#BUILDYOUROWN DIY SWING

WHY ARE WE DOING A #BUILDYOUROWN PLAY SERIES?

Currently we are a part of a small think-tank of local play experts assembled by the City of Philadelphia to imagine how we can support safe play now and as the pandemic gradually resides, both at home and the City’s parks and playgrounds.

In addition to and as a part of this work, we believe that play is deeply important and necessary part of everyone’s well-being, each and every day. Play was already absent and a challenge to realize in many peoples’ lives before the pandemic and it’s only become more difficult now. As such we will regularly share plans and tips for our favorite #buildyourown  #play designs that we have designed, developed and built with people young and old all around the world over the past 15 years. This includes testing new #buildyourown  ideas and materials daily so that you can do the same at home during these challenging times. This has been one of the rare moments of joy in our day right now and we hope that at least a few other people can experience the same. While all of the materials used are easily available and inexpensive (even free!) and the projects are doable by any skill level, some projects will require tools that or space that not everyone will have available. However, there will be a projects that ANYONE can complete no matter what they have at their disposal.

#BUILDYOUROWN DIY SWING!

TIME 30 MINUTES COST $5-20

No matter where we have worked in the world, people young and old love to swing. This isn’t too surprising as aside from bouncing on your parents’ bed, it is the closest that we as young people can come to the exhilarating feeling of flight. The effort of swinging is downright satisfying, indeed the ‘fun’ makes us forget that we are actually using our entire body to swing.

Happily, it’s easier and more affordable than you may think to make a swing for a young person. In fact those sometimes offensive and always illegal (in Philadelphia) plastic signs that are used for advertising different services make great (free) swing seats for kids ages 2-6 years old. The material used to make these and many lawn signs is called ‘Coroplast’ and is essentially a plastic version of cardboard. The City of Philadelphia actually pays residents to take down the Coroplast signs we have used to make this swing. The material is not generally recyclable in most places so by reusing it for a swing, you are keeping it out of the landfill while providing a lot of joy for a young person!

Following the plans and tips that we have developed (downloadable below), almost anyone can quickly create a DIY swing in their home or backyard for a 2-6 year old with almost no tools, for a cost of $5-20.

Many thanks to the City of Philadelphia’s CleanPHL program and the Trash Academy for getting us reclaimed signs for this and other cool experimental play and design projects that we have been doing separately and together.

Let us know what you think by taking a picture the swing you have made and tagging @tinywpa on Facebook or Instagram!