elements for swings or other decor, trying to please their children.

Most in a simple way To create a figured swing, you will need to cut out any interesting objects from wood - primarily cars, animals, airplanes, steam locomotives, and other vehicles. Schematic outline and correct painting will not require any specific skills, and the speed of completing all the work will allow the child to receive a wonderful and, possibly, completely unique attraction in just a few days.

DIY horse swing

One of the simplest options is a spring swing. In most cases, they are always performed in a figure form. The simplest option would be to create a spring swing in the shape of a car or a whale, but in general the creation technology will not differ radically for almost any possible decorative shape.

We did not set out to tell you how to cut beautiful figures from wood or metal, we will only tell you the general principle of constructing a figured swing with an interesting design.

The general procedure is very simple (dimensions from these swings):

About seats for children's swings

A seat for a children's swing is one of the main elements, since the safety of the child directly depends on its design.

	The most common and convenient material in all respects is wood - it does not have such a high mass as metal seats, which means it will cause less damage if an accidental impact of the swing occurs.
	In addition, the seats can often be combined. For example - metal carcass with wooden crossbars on which the child will sit. In general, for children's swings it is not recommended to make entirely metal seats without ventilation, since such seats will be absolutely unsuitable for use in the cold season and in general will not be so comfortable for the baby.
	For home swings, and especially for small children, it is recommended that the seats be made of wood and covered soft materials. These seats are extremely safe to use and are also very bright.
	For small children, swing seats made of PVC pipes can also be perfect. They can easily support the weight of a child up to five years old, while being the safest of all materials.
	There are also full-fledged ready-made plastic seats for swings, which can be bought in various stores. Often, purchasing such seats can be a good addition to the swings you have already assembled yourself.

There is simply no clear answer to the question “what to make a seat for a children’s swing from.” Each of existing options has its own advantages and disadvantages.

How to use a swing correctly

Proper operation of children's swings is the key to the safety of both the children directly riding and the people around them. Swings are a relatively dangerous attraction, since children can experience slight overloads, sharp jerks and high speeds on them. But correct operation will avoid any troubles and possible negative consequences.

In general, the general informal rules of operation are as follows:

• Children under three years of age should not be left unattended;
• Children should be taught not to be in " work area» swing;
• Sick and unwell children, including those in a state of nervous stress, sadness, or vice versa – overexcitement, should not ride;
• You should swing on a swing exclusively in the direction specified by its design;
• The ride must be regularly inspected for structural defects, signs of wear and damage.

Painting a children's swing

The question of how to paint a children's swing is not always of concern to parents and loved ones. But ignoring it is a serious mistake. First of all, painting is necessary due to the fact that modern paints are of high quality and reliable. protective coatings, protecting metal from corrosion, and wood from excessive wetting, rotting or destruction by various insects.

However, the main problem with unpainted children's swings lies in the field of psychology. Children physically need to provide color variety in their daily lives, so bright colors will be an excellent incentive for any baby to develop exactly as his parents would like. Also, a painted swing will simply attract children much better in itself and, as a result, occupy their leisure time, freeing up for parents at least a little bit of much-needed free time.

In general, painting children's swings should be based on the characteristics of each specific situation. If you do not want to spoil the coating near the attractions, you need to ensure its insulation - this will do a great job polyethylene film. In addition, painting imposes its own additional restrictions - the paint used must not contain toxins that are prohibited or dangerous to children’s health.

To achieve a bright, flashy glossy shine with rich color, you can use alkyd paints.

Child safety rules

First of all, it should be noted that the designs of swings installed in public places must necessarily comply with the strict established state requirements for swings according to GOST R 52167-2012. Thus, one of the main generally accepted safety standards is the absence of rigid suspensions. Moreover, it was for this reason that a large number of Soviet playgrounds were dismantled.

In general, safety factors are very diverse. Thus, security may depend on:

• Availability sharp corners and hard edges;
• The quality and type of coverage around the swing;
• Care and maintenance;
• General wear and tear;
• Specific type;
• Ways to ride.

In general, for the children themselves, the rules of safe behavior are extremely simple - they should use the attractions only as provided for by their design, they should not lose vigilance and generally be in the working area of ​​the swing, regardless of whether anyone is riding on it or not. .

A few final words

Not every person has the necessary skills, a sufficient amount of time or effort, and, even more so, individual tools to take and one day make a swing for themselves and their children. Therefore, in some cases it may be more convenient, faster, simpler and more profitable to simply buy ready-made structures.

However, a swing made by yourself is much more pleasant to use. And you can spend the time spent making them with your children. We are sure that the child will definitely thank you and smile sincerely!

