5 Tips for Choosing The Best Swing Set – An Expert’s Guide

Swing sets come in a variety of sizes and materials. Before you make any purchase, you should read these guidelines to ensure the safety and happiness of your children.

1. Measure the Size of Your Yard

You don't know how many returns have to be made due to a swing set being too big for a backyard upon bringing it back home.

Which is why, above everything else, the first thing you should do is to MEASURE the size of your backyard!

Where do you intend to place the swing set?
Will you still have space for other activities?
Is there enough room for the dog and children to run around or ride bikes ?
Any pool expansion in the future?

These should all be considered before you get a swing set. You will thank yourself for planning this out in the future. So MEASURE!

2. Swing Set Features

The very basic features of a swing set will usually include a swing and a slide.

Swings

Slides

Monkey bar

Fort

Sandboxes

In terms of swing, there is the baby swing, the glider or half-bucket swing for babies/toddlers. For older children, there are the buoy balls, tire swings and sling swings.

Then there is the monkey bar, ropes, tunnels, tires, sand pit or even fancier - a fort. So really, the combination is pretty endless!

So, think of what your children will like. Bring them to a park or a neighbour's house to test first and see what they like. This will help you choose the right swing set that your child will like.

It is always best to look for baby and toddler features that can be converted as your child grows.

Also, it is always a good idea to get double swings so that children can swing at the same time without having to take turns!

One extra tip: tire swings are more likely to collect rainwater which may invite nesting insects such as wasps so make sure regular cleaning is done if you're getting one.

3. Materials

The most common materials found in swing sets are plastic and wood.

The formal is less expensive and there is no need to worry about splinters, wasps and constant maintenance; while the latter is environmental friendly and easy to repair.

Plastic

Wooden

If budget is a factor, plastic is your go-to choice because they are generally less expensive (but still, is very safe). Note though, you will not be able to customize as freely as you want with plastic models.

With wood, there are several types with redwood and cedar (red or yellow) being the most preferred options due to their strength and durability. Also, they are resistant to rotting and are less likely to draw insects.

Try to avoid pine wood because it tends to deteriorate quickly. In fact, some models have been recalled by manufacturers due to the rotting elements resulting to fall hazards for children. You do not want that, so don't buy if it's pine wood!

4. Product Meets Safety Standards

Generally, there are no mandatory standards that manufacturers must follow.

It is therefore your responsibility as parents to safeguard your children against poorly made swing sets. Here are what you should look out for:

Make sure there is no opening less than 3.5 inches or greater than 9 inches (prevent head entrapment)
No metal slides. This can cause a burning sensation on children's skin if the weather is hot and there may be cutting hazard near the sharp edges
Make sure there is no swing hanging from monkey bars (prevent entanglement)
Check that there is no moving parts that may pinch or crush fingers (usually toddler gliders or swings with removable trays)

5. Read Reviews

Do your homework.

We cannot stress enough how important it is that you read as many customer reviews as you can before you buy any product.

You will be able to find out more by reading about other's people real-life experience, what they like, what they don't, what are they complaining about etc.

There are tons of reviews about swing sets just a simple click away on the Internet, for instance, you may want to start with this one first!

Swing sets are not the only entertainment unit you can provide for your child.

There are many other outdoor activities that you can encourage your little one to participate in - not only are they fun, they also help develop your child's reflective and athletic motor skills too!

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Best Baby Crib Mattress – An All-You-Need-To-Know Guide

Do you know that a baby spends more than 16 hours a day sleeping?

Yes, a baby crib is essentially where your baby will be spending most of his time in, especially in their first year or so.

Which is why it is so vital that you choose a safe and comfortable baby crib for your little one. But wait, that's not just that.

Rather, and perhaps what's more important, is about choosing the right baby crib mattress because hey, that will be where your baby will be lying on top of!

It may seem like it's just a simple piece of baby crib mattress, but there's actually many things to look out for. What are they? What’s the best cot mattress to buy?

Quick Navigation

What Is A Crib Mattress

Top 6 Elements To Look Out For

Do I Need To Buy A Specific Baby Crib Mattress

Can I Get A Second-Hand Crib Mattress?

What Is A Crib Mattress

First of all, what is a crib mattress?

There's no rocket science behind this. A crib mattress is exactly just that - a mini mattress that is designed to fit snugly inside your baby crib.

But there's exactly where the difficulty lies - how do you determine what is a "snug fit"?

You see (and you will be shocked by this), there are actually many cases that link SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) to crib mattresses. And many of that, is related to the question of "fit" as well as 5 other elements as follows.

Top 6 Elements To Look Out For

The picture below is a good summary of the important features to look at. Of course, we will break it down for you below.

Size

A crib mattress needs to fit comfortably and just right in the crib.

"It cannot be too big to the point you need to squish it in, nor can it be too small."

You see, most crib mattresses are designed to be slightly smaller than the standard crib dimensions. This is so that it doesn't have to be squished into most cribs in the market.

They will not be too small either, because that will post a real safety hazard. Baby may get trap in the extra space and suffocate - one of the most common SIDS cause.

To get the best fit, a good rule of thumb is to check if you can fit two fingers of space between the side of the mattress and the crib frame.

If there’s more space than that, it means that your mattress is too small and this automatically raises the risk of suffocation and entrapment hazard.

Another easy way to ensure a good fit is to check whether the labelled size adheres to the standard legal size regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA).

That is, at least 27 1/4 x 51 1/4 inches and no more than 6 inches thick.

Most crib mattresses will be the right fit if anything today, but to be on the safe side, we recommend you to first measure the inside dimensions of your crib first before choosing the crib mattress to ensure it meets standards.

Firmness

Next is to look at the firmness of the mattress.

