Swing Sets - Climbing Frames – Prepare your garden for Spring !

Climbing Frames – Prepare your garden for Spring !

With spring on the horizon and the winter months gradually beginning to disappear now’s the time to start planning on transforming your garden back into shape. Our fantastic range of wooden climbing frames will help transform your garden into the greatest adventure setting of your child’s young life, it will also compliment and aesthetically enhance your gardens overall appearance.

Here at Selwood products we have a great selection of frames available for unbeatable prices. You can pre-order our strong, beautiful and hand –crafted frames with us now to ensure you purchase the best frame possible for you and your garden at an unbeatable price.

All our outdoor play sets display a vast range of features, which make them multi –functional in various ways. Swing sets, rock walls, large play decks, rope ladders and monkey bars are just a select few which can be found on our play sets.

By offering such a vast array of features we provide your children, family members and friends with the opportunity to utilize our play systems in a safe and controlled environment within their own gardens. We offer our customers a select range of frames for all garden layout sizes and our expert advisers our on hand to provide valuable knowledge and advice when it comes to climbing frames and play set queries.

So as we prepare to leave the winter months behind us and look forward to the ‘better’ weather, now is the time to purchase one of our great frames and take advantage of the offers we have available here at Selwood products as we enter the spring season .

To view the fantastic range of climbing frames, swing sets and accessories we have available, please follow the link below:

http://www.selwoodproducts.com/climbing-frames/

 

 

Wooden Climbing Frames – Why are they great ?

Wooden climbing frames are now regarded as one of the best forms of current outdoor play sets available to purchase. The vast amounts of positive traits they display as a frame have made them a great alternative to your standard plastic and metal frames , for a very similar range of price .

One main advantage wooden frames portray over both plastic and metal play sets , is the fact the wooden counterparts are a lot more bigger and in general more fun to play on for the kids. All our frames here at Selwood Products are manufactured using high quality wood known as  ‘Chinese Cedar’ .Cedar Wood is renowned world-wide for its unique weather-resistant properties.  Its a very lightweight and dimensionally stable wood that lies flat and stays straight. This means it resists the natural tendency to crack and split, as you might find in many other wood species . The wood fibers contain oils that act as natural preservatives to help resist rot and decay , which for climbing frames makes it the most sought after wood to use . Metal climbing frames in particular over time will become weathered and begin to rust affecting the appearance , safety and overall function of your play set .  A common problem factor that’s associated with plastic frames is the tendency for cracks/splits to form in particular parts . This not only weakens the specific part of the set but can also become a safety hazard to your children .

Another positive trait wooden frames pose over both metal and plastic alternatives is there ability to blend in with the outdoor scenery and peoples gardens . Many plastic based play sets are very bold in various colors and tend to stick out when placed amongst the green surroundings of most gardens . Metal frames on the other hand hold a very basic , structured appearance , often using multiple metal bars to construct a frame design . Wooden Frames are much more aesthetically pleasing on the eye and throughout our vast range of wooden play sets , features such as large play decks, wooden roofs and hand crafted dorma’s all add to our sets striking appearance. All are frames are multi – functional and consist of varied features and accessories from the likes of swing sets , monkey bars , rock walls , rope ladders and slide to name a select few .

All our frames are constructed from pre- cut cedar wood, fully coated in stain and pre – drilled to assist with the assembly of the product. A ten year warranty is also combined with the purchase of all of our frames . 

Each play systems comes Pre-Boxed (with all wood, metal hardware & plastic accessories), including an Illustrated Owner’s Manual . With unbeatable prices guaranteed you can rest assured that buying direct from Selwood Products you’ll get the best products at the best prices.

To view are fantastic range of frames and offers we currently have on display , please follow the link below !

http://climbingframes.selwoodproducts.com/

 

 

 

Climbing Frames – Benefits of Outdoor Play Equipment

Climbing Frames make for great outdoor play equipment for children for a variety of factors. Nowadays climbing frames offer so many features and accessories for children to explore all connected into one frame.  For instance here at Selwood Products we offer an array of climbing frames portraying a vast range of exciting and quality features. These include Swing sets , Slides , Rock walls , Large play decks , Gliders , Playhouse Packages ,Picnic Tables , Monkey bars , Rope ladders and Fireman’s poles to name a few .