Swings are not just for fun. For adults, they calm nerves, improve mood and put thoughts in order; especially if you sway and contemplate the clouds in the sky. Children and teenagers on swings train their vestibular apparatus, develop coordination of movements, and, as they say, feel physics with their whole body. Schoolchildren who know how to swing well on swings, as a rule, do better academically and immediately grasp such difficult concepts as, for example, the moment of inertia of a body.

Making a garden swing with your own hands is not a difficult task. Who in childhood did not swing on a plank suspended from a tree branch on ropes? Or didn’t he flop into a river or pond while swinging on a bungee? And having at your disposal a certain amount of material, a simple tool and not entirely crooked hands, you can build a relaxation corner in any situation, which in its effect is not inferior to a rock garden arranged according to all the rules, see fig.

Dacha grace

Outdoor and yard swings are placed wherever there is space. At the dacha, too, in general, there is not an abundance of it, but for yourself it’s worth figuring out how to collect dacha pleasures into one eden: space is saved, and, if you’re going to relax, then there are beds that make your hands callused, your eyes didn't cause calluses. Here, as usual, everyone is their own boss. However there is a very good universal option: hang a swing for a summer house in a pergola, see fig. If it is, of course, strong enough for this. Dig up and arrange a decorative pond nearby - and you’re ready to create a piece of paradise with your own hands on less than 1 acre.

About metal swings

They most often make their own swings from wood: it is more familiar, more comfortable and easier to work with. But if, say, the whole world were to equip a children's playground, then a stronger and fireproof structure would be needed, so that the urchins would not have to be pulled back every now and then, and it would be difficult to damage the swing by hooliganism, which, alas, will not be tolerated. In such a case - in Fig. Below is a drawing of a classic, so to speak, yard swing made of metal: pipes, corners, strips, rolled wire, with a canopy. In the future, we will pay more attention to wooden swings, except for those cases when metal is needed for strength: for a sports corner for a teenager, etc.

Note: There are also cases when metal as a structural material for a swing is chosen according to other criteria. For example, at pos. 1 pic. on the right is a forged swing. Their production requires high skill, and to order it is very expensive, but the prestige is obvious. But at pos. 2 in the same place - a metal swing made from channel scraps. For those who know how to handle a welding machine and an angle grinder, their construction is a half-day job, and the bright coloring masks the utilitarian nature of the material.

The best for children

swing on hanging swing they don't start right away. For kids who have just learned how to properly rearrange their bottom two, it’s just right to ride on a pendulum swing. Which, by the way, also develops motor skills and strengthens the musculoskeletal system. Parents who have built a children's pendulum swing for their offspring are soon convinced: abrasions on the knees and elbows, broken noses, roaring and resentment from both have noticeably decreased. Although, of course, it’s still not without it. But the swing will help children develop reasonable caution and common sense, avoiding serious injury.

It is known how a pendulum swing works. Shown in Fig. This option is interesting because it requires as many as 11 nails for metal fasteners:

Parts marked (!) are made of hard, fine-grained deciduous wood - oak, beech, hornbeam, walnut. The ends of the pendulum axis do not need to be ground to a perfectly round shape: it is enough to plan them more or less evenly so that they fit into the sockets with a slight interference, and shake the board several times to get it to work in. If the fibers in the axle and support posts are oriented mutually perpendicular (which can be easily observed by cutting them from one board), then the swing will last for many years, and the rubbing surfaces will soon become mirror-smooth and durable, as if they were turned from steel on a machine.

The pendulum swing can be made portable so that, say, you can take it to the veranda for the winter. 2 ways to do this are shown there, pos. a and b. According to method a, the ends of the racks are concreted in an unusable tire; Method b is obvious and simpler, but both riders may fall to the side along with the swing. By the way, you can get a lot of other benefits from old swing tires; We will return to them later.

Swings for older children are made hanging, like for adults (see below), with some features:

• The supporting beam of the swing is made of timber with an extension to which a ladder leads, see fig. on right.
• It’s even better, if there’s enough space, to put an additional lower support on the side, so that in addition you get a horizontal bar, see fig. below. In this case, it is preferable to make the entire sports corner, except for the horizontal bar crossbar, from a profile pipe, then the entire structure will be stronger, cheaper and technologically simpler.
• Suspension of a rocking chair for children who already know how to swing is best suited to the rope scheme 2-2 (see below). Then you can, without risking pinching or even breaking your finger with the chain, swing, it will take your breath away. And the right materials and design of the suspension will not allow you to “spin the sun” and dive down from its highest point, or turn into a projectile fired from a sling, unable to group for landing, like acrobats.

Note: When choosing or designing a swing, do not neglect safety precautions! When swinging at full swing, the speed of the rocker at critical points of the trajectory exceeds 50 km/h! Accordingly, the result of falling or falling from a swing will be equivalent to an accident at the same speed.

