When Is the Best Time of Year To Buy a Swing Set?
August 11, 2020
Many factors can go into the decision to buy your family a swing set. You’ll want to find a design appropriate for the
age of your children while they are young enough to get many years of joy out of it. Other considerations include upcoming sales as well as the lead time to design, build and install. If you’re asking, “When should I buy a swing set?” check out our guide to seasonal benefits of playscapes and sales to watch for.
Why Buy a Swing Set in the Fall?
While many consider the spring and summer to be the best time of year for outdoor play, a crisp fall day can be even better. While a particularly hot day might drive your kids indoors before long, the cooler fall weather is often comfortable well into November. Kids can get as active as they like without overheating or working up a sweat. As a parent, you don’t have to worry as much about sunburn or dehydration as your children enjoy the temperate autumn weather.
While the colder weather can make kids want to stay inside, a brand-new swing set is a perfect motivator to get them off the couch. While you’re doing your end-of-summer yard work, your kids will stay out of your hair with a fun playscape to hold their attention.
As kids go back to school and meet new classmates, a brand-new swing set can serve as the focal point of playdates, providing the foundation for new friendships. As school returns and many parents are no longer concerned with keeping their kids occupied, swing sets aren’t in peak demand. Retailers begin clearing out their inventory to get ready for next year’s models. So, you can take advantage of clearance deals. Plus, with the holiday season right around the corner, sales on toys skyrocket. These factors can make fall the best time to buy a playset.
The season also sparks the imagination during outdoor play sessions. Your kiddos can wonder at the colorful foliage from the high-point in their swing arcs or slide into a freshly-raked pile of leaves. As Halloween rolls around, you can decorate the playscape with cobwebs and pumpkins. With the right decor, it can become a festive activity for a kid-friendly Halloween party or a way to redirect kids’ energy from a post-trick-or-treating sugar rush.
Potential Fall Sales to Watch For
Of course, autumn also has plenty of sales that might make for a swing set bargain.
- Back-to-school sales: While you shop for deals on your kids’ laundry lists of school supplies, you might not realize why a back-to-school swing set can be so valuable. Besides being the highlight of play dates with classmates, playscapes also provide much-needed after-school enrichment. If you live in a smaller community with fewer after-school programs, your very own swing set can activate young minds and encourage physical development after the bus drops them off at home. A back-to-school sale is a perfect opportunity to set your kids up for a great school year.
- Labor Day sales: For many, Labor Day marks the end of summer — and the end of summer-themed purchases. So, while a swing set won’t necessarily be on other shoppers’ radar, it’s a great time to buy. Take advantage of retailers hoping to clear out their summer inventory on the first Monday of September.
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday: The days after Thanksgiving are dubbed the most important shopping days of the year across categories. As items for all ages hit their lowest prices, parents can luck out on gifts their kids will treasure for years to come, including swing sets.
Why Buy a Swing Set in the Winter?
As the holiday season kicks into high gear, your kids once again fill their holiday wishlists with video games and gadgets designed to keep them planted on the couch. As you decide what makes the cut, you might wonder if there’s anything they’ll actually use that will get them moving. A swing set is the perfect solution. It’s a gift your entire family will be excited to unwrap, and it’s bound to encourage physical activity and fresh air.
Holiday sales combined with the off-season pricing are a perfect storm for great deals. If you’re looking for the best winter deal, make sure you buy before New Year. Why? Many raw materials suppliers increase their prices at the start of January. As a result, swing sets cost more for manufacturers to make. So, if you want high-quality equipment for when the weather gets warmer, winter is one of the best times to buy a swing set to avoid a price increase.
Plus, even though the snow and cold might not seem like the best time to use a playset, the season has plenty of outdoor enjoyment.
If you get it installed before the holidays, a playset can be the perfect framework for a creative lights display the entire neighborhood will marvel at. While it’s not in use, you can turn the swing set into a winter workshop or a reindeer stable with a little ingenuity. As the days get shorter and your kids spend more time indoors, they’ll take joy seeing their playscape twinkling in the night every time your family pulls up to the house.
Even when snow covers your playscape, you might still find your kids enjoying it in unexpected ways. The upper deck of the high tower can become a snow castle fortress. Building enthusiasts might use the beams as structural supports for their winter igloos and snow-people. The playscape itself can act as a strategic barricade for a friendly snowball fight, while soft snow beneath the slide provides a padded landing spot. If you’re hoping to get kids to enjoy the winter wonderland, a swing set could be just the thing.
When it comes to custom-built swing sets, you’ll find the shortest lead times in the winter. Many shoppers don’t think about playsets until the spring, and so companies tend to have a shorter list of orders. While Superior Play Systems® works hard to deliver our playsets fast and on-time year-round, during the slower winter months, you might find your swing set arrives even faster.
Potential Winter Sales to Watch For
If you’re on the hunt for a winter bargain, be on the lookout for these potential swing set sales:
- Last-minute holiday deals: While Black Friday is known for great sales, prices drop again right before December 25. You may be able to find some great sales on a children’s playset.
- New Year’s and holiday clearance sales: Right after the holidays, many retailers are looking to get rid of their gift-giving inventory. As the playscape industry makes room for their new models for spring, it’s time to get rid of the last of the swing sets from the previous year. Anything that didn’t sell out during the holiday shopping season has the potential for a deep discount.
- President’s Day sales: February marks the end of the slow season for swing sets, so it may be your last chance to score the pre-season deals before spring. Scope out some possible swing set deals on the third Monday of February.
