Swings for all ages.
The feeling of flying, the slight unsteadiness as you first get hold of the ropes and sit, then that sense you get as you push yourself off and start to fly. The sensation of rocking and movement is something that starts when we are babies being held, rocked and soothed, goes right through our lives to the rocking chairs and swinging benches we relax on, to watch the world go by.
Studies have found that when your body needs to focus on its core stability and balance, it reduces your thoughts on everything else, once its achieved that balance, it allows you focus on things again and think or not. Instead to allow you to enjoy being outside to look around you, up at the clouds, at other people, at someone you love, pushing you or being sat on the swing next to you.
With the ability to reduce stress and anxiety, improve people’s moods and memory the act of swinging should be available to everybody. We already have a huge range of seats for young children, wheelchairs can be clipped onto swinging platforms, there are even mechanisms for automated swinging. But the standard swing seats really are shrinking, its not just our imagination. With the cost of shipping and materials, companies have been gradually reducing the size of many of their toys. A few mm multiplied by thousands of swing seats mean a lot more can be packed into the same space, reducing the costs of shipping, packing materials and the amount of material to make the toy, it all adds up to lower costs for the manufacturer and consumer.
Though this leaves a problem of a swing not being comfortable and the sense you are too big for something, perceived as your age or size. This starts in teenagers, particularly girls with their changing body shape, the loved swing is no longer something they do. Studies have show that they do still want to use a swing at home or in the park, but they often feel they can’t due to peer pressure of it being for younger children or the swing not being comfortable to use. This isn’t the case but needs to be changed so whoever you are, you can enjoy time on a swing.
This isn’t something we want to be an issue, so we make sure we stock swings and seats for everyone. We have timber swing frames which are tall and strong enough to support anyone, we also sell hooks for inside, in case you don’t have the outside space for a swing but still want to be able to. Plum and TP ranges have strong swing frames in a range of sizes and heights which or a Belgian company KBT offer a range of very strong brackets and fastenings for you to build your own swing frame, allowing you to source the timber poles close to home and us send you metal work, creating a bespoke swing to suit your garden and needs.
Next the most important part, the swing seat. Would you like a standard seat, the Legler wooden seat, is 80cm long and has adjustable ropes, allowing you to adjust the height, it can turn to become a skateboard swing for the adventurous, but it is also a very wide swing seat. KBT have a favourite Wrap Around rubber swing seat which moulds round anyone, from young children who need the confidence of being held securely by the seat to adults who like a swing which fits them. Alternatively next swings allow you to lie back and cloud watch, we have a range of sizes and shapes or cocoon yourself in a material nest or den, allowing you rock gently or hide away with a good book.
We hope we have a swing to suit everyone, if you are unsure. Come into the shop to try them out or let us know what you are looking for and we will be able to help.