There are also swings for newborns and infants. There are many benefits from them, but they are medical equipment. It is strongly not recommended to make such a swing yourself, but choose store-bought ones and use them only as prescribed by your pediatrician.

For babies from about six months old, whose eyes are already looking meaningfully (this means that their vision has developed and they see clearly), a children's swing for little ones will be useful, see fig. on right. They cost a lot, but making similar ones yourself is very easy from pipes, PVC or propylene, and cutting plywood, see video:

Video: baby swings for babies

Just don’t forget to cover the ends of the pipes with polystyrene foam: at that age, a finger can fit into a small hole, and you want to stick it there. They swing a child in such a swing, holding the suspension with their hands; In an apartment, the same plastic pipe will serve as a cross member; the weight is light.

Note: the swing is most often the basis children's corner. What else is needed for it, and how to put it all together, requires a separate description in parts. For example, you can watch the following video:

Video: children's playground with swings in the “Hacienda” program

To adults and everyone, everyone, everyone

Now it’s appropriate to ask: how is a swing designed for the whole family? So that both adults feel comfortable swinging, and children also enjoy it? It is quite possible to find a compromise: the seat should have a double backrest, but not be very massive. The seat is strong enough so that a large child can stand on it. We use a chain suspension, because the rope will stretch under such a load. Its design should ensure fairly easy swinging without outside help, limiting the angle and speed of swinging, and long swinging after it.

It is advisable to make a family swing from wood for the reasons stated above: they are more comfortable, and production does not require complex tools or special equipment. It is also highly advisable to get by with 1-2 standard sizes of lumber, and the cheaper one - regular edged boards. For durability, the workpieces are impregnated with biocides (antiseptics) and water repellents (water repellents).

Since the swing is not a residential building and will dry out very quickly in the air, there is no point in spending money on expensive branded products. Used motor oil (waste oil) is suitable as a biocide, and a water-polymer emulsion or, instead, PVA or water-based tile glue, diluted 3-5 times, is suitable as a water repellent. The pieces cut to size are first impregnated with processing, and after 3-7 days with emulsion.

Drawings of a family swing of this “classic” type are shown in Fig; The length of the legs is given based on their penetration into the ground by 0.5 m:

Their peculiarity is that they are built entirely from boards, without the use of more expensive scaffolding, as can be seen from the material sheet, pos. 2. At pos. Figure 3 shows the method of adjusting the supports before assembly: a crossbar board is used as a slipway. The legs, cut to size and at an angle (see below), are applied to the slipway and spread to the required width (at the same time, the accuracy of the cutting is checked). Then the blank of the lower strut is applied, set parallel to the building stock according to the distance of its ends from it, and marked for cutting in place. The upper ones are made from scraps of the lower spacers.

Note: in Fig. on the right is a method of marking leg blanks based on an angle between them of 30 degrees. Markers on a steel bench square are made from several turns of soft wire with bent ends.

Swings of our own design

You may have a question: how to make a swing completely yourself? Schemes and drawings are good, but if there is already material (let’s say, left over from construction) that is clearly enough for a swing, but does not fit into this design? And I don’t want a standard product, I want something of my own. Finally, in Fig. at the beginning it is clear that the most luxurious original swings are obtained from dead wood and waste from garden pruning. How to make a beautiful, comfortable, durable and safe swing from all this? Well, let's get started. Order:

1. Dimensions;
2. Foundation and method of attachment to the ground;
3. Support frame;
4. Suspension methods and designs;
5. Suspension units;
6. Rocking chair, also known as a seat;
7. Methods for hanging a rocking chair.

Finally, let’s look at a few more non-trivial designs and special, but built on the basis of ordinary, special-purpose swings.

Dimensions and proportions

The dimensions of the swing are calculated, firstly, based on the width of the park bench seat for 1 person - 60 cm; the minimum value is 40 cm. The height of the seat above the ground is taken a little more standard height a chair 40 cm, so that, on the one hand, you can swing without touching the ground with your feet and at the same time, stretching your legs, you can slow down; on the other hand, to make it more comfortable to sit down/stand up. Usually they take 50-55 cm, but in general they adjust it to suit themselves by adjusting the height of the suspension, see below.

Note: for paired swings with longitudinal swing, the height of the suspension of the board (boat) is taken to be 0.7 of its length. For boarding and disembarking, a platform is then needed, and for the rocking chair, a smoothly acting brake (in case someone gets sick on it, or he/she gets scared and panics), activated by the operator from the ground. Therefore, paired swings with longitudinal swing are almost never used in everyday life.