Why Buy a Swing Set in the Spring?
Online shopping searches for “swing sets” tend to
peak in March, April and May, which makes perfect sense. As the sun starts to shine and kids emerge from their winter cocoons, a swing set is sure to catch their interest.
For parents arranging their summer childcare plans, a swing set can be a helpful amenity. It’s sure to keep energetic kids occupied and out of the house during the day, giving parents and babysitters some much-needed downtime. To ensure your swing set is installed by the last day of school, shopping in the spring is a good idea.
Since spring is the peak season for most playset retailers, you’ll find the best selection of pre-manufactured or modular swing sets. Whether you’re looking for a tire swing, a climbing wall, a fortress, a slide or a simple, high-quality swing set, spring is the best time to find exactly what you’re looking for.
When you’re in the market for a custom swing set, you’ll want to consider fabrication time during the busy spring season. If you’re hoping to have the swingset ready to go by June, spring is an excellent time to buy.
Potential Spring Sales to Watch For
You may be able to score some fantastic sales during peak season. Springtime is known for several big sales, which may turn up a great deal on a swing set.
- Spring “Black Friday”: While we usually associate it with holiday shopping, many brands use the “Black Friday” name to spark excitement for big sales throughout the year. Compared to the original Black Friday, Spring Black Friday sales are outdoorsy. Everything from grills and landscaping equipment to patio furniture and gardening supplies goes on sale to help homeowners celebrate the return to warmer weather and prep their yard for summer. Be on the lookout for Spring Black Friday deals on playscapes in March and April.
- Earth Day sales: Nothing cultivates an appreciation for nature like spending time outside. If you’re having trouble getting kids to put down their devices and explore, a playscape can help. Some retailers take advantage of the swing set’s association with the great outdoors to promote Earth Day sales. Since wood is considered a sustainable alternative to plastic playsets, you may find better deals on these higher-quality wood swing sets around Earth Day. Poke around right before April 22 to see if any sales pop up.
- Memorial Day sales: When there’s a long weekend on the calendar, many families take it as an opportunity to shop. Whether online or at the store, you’re sure to find deals on everything from fashion to furniture. Celebrating the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day sales in particular often feature summery items like swing sets. Check for sales in the week leading up to Memorial Day.
Why Buy a Swing Set in the Summer?
As school lets out, kids no longer have gym class and recess to get their
recommended daily hour of exercise and play. Without these structured times built into their schedule, kids increasingly turn to television, video games and screen time. If you didn’t snatch up a playset in the spring, you might consider purchasing one after realizing your kids haven’t changed out of their pajamas for the umpteenth time this summer.
For those days when your job and busy schedules don’t leave room to take your kids to the park, having a swing set in the yard all summer long can be a summer-fun-saver. You will rest assured knowing your kids are getting the exercise and developmental stimulation they need.
As the season of backyard barbecues continues, improve your hosting skills with activities for the kids. A large, high-quality playset will be big enough to occupy a group of kids of all ages. Look for a set with some toddler-friendly features alongside some taller towers and climbing elements for older kids to enjoy. A playscape with plenty of features will grow with your kids and come in handy when outdoor cookouts call for some all-ages entertainment.
The end of summer may be a great time to buy, pricing-wise, as leftover inventory from the spring season goes on clearance. Typically, late August marks the end of the increased demand for playsets, so this can be the best time of year to buy a swing set at a discount.
Potential Summer Sales to Watch For
Of course, summer blow-out sales can be found throughout the season. Look for some deals during these big sale times that can make summer the best time of year to buy a playset.
- Fourth of July sales: Independence Day is one of the most popular barbecue days of the year, and the time leading up to the Fourth offers deals on outdoor equipment such as grills and playscapes. Snag a swing set right before the holiday to make sure you have some child-friendly amusement or take advantage of the day off to shop for a deal.
- Black Friday in July: As many online retailers have begun using a July date for their annual sales, stores across the web have adopted the “Black Friday” term to elicit excitement for deep discounts in July. Be on the lookout throughout the month, especially on Fridays, for some swing set deals.
- Tax-free weeks: Many states have a tax-free week in August to help parents with their back-to-school shopping. While swing sets don’t necessarily fall into the tax-exempt category, it has become increasingly popular for brands across categories to offer a sales-tax-equivalent discount to entice budget-savvy shoppers during this week. Since tax-free weekends vary by state, contact your local swing set dealer to find out if you can expect a deal.
Why Buy a Wooden Playset From Superior Play Systems®?
When you get a playset, no matter the time of year, you want it to last as long as your children can enjoy it. Superior Play Systems® deals in wooden playsets and swing sets crafted from 100% chemical-free solid cedar. Swing sets made from less-sturdy materials will quickly deteriorate, and other companies don’t commit to the same level of excellence we promise.
We at Superior Play Systems® strive to be the number one source for safe playground equipment. So, we test our products and change the designs until we get them right. When you buy from us, we stand by our products and will take care of any issues for you, even if you experience termites.
We offer fully-modular, customizable playsets
. You’ll work with a designer to create the ultimate swing set
where quality comes into play®. We also have
ready-to-play sets available online. We have full installation services, so no matter what time you buy, you can get your play structure built quickly. We’re known for our seasonal promotions, so if you’re looking for the right time to buy,
check out our local specials or call your local dealer to find superb deals in your area.
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reach out to our experts online or call
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