How Far Apart Should Swings Be on a Swing Set? Optimal Spacing for Safety

Swinging is a great exercise for kids. It also helps improve kids’ developmental skills, creativity, and imagination. 

Many people made friends from playing at the swing set, but safety always comes first if you’re considering setting up a swing set in your backyard. So, how far apart should swings be on a swing set? Keep reading to find the answer to this question. 

How Far Apart Should Swings Be on a Swing Set?

A backyard playground is anexcellent option for your kid, as it can help develop their mental, physical, and creative skills while engaging in long hours of outdoor fun. As a parent, kids’ safety should always be your first concern, so you must ensure that the swings are adequately set up to eliminate the risk of injury. 

So, if you’re setting up the swing set by yourself, you must have asked yourself how far you should space swings during installation. 

Think of Your Backyard

Before you buy a swing set, think of its size compared to the total backyard. A big swing set might look attractive, but it might not fit, and you might not be able to install it properly. 

Spacing Swing Seats 

Ideally, swing seats should be set about 24 inches apart and at least 30 inches apart from the swing set’s support legs. But you might not have that much space available in your backyard. 

In this case, you should install the swings at least 12 to 16 inches apart. This applies to different types of swings like bucket swings and belt swings. 

For toddlers’ swings, you can go down to eight inches. However, the swing seats should never be closer to eliminate the risk of collision. 

Safe Installation

In addition to placing the swing seats, you need to think of how far the swing set is from the rest of the structures in the backyard, including trees and buildings. You should also think about its height. 

How far the seats are off the ground depends on the age of your kids. Toddlers’ swings are usually set up high because sometimes their parents sit with them and enjoy the fun. If the swings are made for preschoolers, they’re usually about 12 inches high. 

The swings should be set higher up as kids get older and taller. They should be set up 16 inches high for younger children and at least 24 inches for older kids. 

Ground Clearance

You should have enough clearance around the swing set for maximum safety. This is crucial, especially if you want to secure your swing set to prevent it from swaying. 

Measure the set’s height and double this number. This is how far this set should be from all the other structures in your backyard. If there’s no space, your swing set should be at least six feet away from all the other structures. 

Wrap Up

While installing a swing set, you should ensure the swings are placed at least 12 to 16 inches apart. However, setting them 24 inches apart is recommended if there’s enough space. 

You should also consider how far the swing set is from all the other structures in the backyard and how far the swings are from the ground.