A suspended swing consists of a supporting frame (2 support posts + crossbar), a suspension system and a rocking chair, also known as a seat. The distance from the edges of the seat to the side supports is taken at least 150 mm for a chain suspension of type 2sh-4 or 4-4 (see below), for any other chain suspension from 250 mm, for ordinary rope suspensions from 350 mm, and for any suspension with 1 attachment point at the top - at least 0.7 of the total height of the suspension system. These requirements are based on the fact that with any swing, lateral rocking is inevitable, and the rocking chair touching the support is unpleasant and, if the rocking is strong, dangerous. That is, if, for example, we have a 40 cm seat suspended on ropes, then the width of the span between the supports should be at least 35+40+35=110 cm.

The distance from the seat to the crossbar should be no less than the height of the person on the swing, so that, firstly, you can swing while standing, and secondly, so that when you suddenly get up you don’t hit your head. It is taken within the range of 190-220 cm, depending on the available material.

The angle between the legs of the side supports is 30-40 degrees; most often - 30. Then, if you take workpieces half the standard length of 6 m, i.e. 3 m, then taking into account the depth of the legs and the thickness of the workpiece, it will be possible to stand up to your full height on the seat. In addition, the area occupied by the swing is reduced.

Note: the thickness of the material of the load-bearing parts is taken based on a 3-fold overload during swinging. For a high-quality wooden beam this will be from 150 mm in height, and for steel pipes - from 40 mm in diameter or square side.

Ground anchorage

The legs of a wooden swing are either dug into the ground to a depth of 1 m or more, or concreted to a depth of 0.5 m. Then, taking into account a 10 cm gravel cushion, holes for the legs need to be dug with 2 shovels, i.e. 60 cm. In both cases, the ends of the legs before installation in the pits with a margin of 15-20 cm in length or are impregnated bitumen mastic(40% bitumen and 60% white spirit or solvent), or pour bitumen heated almost to a boil, and, barely cooled down, sprinkle with sand; This method better protects against rotting.

To pour bitumen, bricks are placed under the foot so that the end can also be poured. They pour it in a thin stream, for which it is convenient to heat the bitumen in an unusable tin with a pulled-out spout. Having poured one side, the leg is immediately turned over and the other side is poured, trying to get it onto the end as well. Sand is sprinkled in the same order.

With a metal swing the situation is more complicated: a thin pipe compared to a log or beam can, over time, either turn out of the ground or break on the concrete itself, because This is where the loads are concentrated during swinging. Therefore, metal outdoor swings for public use must be made with support frames in the form of a solid triangle and concreted into a trench, then laid in it metal beam will take on a significant portion of the effort and relieve the load on your legs.

The legs of the swing without additional supporting elements, like those shown above from the channel, are concreted to a depth of at least 1.2 m, regardless of the freezing depth in the area, then the channel will be able to transfer part of the loads to the concrete. It is best to tie a regular metal swing at the bottom with an additional supporting frame and attach it to the ground with anchors at least 1 m long, see fig. This, by the way, will allow, if necessary, to return the land to economic use without any problems.

Frame

Country swings are most often made on a frame of 2 A-shaped supports connected by a transverse beam. Sometimes, if the swing is equipped with a rigid awning, the frame is made on 4 posts with a canopy, see below. In hot sunny places where an awning is needed all summer, this provides some material savings.

Recently, a frame on λ-shaped supports has become increasingly popular, on the left in the figure:

During construction, it saves a whole beam of wood, which is significant given current prices for lumber. But this is a swing only for adults: when swinging at full swing, the supporting beams may not hold up - the wooden ones will break, the metal ones will bend. By the way, you can’t make a λ-frame from ordinary structural steel; it will bend right away. We need very expensive special steel.

Frames with a traverse (in the center in the figure) are known to everyone: a swing on a branch is what it is. Specially traverse frames are made for acrobatic swings with 1 point of suspension of the rocking chair; on them, having mastered the swinging technique properly, you can write intricate pirouettes. In this case, the wood on the frame is double thickness, and the concreted ends of the legs must have firmly attached crossbars.

A type of traverse frame is a metal mobile one. They are made of high-quality steel, loads, moments, center of gravity, etc. mechanical intricacies are accurately calculated. In a similar way make popular (and very expensive) swing-chaise lounges, on the right in Fig.

Wooden frames

Log

The most effective and, in many cases, inexpensive swings are made from logs. It is not necessary to take debarked and rounded ones: as already mentioned, pruning waste and dead wood will go. The frame from the latter, if the trunks are still strong and powerful, does not need additional reinforcement, pos. 1 in Fig. Swing frames are made of commercial logs, especially if they are mobile, i.e. not dug in or concreted, needs to be reinforced with struts, pos. 2 and 3. In the latter case, the same amount of material is needed, but the frame covers the sky less. The question arises, why aren’t the frames recessed? In order not to spoil the lawn or paved area, in Fig. it is seen.

