When thinking about swings, it is common to think about outside baby swings with the plastic or wooden seats and the metal or rope chains hanging above from the swing set structure.
These swing back and forth and the objective is to go as high as possible. While these traditional swings are fun, there are also many variations of this particular piece of playground equipment that add even more excitement to the childhood pastime of swinging.
Anybody can make these swings with materials at home and therefore are not limited to just playgrounds in order to play. These include rope swings and tire swings.
The rope swing is probably most famous because of Tarzan. He uses a vine to swing through the jungle in order to get from one place to another. When a person ties a rope to a high branch and swings through the air high above the ground, it is hard not to think of this famous character and pretend to be just like him. Usually, a person feels the need to scream out just like Tarzan does when he swings through the jungle.
However, rope swings are probably most popular when they are found near a body of water such as a lake or pond. There is just something exciting about grabbing a hold of the rope that is on a tree at a point higher than the water, swinging out over the lake, and then letting go in order to fall into the deep water.
Another popular classic swing would be the tire swing. The tire swing is basically trash and yet it is a popular form of entertainment for kids and even adults! Anyone can have a tire swing too. All it takes is a tire, a rope, and a thick branch that can support someone’s weight. It is best if the tire is hanging vertically, just like the tire would be found if it were on a car instead of a rope. With multiple ropes or chains, the tire can be hung horizontally.
It is more fun to have the swing vertical though because there are so much more unique things a person can do. A person can sit in the middle and swing traditionally while doing their best to pump the legs. A child can lay on their stomach in the middle of the tire if they find that comfortable.
Or, someone can sit on the top of the tire with the rope between the legs in order to swing haphazardly in all directions. It is amazing that so much enjoyment can come from some garbage!
Then there are special needs swings for people with special needs. Those swings have often carry much more weight, as people will grow physically but not mentally. There are also swings for whole wheelchairs, which is very nice :).
Falling into a lake or swinging in multiple directions is not possible on regular playground swings. In order to experience these forms of swinging, different swings are necessary. The rope swing and the tire swing are just random materials that make for great amusement. Anybody can make these particular swings in order to expand on moves that are not possible on the traditional swings. And just like with the regular swing set, they will be just as fun!