Parents of infants and young toddlers are frequently in the market for backyard playsets for their young, and often growing, family. Dave Byrum, owner of Kids Gotta Play with locations in New Hudson and Utica, notes that many of these families typically want a playset that will grow with their kids.
“Our playsets are also known as modular units,” he explains. “You can add to them over time.”
Byrum explains that monkey bars are a popular playset feature.
“Even so, kids who are 2 to 3 years old don’t yet have the arm strength to use them,” he says. “But, we can put them on at a later date.”
In fact, adding new features to a playset can make the structure new all over again, Byrum maintains.
“When your kids are old enough, you can add those monkey bars,” he says. “And after a time, you can add a fort, called a penthouse, on top of those monkey bars.”
Other accessories that can be added at any time include a billy goat bridge, hamster tunnel, lemonade stand, ramp, steering wheel and binoculars – to name just a few.
“With a steering wheel, your playset can be a pirate ship one day and a rocket ship or race car the next,” Byrum says.
As for perhaps the most common playset accessory, the swing, Kids Gotta Play has options for kids at each stage of development.
“We start with a commercial bucket swing for babies that provides support for them when they aren’t yet sitting up,” he says. “When they get a little bigger, they can graduate to the toddler swing with a back and a strap across the front. Finally, when children reach age 3 or 4, they are ready for a belt swing.
“The beauty of these playsets is their ability to adapt to your child’s evolving interests and approach to play,” Byrum says.