If the swing is dug in or concreted, then the most economical and durable frame is like that of a Chinese swing, pos. 4. Although such swings have long been known in Russia; They were often made in birch forests, tying together the tops of trees in pairs. The “Russian-Chinese” swing can also be made non-recessed by providing an additional frame at the bottom. A drawing of such a design is given below. rice: legs - logs or square beams, crossbar - timber 180x80, bottom frame - from boards 150x40.

timber

An ordinary, non-profiled wooden beam gives the possibility of constructing a swing greater than a log. It is easier and cheaper to make a swing with a permanent canopy for hot countries, pos. 1 in Fig. A conventional frame on A-shaped supports made of timber (item 2) will also be simpler and stronger: under the weight of the rocker, the legs compress the crossbar (item 3) and the more the swing is loaded, the stronger the frame holds. In the frame of the “Russian-Chinese” swing made of timber, at the top you need, as for logs, only 1 fastening unit, pos. 4, and installing a canopy over a swing made of timber on A-shaped supports is also not difficult, pos. 5.

Moreover, a crossbar made of timber can be used in the same way as for the legs, i.e. reduced cross-section (100x100 mm), if you reinforce it at the ends with overlays from the board, and the hanging points of the rocking chair are placed close to them, pos. 6. Then the bending moments of the crossbar will, as it were, flow into the compressive legs, and the tree holds the compression load well.

To enhance this effect, the crossbar is sometimes placed below the tops of the supports, pos. 7, but the gain in strength turns out to be illusory, but the extra fasteners are noticeable and cost money. Using this principle, it is better to cut off the tops of the supports and additionally secure the crossbar on top with overlays, pos. 8. Then it will be possible, if the crossbar is 150x150, and the legs are 200x200, to make the crossbar extensions up to 1.5 m, and hang a children's swing on ropes to them, attach a ladder with a slide, etc. The result will be a family swing and sports corner with a material consumption of only slightly more than for one swing.

And another question: is it possible to replace the timber with a board, say, 150x40? It is possible, as shown in pos. 9, only it is no longer possible to make extensions and the height of the supports will have to be limited to approximately 1.8 m. The swing will be just as strong, but much cheaper than timber swings. Well, it will take more work - marking, cutting, stitching.

Note: The “classic family” swing described above is even more economical, but its legs must be concreted, otherwise the plank frame will be fragile. And those shown in pos. 5, 6 and 9 are mobile, they can simply be placed on the ground or floor.

How to install the frame?

The swing crossbar must be horizontal, otherwise the rocking chair will wobble unpleasantly on any suspension. Setting it up with a bubble level is difficult and troublesome; using a hose level is not much easier, but laser level- a plane builder, of course, they don’t just do that on the farm.

You can set the crossbar of the swing using one of the oldest leveling devices - the Egyptian plumb line, see fig. It fell out of use in ancient times due to low accuracy, but it is enough for a swing. You can use a bucket of sand as the bottom load, and the top weight, in addition to the usual plumb line, can be any piece of iron - a bolt, a nut.

Hangers and Pendants

The suspension of the rocking chair determines the convenience, comfort and safety of the swing. This rather complex node should:

• Prevent swinging as little as possible within safe limits.
• Gently absorb the energy of the rocking chair if the swing speed/angle is outside the permissible limits.
• Ensure rocking without jerking and with as little sideways wobble as possible.
• An acrobatic suspension should provide the same in 2 planes.

Rocking chair suspension schemes are indicated by formulas of the form n-m-k, where n is the number of suspension points at the top, m is the number of intermediate suspension points, and k is the number of them on the rocking chair. Somewhat similar to the wheel formulas of steam locomotives, but this is pure coincidence: for a steam locomotive, m cannot be equal to 0, because denotes the number of moving axes, and for a swing - easily.

Some types of rocking chair suspensions are shown in Fig:

Suspension type 1-2 with a soft flexible rocking chair (not shown in the figure) is called a flying trapezoid. Suspensions of types 1-m-k are used in swings on traverses. Garden and country swings are most often hung using methods 2-4 (the simplest), 2-2-4 (prevents it from swinging excessively) and 2sh-4 (also you won’t swing too much and there’s no wobbling).

Of particular note is the 4-4 suspension. It’s actually not a swing: how do you swing on something like that? However, it is sometimes used for original garden benches (on the left in the figure):

Some find a little erratic rocking to be soothing. But most often, the 4-4 method is used to hang swing gazebos, right there. A matter of taste, some people like it. The eastern rulers of the past, and even the present, they say, simply delight in such people in the company of their concubines.

Chain, rope or rods?

