The Best Outdoor Playsets of 2024

Made of cedar, with powder-coated steel brackets, the Mount McKinley from Backyard Discovery is sure to look good in anyone’s yard. This thing is a solid adventure center that features a full-width, double rock wall with a climbing rope and a rope ladder that leads to a large open-air fort with a steering wheel and play telescope, to adequately defend your fortress from any unwelcome pirates.

Watch your kids make their quick exit through the eight-foot-long slide (with extra high rails to ensure safety) and swing high on one of the two swings or the trapeze bar. You may need some extra tools in order to put this playset together, but the cedar is soft, so you’ll want to take time to read the directions through, so as not to damage anything with high-powered tools.

Anchors are included, and should be used to make sure your outdoor play area is secure for proper safety. While we wouldn’t recommend doing this project alone—that’ll take a long time—it is entirely possible.

A good price for a solid outdoor playset, the Mount McKinley is recommended to accommodate children from three to 10 years old. Users report minimal wear and tear, even after years of rain, sleet, and snow, and people like that overall this playset is pretty compact in relation to others available.

The 700-pound Lifetime A-Frame Adventure Playset is a beast. This metal swing set features a clubhouse with hardtop roof, two belt swings, a trapeze bar, nine-foot slide, propeller swing, rock-climbing wall, cargo net, and activity board (with a ship’s wheel and binoculars).

As with anything that sits outside for long periods of time, you’ll look for durability, and this outdoor playset has exactly that. Made of polyethylene and powder-coated steel, this outdoor playset is weather resistant, and won’t warp, crack, or splinter like wooden playsets. Rounded edges and plastic caps are included in order to prevent injury, though children will still need supervision, especially on the cut-out rock wall.

Due to the nature of this playset, there’s no need for cement or anchoring, and its durability is backed by a five-year limited manufacturer warranty. Assembly is said to be somewhat difficult, even with extra hands, so be ready for a bit of a challenge in order for your hard work to pay off.

A good alternative for pricier outdoor playsets, this pick from Fitness Reality Kids is a great all-in-one option that might even put your local park to shame. Kids of all ages are said to love this playset, and while recommended usage is from three to eight years old, reviews mention that this is a better pick for smaller children.

A built-in basketball hoop, soccer net, saucer swing, glider, and traditional swing make this a hub for all things outdoor fun, and kids are sure to find that it soon becomes their favorite multipurpose toy. This outdoor playset is lightweight without sacrificing fun or safety (it comes with stakes to protect against tipping), but when it comes to assembly it isn't the easiest, as not all the pieces come labeled.

The Swing-N-Slide Ranger is a simply designed wood swing set that won’t take up the entirety of your yard. It’s great for its affordable price point, and has the option to purchase with or without slide pieces if you decide to upgrade to the Ranger Plus.

For those looking for flexible seated swings instead of hard plastic seating, this is a good choice, and some people have even installed a toddler swing in place of the hanging bars between the swings. While there’s a slide attachment for the Ranger Plus, this is a very straightforward playset that is probably best used to supplement other activities in the yard, rather than encourage pretend play.

Reviewers say their building experience was painless and that they like the look of this cedar playset in their yard. But the low price may reflect the quality, and some reviewers mention cracking in their wood. For this reason, we wouldn’t suggest this as an outdoor playset to grow with your family but rather something for the short term.

Basic in design, the XPD Recreation All-Star Playground is a classic choice in outdoor playsets. Made of steel alloy, this lightweight outdoor playset is easy to put together and has a weight limit of 700 pounds, which is great for as many kids as your patience can handle. With a disc swing—as well as two traditional swings, a glider, and slide—this is a great kit at a really nice price point.

Due to the size of this playset, you will want to take into account the size of your backyard playground, but even still it isn’t a massive piece. And assembly is said to be even easier than expected, taking roughly two hours to get together using the instructions provided. A lot of activities for a great price, the All-Star Playground is a steal, sure to please children of any age.