"The firmer, the better" is the philosophy we believe in when it comes to choosing the best crib mattress for baby.

As the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development recommends:

"Use a firm and flat sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib."

This is because a soft sleeping surface can also be a suffocation hazard and raise the risk of SIDS. How so, you may ask?

You see, if a mattress is not firm enough, the soft surface can actually conform to the shape of your baby’s head or face.

You can think of it this way - your baby's head/face will 'sink' into the mattress if it is too soft and since s/he is still incapable of turning himself, it increases the risk of suffocation if s/he is 'wrapped' around by a soft mattress.

So even if it may feel a tad too stiff and uncomfortable for you, know that a firm crib mattress is the best for your baby.

They need a firm, flat, even sleeping surface to maximize their development, strengthen their muscles, and ensure breathability in the crib. Babies need resistance and a firm surface to push up, turn and eventually stand up on.

Material

Generally, there are two types of materials that go into crib mattresses – foam or innerspring.

One is not necessarily better than the others, rather, it is more about choosing a top quality one in whichever type you decide to go for.

At a glance, here are the differences between the two:

FOAM	INNERSPRING

More affordable Lighter	Pricier Heavier
More popular because cheaper and lighter	Generally, the same type of mattress as the one you use yourself
Things to note: Some low-cost foam mattresses use cheap packing foam that will deteriorate over time - avoid these. The heavier a mattress is, the more dense and firmer it is. Press it down to see how far it goes. A good foam mattress shouldn't let you press too much into it.	Things to note: Choose around 135-150 coils and a gauge of 15.5 or lower (it is not about having the more coils, the better it is). Check if it comes with border rods (prevent sagging when babies go near the edge). These are rods that surround the perimeter of the mattress, both on the top and bottom.

As mentioned above, a high quality foam mattress is as good as a top quality innerspring mattress so there is no reason of choosing one over the other.

Our top rated mattress is a foam mattress and we think it serves its purpose well. It is an Amazon's Choice and is one of the most popular crib mattresses in the market.

Also, know that there is always the option of going organic if you wish to go 100% natural.

Waterproof and Machine-washable

The best baby bed mattress should be waterproof and has a machine-washable cover.

Trust us, you will want one that is as easy to clean as possible because let's face it - you can't avoid the accidental leaks/spills from your baby.

A waterproof mattress cover will ensure these irritants do not seep into the mattress itself, thus preventing bacteria and other nasty stuffs from manifesting in your baby's sleeping environment.

In terms of machine-washability, that's a no-brainer. Anything to save you the cleaning effort, isn't it?

Hypoallergenic & Flammability

For obvious reasons, you will want a hypoallergenic baby crib mattress that is free of any flame retardants.

We're talking about flame irritants like polyurethane foam or questionable materials such as vinyl, PVC, phthalates, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), formaldehyde, and more.

A simple, fool-proof tip to ensure you get a safe, non-toxic and chemical free baby crib mattress is to see if it there is the CertiPUR-US foam label.

CertiPUR-US certified foams are:

Made without ozone deplenters
Made without PDEs, TDCPP or TCEP ("Tris") flame retardants
Made without mercury, lead and other heavy metals
Made without formaldehyde
Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)

Or, if you see the "Greenguard Gold" certification on the packaging, it means the mattress is safe and toxic/chemical free as well.

Rest assured that all these recommended crib mattresses bear either one or both of these certifications so there is no need to worry about getting an inferior product.

Cost

While the price doesn't differ much between different brands (if we may say so ourselves), it is always a good idea to set how much your budget is as this will help ease your choosing process.

There are top rated baby mattresses at different price points listed in our crib mattress review so we are sure there is definitely one that suits your budget.

Do I Need To Buy A Specific Baby Crib Mattress?

Yes, you should definitely get a baby crib mattress, mainly for safety reasons.

As mentioned above, crib mattresses have a standard size to follow, which means they will mostly fit well in most baby cribs.

If you think you can use other mattresses i.e. folding the sides to make it fit your crib, you're actually increasing the risk of suffocation (if baby’s head is caught between the folds) or risk baby’s head falling into gaps if the mattress is too small.

Either way, this is a serious safety hazard for babies and trust us, you do not want to put your baby through that.

Also, you do not know if your makeshift mattress is of the right firmness. Should it be otherwise, the results can be very dire for reasons mentioned above.

So yes, our very firm (pun unintended) answer to this question is that you should only buy a mattress specifically designed for infant/crib as mattresses designed for older children/adults may not be suitable or safe.

Can I Get A Second-Hand Crib Mattress?

ALWAYS, and we cannot stress enough, ALWAYS buy a new baby crib mattress.

NEVER buy used or accept hand-me-down mattress, or any other baby products in fact as there have been studies that found the use of old crib mattresses links to an increased risk of SIDS.

Apart from this, we also do not recommend using an old mattress for the following reasons:

Non-hygienic. You just never know how an old baby mattress is maintained by its previous owner.
- Poop and pee are common occurrences on a crib mattress, so if one is not cleaned and maintained well, such germs will remain inside the mattress.
- Trust us, you do not want to put your baby in such an environment.
Dust-mite / bedbugs. As with the point above, you will not know if dust mites or worse, bed bugs exist in an old, used crib mattress.
- You also risk infecting your other furniture with these nasty bugs.
Safety hazard. An old crib mattress will more or less lose its life as it has been used before.
- It will not be as firm as a brand new mattress and you may not know if it has became too soft that it now poses a safety hazard to your baby.

It is simply not worth it to put your baby through the risks of using an old hand-me-down mattress from someone else.

On the other hand, if you have a well maintained, well-cleaned crib mattress from your firstborn which you now wish to use for your second child, you can certainly do so - at least you know it has been on good hands and is well preserved.