Hanging a swing on a rope is the easiest and, if you know how to tie some sea knots (see below), does not require expensive additional fasteners. But the rope, as you know, stretches, and the spiral weave does not limit the swinging in any way. Therefore, firstly, it is better to hang the simplest children's summer swing on ropes, pos. 1 in Fig. below. Secondly, take a cross lay rope, see fig. on right. It has a lot of internal friction, which is why riggers don’t like it (the efficiency drops lifting mechanisms), but for the swing this is exactly what is needed so that the unreasonable child does not do a somersault. The diameter of the nylon cross rope for swings is from 24 mm.

Chain suspension, pos. 2, expensive, but in terms of its totality of characteristics it is optimal in all respects: the chain is strong, its wear is immediately visible, it almost does not slow down small swings, and it dampens excessive swings due to friction in the links. However, due to the latter circumstance, the smallest ones in swings on chains for adults can seriously pinch their fingers; For children's swings, small-gauge chains are used.

The rocking chair on rigid rods (positions 3 and 4) is usually suspended on bearings. It swings very smoothly, without the slightest wobble, and, as they say, even a mosquito will swing on it. But such swings without additional safety measures are dangerous: crashing your head into a stone fence or curb at a speed of 60 km/h is no longer an accident, it’s a tragedy. Therefore, on-site swings with rigid rods for children should, firstly, be equipped with a rocking chair with a fence, as in a swing for children, pos. 3. Secondly, it’s still impossible to let a child on them without adult supervision.

In a public yard swing on bearings there must be a swing limiter - you never know who can get in there and how can they swing? The rocking chair hits against a simple stopper made of a pipe (see figure), which is unpleasant. In good branded models of swings with rigid rods, the bearing suspensions are made with a built-in hydraulic brake, which operates on the principle of a viscous coupling in cars with AWD drive, but such suspension units are expensive.

Sometimes rocking is also limited by connecting the rigid rods of the rocking chair to the frame with lengths of chains, pos. 5. But, generally speaking, this is not the best solution: due to the different mechanical characteristics of the suspension links, even a small and completely safe swing on such a swing occurs with noticeable jerks.

Note: There is also a whole class of luxury swing suspensions based on systems of balanced levers, springs, and hydraulic shock absorbers. It’s clear that it’s expensive and you can’t do it yourself.

Suspension units

The critical points for hanging the swing are the attachment points. They bear very large alternating loads and are subject to abrasion. A small burr on the rubbing surface of the fastening will give very noticeable jerks when rocking. Therefore, the choice of design of fastening units must be approached with all responsibility.

The cheapest, but also the worst option is S-shaped hooks, pos. 1 in Fig. Huge loads are concentrated in their crossbars, the probability of sudden destruction is high, therefore such fastening is only permissible for swing benches suspended no higher than 0.5 m and the design of which allows them to sway barely.

The most reliable fastening is on clamps with carabiners, pos. 2. The main load falls on the top of the crossbar beam, which is absolutely safe. It is only necessary that the carabiners have safety teeth and an anti-friction insert: sliding of the suspension rod in the eye of the carabiner is already an emergency mode in case of excessive swinging.

Reliable clamps still spoil the appearance of the swing, so fastenings are most often made using eye bolts, pos. 3. Indispensable conditions for their maximum reliability - the bolt must pass through the crossbar, under the nut, regardless of the material of the crossbar, a steel washer of at least 60 mm in diameter and 4 mm in thickness must be placed, and the nut must be firmly locked. When swinging, spring washers of all types do not prevent the gradual spontaneous unscrewing of a single nut!

The reliability of the eye bolt is absolute - the neck of the eye (ring) is subject to great stress. The slightly more expensive U-hooks and shackles, pos. 4. A blind hole is drilled in the crossbar under the hook bar and it is inserted there tightly. Without being able to straighten out even a little, the hook will withstand an incredible load, because... The destruction of a metal begins with micro-disruptions of the bonds between its crystallites.

The eyebolt, U-hook and, to a slightly lesser extent, the rigging shackle significantly weaken the deadbolt, because the concentrated force applied from above tends to break it just where the beam is weakened by the hole, and the fastening pin, as it swings, “breaks” it. The washer weakens this effect, but does not eliminate it completely. As a result, where it would be possible to get by with a 100x100 mm solid beam, you have to install 150x50 mm, and in anticipation of swinging at full swing, even 200x200 mm.

Conspicuous, but ideal in all respects, are the through fastenings with an overlay and an upper suspension, pos. 5 and 6. The shear forces from them spread freely to the sides along the beam and tend not to tear, but, on the contrary, to compress the hole, as if it does not exist; the beam now becomes equivalent to a solid one. In addition, although such a suspension looks like a 4-4, it is kinematically equivalent to a chain 2-2-4, but it dampens excessive swing even better and more smoothly. If the suspension with overlays is rope, then between the carabiner and the fire (loop) of the cable you need to place a solid ring, pos. 6.

