As winter waned this year, Ellie and I developed a habit of adding a playground visit to our daily outings. Then, the pandemic arrived in full force, and by the first day of spring, all of the playgrounds in our area were closed.
Ellie looked out the window as we drove past and said, “Pwaygound?” When I explained they were closed and we couldn’t use them, she cried.
When I told her that we might get our playground at the farm, Ellie’s first question was if it would be closed. I was happy to assure her that her playground would never close.
The idea of adding a playset was easy. It’s something I’ve planned since last year.
We received many generous donations from the GoFundMe campaign to honour Matt. I felt like using some of that money for a playset for Ellie would be something Matt would have enjoyed a lot.
But finding the playset was not easy.
Matt and I visited a local playground builder last year. At the end of the season, the quote for a small, old display model was $4,000. I was tempted, but Matt set me straight.
This spring, I started my search on Kijiji (the Canadian Craig’s List). Playsets came up, but they disappeared within minutes–not hours, minutes. I think that with all of the kids out of school, parents were looking for things to keep them busy at home. Competition was fierce.
But I finally managed to be first in line for one. It has everything I was looking for and is perfect for our girl. She loves it. It’s always open… except at bedtime. And it’s a lovely gift from her Dad. The idea of adding a playset was easy. It’s something I’ve planned since last year.
We received many generous donations from the GoFundMe campaign to honor Matt. I felt like using some of that money for a playset for Ellie would be something Matt would have enjoyed a lot.
But finding the playset was not easy.
Matt and I visited a local playground builder last year. At the end of the season, the quote for a small, old display model was $4,000. I was tempted, but Matt set me straight.
This spring, I started my search on Kijiji (the Canadian Craig’s List). Playsets came up, but they disappeared within minutes–not hours, not minutes. I think that with all the kids out of school, parents were looking for things to keep them busy at home. Competition was fierce.
But I finally managed to be first in line for one. It has everything I was looking for and is perfect for our girl. She loves it. It’s always open… except at bedtime. And it’s a lovely gift from her Dad
Here are my tips for buying a second-hand playset:
Search Often. Search Everywhere
It took me a few weeks to find our playset. I spread the word with friends and family, hoping that they might know someone who wanted to get rid of a playset or that they could keep an eye on various buy and sell groups they’re part of. My primary market was Kijiji. New sets were listed every day, but they sold within minutes. I learned that I had to check the site a few times a day and be prepared to act fast.
Know What You’re Looking For
When we went to the park, our girl loved climbing and sliding. She was also getting more comfortable on swings, so I knew our set needed swings, a slide, and some kind of climber. The size of the playset didn’t matter to me, but if you have a smaller yard, you may want to know what dimensions your set should be.
The playset didn’t need to be perfect, and I was prepared to do a bit of work fixing it if necessary. Playsets have been outside for years, and kids have played on them. They may be weathered and worn. Think about what repairs you’re willing and able to make.
Also, know what price you’re prepared to pay. Most of the playsets I saw were less than $500, though a few went up to $1,000–still big savings over the $4,000 we were quoted last year. Thinking in advance about what’s most important to you means you can quickly evaluate a listing and decide whether to buy it or not.
Arrange Transportation
Playsets tend to be large and awkward, and they’re not something you can easily throw in the back of your car. However, prompt pickup is important in a competitive market. I knew I’d need help bringing it home, so I had Matt’s Dad, with hispickupp truck and trailer, on standby. I also had other friends and family for backup if needed. I wanted to be able to act fast once I successfully found a playset.
Be Prepared To Disassemble
A lot of the vinyl playsets for sale seen online said, “You take it apart.” They were fully set up in people’s backyards. I’ve noticed this changed a bit as people became more sensitive about social distancing. Fortunately, the seller disassembled our set and carried it out to the curb, where we picked it up. However, we took apart a few pieces to make transportation easier. Bring some tools to thepickupp so that you can take care of whatever is needed. A toolbox would be the most basic, but if you have to do a full disassembly, I’d recommend a drill, wrenches, a socket set, a pry bar, a saw, and a sledgehammer.
Be Prepared To Reassemble
Once you get your new-to-you playset home, you’re going to have to put at least some of it together. For us, a fair bit of reassembly was needed. Matt’s Dad and I spent about 4 hours building the playset. Or, as Ellie says, “Papa fix the playground.”
Find The Manual
Perhaps the seller has kept the manual and passed it along to you. This was not the case for us, but he did supply the brand name for our playset, so I was able to find the manual online and print it off. We could not have put the playset back together properly without it. This is a case where you definitely should follow the directions.
Sort The Pieces
If you’re like us, you’ll receive a big bag of bolts and screws from the seller. Inside the bag were more than 12 different sizes of bolts and screws, plus all of the nuts and washers. Each is meant to be used in a very specific place, and for strength and safety, they must be installed correctly. Before we started putting anything back together, I sorted all of the hardware into labelled plastic cups. Then, it was a quick grab for the C3 screws rather than a frustrating search. You can also sort the wood, but I found that was less critical. Note that the pieces of wood will likely be stamped with a part number somewhere (it took me a while to notice this, and it made life much easier once I did).
Inspect
Once the playground is set up, check it over carefully. Make sure all of the screws and bolts are tight. Look for any damaged boards. Find any spots where bolts are missing. The upper deck was in one piece when we picked it up. However, I discovered that some bolts underneath the platform weren’t installed. Also, make sure to anchor the playset into the ground so that it never tips over.
Play! The playset has been a great addition to the farm. We spend time there pretty much every day. We eat lunch on the built-in picnic bench and swing and slide and climb. I put it right by the garden, and I’ve been able to do a bit of work while Ellie plays.