A Garden Swing Suddenly Brings Your Garden to Life

Aaron's favourite part of the garden has to be his swing. Being that he is an only child, he finds very inventive things to do with it, often making me laugh with him imagination.

We got it back on Saturday 10th May so have had plenty of time to review it.

We had friends over that weekend, so we were able to put it to the test immediately:

One wet (as you can see by the jacket below) day, he decided that the swings were curtains, and had great fun running through them. It did amuse me... lots!

Then he discovered the ladder and there was no looking back. At first it was a big effort to clamber onto the bottom rung, make it swing AND hang on. 

It's funny to watch this back, when I now know he can scamper to the top rung, and swing and sit there effortlessly like he's had it for years. Children progress SO fast don't they?

Sometimes it's just fun to "wind it up" - the possibilities with the imagination of a young mind are endless! Literally!

I love how he uses the swing's ladder to get a better view. I know a piece of furniture can't be a "friend" but Aaron's certainly made one out of his swing!

If you are considering getting a swing for your garden you won't regret it.

Let me give you some information on this one:

• It's from Little Tikes and can be bought via Asda Direct for 100 pounds: Little Tikes Riga Swing
• It doesn't take overly long to assemble but with some of the pieces there is not a hole. If you hammer to create one, do so very gentle, as you can cause the wood to crack.
• If you assemble it upside down (i.e. with its legs in the air), you may find that those two side pieces (that secure the triangular legs) are in completely the wrong place, so get it standing in situ prior to adding those. Having to move them, means marks on your lovely wood where the old holes were... *sad face*
• A wooden swing is SO much nicer than a metal framed one. We've had lots of compliments on it. It looks at home in the garden.
• The instructions do say to set the feet in concrete - we are yet to do this so it does squeak and rock a tad when we're on it.
• I say we, as it seems to take an adult's weight. Both me and Daddy have had a swing on it. It does hurt the top of my thighs as I am a size 18 currently, but I CAN swing. So if you are smaller than that, you can swing with your child. I doubt that it's designed with adults in mind so I wouldn't make a habit of it :-)
• I love the metal harnesses that attach the swing rope to the frame. They feel very secure.
• Having a swing in the garden IS great as it means you can do other things, BUT he often wants me to "push him on the swing"... so it hasn't freed me up completely, but when he knows I am really busy, he finds other imaginative ways of playing with it.
• Daddy is actually a lot more patient at pushing Aaron on the swing. Means I can cook dinner when they're both out there. Great addition to the garden!
• Don't take my word for it: read these reviews!

I will make a you tube video of all of my clips when I get a spare moment.

Do you have garden furniture? We are yet to join the trampoline craze that has spread the country but we long ago joined the scooter craze! I know we will probably end up with a trampoline one day but for now, I enjoy being able to see as much of the grass as possible, and the swing doesn't interfere with that - it's a very welcome addition to the family.

Disclosure: we were sent this swing in exchange for an  honest review and are very happy with it too (apart from the rocking and squeaking, which one day we'll address by setting the feet in concrete).

Liska xxx

Everyone in our house has been busy! Lots of days out lately, along with BritMums Live, and Aaron's birthday meant we got the hedge cut by a gardener - Aaron was fascinated watching him. It was powered by petrol, so it's great not to have a cable trailing all over the place!