Also, rings connect the branches of the 2-2-4 chain suspension. The upper branch is welded to the ring or soldered with hard solder, and the lower ones slide along it freely, pos. 7. Only then will the 2-2-4 chain suspension acquire the required kinematics.

Rope hangers are good because they allow you to easily adjust the height of the rocking chair, but, made “chain-by-chain”, they require a fairly large number of expensive fastening, locking and adjusting parts and assemblies, positions. 6,8 and 9. However, all of them, after one, are easily accessible to self-made with the exception of this, they can be replaced with marine nodes for the appropriate purpose. The reliability of maritime knots has been tested over thousands of years of maritime practice, and their complexity exists only in the popular imagination.

You don’t need to know 200-400 knots, like a boatswain of a sailing fleet, or at least 20-40, like a current yachtsman, to build a swing; 7-9 is enough for everything, see fig:

A – anchor knot, or fishing bayonet, for attaching a cable to a carabiner with an anti-friction gasket or an intermediate ring. Up to 5 hoops (turns) can be inserted into the eye. A simple mark is applied to the running (free) end of the cable and it is used to connect the running end to the tensioned one, shown in the red frame. The fastening holds until the cable rots or the eye rusts. The anchor knot is non-tightening, it is not difficult to untie it: just remove or cut the mark that tightens the ends.

B – bed knot, also non-tightening. Suitable for the top suspension of temporary, say, for weekends, children's swings.

B – bayonet with rim, the same as B, but for adults.

G – locking knot, or figure eight. For lower mounting of children's swings through holes in the board.

D, F - sealing the end of the cable with a turnip and a simple disk button. The same as G, but for adults, and the cable tails do not dangle. Although, in general, it is better to fasten a rocking chair on ropes by the bottom without any knots at all, as described below.

Z – net knot, for tying 2 ropes crosswise anywhere without cutting.

And - this is how a loose loop is knitted on a solid rope. You can hang an umbrella, a siphon with soda, attach a shelf or something else.

Note: There are also simple knots for tying 2 ropes, identical or different, for example. weaving knot. However, it is strongly not recommended to assemble a swing rope suspension from pieces.

It remains to solve the issue of adjusting the rocking chair on the ropes. To do this, you need 2 cuttings of a strong hard board from 30 mm (oak, beech, elm, walnut), from which running, or hanging, rope stoppers are made - deadeyes, see fig. on right. Such gizmos were used to regulate the tension of the rigging of ancient sailing ships, and nothing happened - the oceans were crossed, America and India were discovered. Deadeyes are used in conjunction with the rocking chair suspension method described below.

Rocking chair and its fastening

A rocking chair for adults is, in general, garden bench without legs. They choose it according to their taste and on the back with the fifth point. From below, an adult rocking chair is supported by a pair of cross bars, and eye bolts or U-hooks are inserted through their ends, as in pos. 4 drawings of a “classic family” swing at the beginning. Fastening to any points on the top, as in pos. 1 Fig., extremely unreliable. When rocking, the centrifugal force should compress the rocking chair and press it against the supports, and not stretch and tear it away from them.

Children love to swing on the flying trapeze, pose. 2 in Fig. below. You can make one yourself from tarpaulin, strengthening the ends with wooden strips, inserted into pockets sewn at the bottom and equipped with eyelets. But you can’t install eyelets for curtains, they are weak. If you don’t have sailing eyelets at your disposal, you can sew their substitutes from a steel ring and harsh, properly waxed or resinous thread, pos. 3.

Children's rocking chair made of boards with two-point suspension, pos. 3, it is not recommended to do it by any means, there is a high probability of overturning. If you are going to make a rocking chair on 2 points, then from logs, as in pos. 4, and hang the rocker from the board at 4 points, passing the cable through the holes, pos. 5.

However, the best rope suspension for both children and adults is a loop in the grooves, pos. 6. For adults, the lower support bars of the rocking chair are made wider, with a projection of 100-200 mm. They do not interfere; on the contrary, with a slight rocking, you can put a book on them, put a can of beer, etc. What if there is a lateral swing, they will serve as good bump stops and shock absorbers. The suspension in the grooves is absolutely reliable and can be easily assembled and disassembled. Adjusting the height of intermediate points with deadeyes allows you to change within a fairly wide range not only the height of the rocking chair, but also the kinematics of the suspension.

