As the drizzles die down, it’s time to play outside again. Some parents probably enjoyed the winter. After all, if your kids are inside the house, then you know exactly where they are and what they’re up to. Other parents can’t wait to get their precious little ones out of their hair.

Whatever your position happens to be, the outdoor playground is good for kids. It teaches them cooperation and diplomacy as they learn to get along with children other than their siblings. It exercises their little limbs, boosting circulation, improving health, and helping them grow.

A modular play set is a good way to let your kids play happily and safely. It combines a wide variety of play into a single unit. Most play sets include slides, swings, rope play, climbers, and even puddles. It lets your child use different muscle groups and learn various physical skills and movements.

Just be sure to buy a set that has passed safety tests. Get it installed by a professional who will ensure it is securely implanted and can’t be toppled or uprooted. You should also check the paint levels. They should be lead-free, and they shouldn’t peel, corrode, or flake.

Play sets are usually designed for specific ages, so you may want to keep an eye on your kids as they play. In schools, classes are arranged by year, and age mates use the playground at the same time. Teachers can supervise games to makes sure bigger kids aren’t interfering with younger ones, or that the smaller ones aren’t experimenting above their grade.

For home or neighbourhood playsets, there should always be an adult around to maintain safety standards based on age. Your choice of play set will also depend on the interests of the children. Some kids like to climb; others prefer to slip and slide.

The best type of play set combines different activities. An example is the Kids Redwood Circus. The Redwood construction is environmentally friendly, and its gorgeous natural colouring makes kids feel like they’re playing in a tropical jungle.

The play set has 3 swings which hold kids a little over 50kg in weight. The organic redwood construction means you don’t have to worry about toxic paints and chemicals. Aside from the swings, the playset has a tree-house-style play zone that can be accessed by ladder or by scaling the studded climbing the wall. There’s a climbing rope that holds just over 100kg.

The play house is surrounded by a sand box base. You can fill it with sand or rubber turf, depending on your preferences. In keeping with the nature-based colour scheme, the playset has a bright green slide padded for extra safety.

If you’d prefer a little more metal in your playset, you could go for the Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure set. The primary colours on this steel play set stimulate energy, and the play options are ideal for aspiring gymnasts.

The playset has three swings and a wavy slide for the speed lovers. Kids who prefer ‘strength training’ can elongate their limbs using the gym rings on the trapeze bar. Or they could twirl up and down the fireman’s pole, playing with their balance and core.

While this playset seems to imitate professional callisthenics, it lets the kids have fun even as they limber up. The colours are all lead-free, and the steel is both galvanised and powder coated for extra strength and safety. The paint contains UV protection, and if you’d prefer the playset colouring to be more subtle, you can buy it in green and brown.

If you’d rather support local manufacturers, you could go for a Premium Playset. It’s designed, built, and installed right here in Australia, and is made with cypress poles and soft-touch metal decks. There are three available colour schemes: primary colours, refined blue and orange, or heritage grey and green.

There are multiple models available, but they all include combined play options of slides, rope, climbing walls, and rope netting. They don’t have inbuilt swings, but the manufacturer can customise a play set to suit your specifications.

Whichever modular play set you select for your children, remember that while you want them to be safe, you also want them to be brave. Encourage them to exert their bodies as they play, trying out new parts of the play set, and negotiating their wide world of friends.