School's Out for Summer!

“Thanks for the speedy dispatch of the swing. It was simple to put up. The children think it is fantastic and won't let me have a go! Regards" – CB

So, school's out for Summer, and parents and grandparents across the land are no doubt wondering  what to do with the kids on the extended break, whilst hopefully keeping them away from endless screen time. 

Reasons Children Need to play outside
(according to Harvard Medical School)

Here’s something really simple you can do to improve your child’s chance of future health and success: make sure he or she spends plenty of time playing outside in the garden.

There are so many ways in which children's lives are so very different to our own childhoods, and one of the most profound is that so much time is being spent inside, largely due to the huge pull of electronic devices and it's not just children this applies to, adults are spending less time outdoors as well.

Here are six ways playing outside helps children:

1.  Sunshine 
We all need some sun exposure to make Vitamin D,  of course we must take care & not overdo it, but some sunshine is beneficial in so many way, for our immune systems, for better sleep, for our mood.  Light lifts us.

2.  Exercise
It is well known that children should be active for a minimum of an hour a day and this can so easily be achieved by getting them in the great outdoors, and a rope swing will be a big attraction.

3.  Executive function
These are really the learning the skills that help us plan, negotiate, think things through, skills that must be learned & practised often, and outdoor play can help achieve these.

4.  Taking risks
A scary one this for parents and grandparents, but children do need to take some risks in life, this will increase confidence & show them what they can do, and what they can't. 

5.  Socialization
Children need to make friends, learn to work together, share things, and respect other people, getting outside and playing with others will really help with this one

6.  Appreciation of nature
We all know the pleasure of a walk in the woods, interacting with animals, messing about in the river, the future of our planet depends on our children, they need to be in the great outdoors to really appreciate all that nature has to offer.
 

So try it getting the children or grandchildren outside, do what our own parents did, send your children into the garden and even better, go with them.   Playing on a traditional tree swing could help achieve all the above, and guarantee a lot of fun for you and the kids.  If a rope swing from a tree isn't your thing, then do take a look at our Trilogy Swing(Option 3 is the most fun for child and parent/grandparent)

So whose rope swing to choose….here’s a quick run down of ours as we know there are so many to choose from, this should help narrow down your choice:

Our oak rope swings have the credibility of our established brand, so much so that we are the only rope swing makers Endorsed by the RHS. 

Where other companies have the ropes spliced around the rope swing, meaning the wood may be prone to split over time, our ropes, which are made by a long established marine rope maker, are threaded through the rope swing.

Our rope swings have strengthening oak battens underneath them adding to their stability and each rope swing comes with our unique, simple, no knots hanging system as standard.

The corners and edges of our rope swings are gently rounded, meaning a little one (or adult) will never get a painfully sharp knock.

We make them in four sizes and all can be hand carved with favourite words and inscriptions:

Child’s – perfect for little ones up to around 4 years old

Single – a generous 75cm wide, perfect for children or adults.  In fact, two children are able to sit comfortably on this together

Double –a generous 110cm wide, very comfortable for two adults, and any number of little ones!

Round – perfect for the more adventurous, often referred to as a button or monkey swing

Whatever your choice, view our Oak Rope Swings.

Oh, and don't forget, they're not only for adults...