Tire swing

Perhaps the most favorite swing for children is the one made from tires. The reasons for this are not only psychological or ergonomic; a rocker made from a tire is an excellent shock absorber in emergency situations, and an excellent swing material for an adult craftsman-dad. An unusable tire can simply be hung on a branch, pos. 1 in Fig., by cutting it, a flying trapezoid is obtained without much difficulty: the presence of steel cord in the mass of durable rubber allows you to do without eyelets. A solid tire will go on a rocking nest for collective gatherings of small children, pos. 3. When two or three people swing each in their own way, the trajectory of the rocking-nest on the suspension 1-3 or 1-4 makes even a person who knows mathematics and physics well scratch his head thoughtfully.

Finally, from tires cut and folded in different ways, single rocking chairs are obtained not only for children, but also for adults, pos. 4-6. The popularity of swings made from tires is so great that some sports and toy companies and companies specializing in goods for children produce, especially for swings... square tires, pos. 7! All that remains is to exclaim after the author of “Tartarin of Tarascon”: “Has anyone ever heard of something like this?”

Curiosities, but to the point

Since we are talking about funny swings, let’s touch on some more of them, but they are quite suitable for their intended use. For example, hammock swings, on the left in the figure, although the hammock itself is already a recumbent swing. There is probably something about swaying with additional degrees of freedom that owners like. In any case, there will be no harm.

Children will probably like the device in the center, but it is impossible to name it without sinning against Russian grammar. A swing, not a swing. And the author posted a photo of the one on the right with a note: the easiest way to recycle an old car. The comment was in English, so it is quite possible - in many Western countries, delivering a car to a landfill or selling it for scrap costs a lot of trouble. And here the great inertia of the heavy rocking chair allows you to swing for a very long time, the canopy is created by itself, and the soft sofa will not reduce the comfort.

Not those, but the swing

Finally, about swings, direct descendants of children's pendulum swings, but quite adult ones. And not for entertainment, they help cope with arthritis, osteochondrosis, radiculitis without expensive treatment. Reviews from doctors are positive.

Any caring parents strive to ensure that their children’s time is as rich and interesting as possible. How can you diversify your child’s leisure time while relaxing at the dacha? The simplest and least expensive option is to make a children's swing with your own hands. Moreover, it is not at all difficult if you are smart.

How to choose material for making a swing

Of course, in order to make a country swing yourself, you need to have not only certain construction tools, but also the skills to work with them. Therefore, before you decide to build, carefully assess your strengths. A swing for a dacha made of metal is, of course, a fundamental building.

But in order to build it, you must know how metal behaves in certain conditions and you need to own a welding machine, an angle grinder, and a hacksaw.
If you don’t feel confident enough to implement such a global project, then perhaps a wooden swing for your dacha is more suitable for you.

Wood is a material that is easier to process, and even non-professionals can handle the construction. Just choose a fairly durable type of wood for construction. Suitable spruce, cedar, birch, oak. And make sure that there are no defects on it - knots, holes, etc.: after all, not only the comfort, but also the safety of your baby depends on this. Of course, plastic can also be used as a manufacturing material.

However, its only advantage is its low cost. It is not an environmentally friendly material. In addition, if you want your garden swing to withstand not only children, but also adults, plastic is definitely not suitable for you. However, often a swing for a dacha can be built literally from what is at hand - you will see this for yourself.

>Simple ideas for creating a swing with your own hands

A wooden pallet left over from construction work can be an excellent base for a swing. You will also need some strong rope and a tree that is strong enough to support the swing. If there is no suitable tree, you can dig in support pillars.
In the very in simple form You can simply attach a rope to a pallet and tie it to a support. If you wish, you can complicate the concept by connecting several pallets together, building a backrest for the swing, and beautifully painting it.

2. Swing made from a snowboard or skateboard

The snowboard broke, but the board remains? It can become an excellent basis for an outdoor swing for a summer house. Despite its apparent fragility, the snowboard is very durable and can withstand heavy loads, so it is ideal as a swing seat. The main thing is to securely attach it to the ropes and hang it on a support.
If there is still a roller mechanism on the skateboard, this makes making a swing with your own hands an even easier task. All you have to do is make loops out of ropes and thread the skateboard through them: the wheels will fix the ropes and keep them from slipping.

This type of swing can be considered a classic of the genre. Construction still begins with the construction of support beams - wooden or metal, and a transverse beam between them. Bolts with rings are screwed into the upper beam. One end of the ropes is attached directly to the tire, and the other is threaded through the rings. You can use chains instead of ropes.

The same tree can serve as a support, which significantly speeds up the process of building a country swing with your own hands. This option is more reminiscent of a bungee jump, and does not pretend to be particularly aesthetic.
In general, if there is no particular desire to start a global construction project, anything can be used as a handy material for making a children's swing for the dacha:

• logs;

• bars;

• planks;

• even the seat of a chair or armchair.

The main thing is to give free rein to creativity.

Photos of various swings for the garden