Name: Kate N.Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it:
We wanted to create a play area for our two boys without purchasing a kit from our local home improvement center. It was a project that spanned a couple of summers and we are delighted with the "finished" product (is anything ever really finished?). We love to hang out in the treehouse - picnicking, reading, exploring...
The sandbox is large enough for several children (or adults) to build neighboring fortresses. The hammock is an alternative to the swings that we have yet to install and everyone can fit on it together. The boys help tend the area as well, raking designs in the gravel and pulling weeds (admittedly I paid our five-year-old to help with the weed pulling, but it still counts for quality time).
How did you create it?:
We began with the sandbox, which was the first area that our then tractor obsessed toddler required. My husband constructed it of cedar and we found a red and orange tarp at Target to create a cover with. T
he next project was the treehouse, which we also built and I painted to compliment our house. We used the branches that we removed from the tree to create the railing, which is actually very sturdy.
The area is very shaded and the soil is acidic, making the task of grass growing almost impossible. We opted to have fifteen yards of pea gravel delivered to our yard, which we spread with a small tractor and manually (wheelbarrow and shovel).
We used steel landscape edging to separate the area from our grass and reinforced it with stones my husband picked up in the fields where he works. The pillars that draw the eye to the back corner of our yard were made with concrete tubes and leftover cement from a pad our neighbor was pouring.
Every bit of the work put into this space was absolutely worth it when I see the boys hanging out there for hours without once complaining of boredom!
Recommended store, site, product or resource?
The jungle gym was purchased at Target. Most of the other materials were purchased at our local Lowes.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I love the treehouse! We are thinking about pea gravel too, so it's nice to see it in use in your space. Great job!
view bedelia13's profile
do you remember the name of the green jungle gym? trying to find something similar.
view aneelee's profile
Love it!
view Keri Kolumbus's profile
Thanks for the kind comments! We bought the gym at Target - I believe it was part of the Play Wonder line, but I haven't seen them in the store for the last two summers. I did see a similar one in Leaps & Bounds - hope this helps!
http://www.leapsandbounds.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=534748&parentCategoryId=85190&categoryId=85262&subCategoryId=86277
view Kate N's profile
thanks for the lead on a substitute. it really is a wonderful space! so much better than an ordinary playscape and sooooo open! i can imagine my own daughter losing herself in a space like that for hours at a time.
view aneelee's profile
we have a similar climber, and got it on amazon for just over $100. it's by a brand called "eezy peezy." we have it installed in our playroom, and my three year-old climbs on it constantly! it's so worth it.
view nayma's profile