Sandpoint Deluxe Climbing Frame

To purchase all these features and accessories  individually would  be very expensive than compared to buying them as one complete play set . By offering such an extensive and exciting range of features with our frames , we supply children with the opportunity to get the most out of there outdoor play time !

 

The rise of the gaming console and media devices available to young children these days has contributed to the bleak statistics of creating a generation of inactive children . Factors such as this contributed with an unhealthy diet can lead to seeing young children developing health problems such as obesity and diabetes from an early age . 

To help counteract this rising problem , children need to be offered and assisted with regular forms of exercise/physical activity from an early age . Climbing frames /outdoor play sets offer children a great form of  physical activity and regular exercise within there own gardens . Not only do they provide children with a great source of active play , socially they help them interact with there friends and others . At Selwood Products we believe by offering such a wide range of climbing frames and features to suit the needs of all garden sizes , we can supply children with the positive stimulation needed to get the most enjoyment possible out of there play set .

 

To view are fantastic range of frames and offers we currently have on display , please follow the link below !

http://climbingframes.selwoodproducts.com/

 

 

Happy New Year!!!

New Year’s Resolutions; why do we make them and what are yours for 2013?

According to Wikipedia, a New Year’s resolution is a commitment that we make to one or more personal goals, projects or the reforming of a habit. It is made in anticipation of the New Year and new beginnings. We all know the most common ones; spend more time with family and friends, be more active, eat healthy, cut back on drinking and smoking, lose weight etc etc. Have you and your family sat around finishing off the chocolates and mince pies and making your long lists? Can you promise to stick to them all?

Why not make one or two achievable goals for your new year’s resolutions? Stick to sensible achievements and ones you can do with a friend or a family member. If you want to exercise more and get fitter then strike up an exercise plan with a friend; aim to go for walks or runs a couple of times a week. Regular exercise has been associated with many health benefits.
Quit smoking with another smoker, diet with someone else who wants to lose weight and cut back on drinking with a pal who feels the same as you about it, that way you can support each other when you feel a little wobble coming on. How about spending more time with your family and doing more with the children?

Here at Selwood Products we have a great idea for spending more time with your children and your family; purchase a climbing frame! We have a super sale on at the moment with popular products such as the Burghley climbing frame reduced to an amazing £488 – saving you over £550 or the Westbury climbing frame now reduced to only £678 – saving you over £350!

Purchasing a climbing frame helps with your child’s physical and mental development as well as improving their motor skills. It builds confidence and both creative and physical play. We all know how important it is to spend time with our children; it builds and strengthens your parent/child relationship, reinforcing respect and discipline along the way. By having a climbing frame in your back garden for your little ones to play on you can monitor safe play as well as get involved in their games! Quality time in your own back garden – perfect!

Take a look at our super winter sale and see for yourselves that quality play time in 2013 doesn’t have to cost the earth! Happy New Year everyone and remember if you are making a resolution – make it one you can keep!!

How was your Christmas?

So how was your Christmas? Are you now feeling the pinch both in your wallet and around your waistline?! Most of us would agree that we eat and drink far too much over the festive period and that we really should cut back for the New Year! Given that your standard plateful of Christmas dinner can contain up to 3500 calories, it is not surprising that we feel a little full after eating it! That doesn’t include all the yummy buffet food on Boxing Day, the tins of chocolates from family members and bottles of wine from friends and neighbours! Don’t forget that if the children have eaten their own body weight in selection boxes, they too are feeling a bit lethargic and full! Excess food and drink can leave us all feeling more than a little bloated to say the least!

After all our indulgences over the festive period we tend turn to diet plans and quick fix weight loss options. Gym and health club membership tends to increase by up to 25% in January with people kick starting a healthy lifestyle! In light of this we are seeing in the news this week that Ministers do not want magazines to promote ‘irresponsible post Christmas weight loss’. They are concerned that thousands of people rely heavily on these fad diets and ditch their healthy eating ways and go on a crash diet to lose the pounds they gained over Christmas. This can apply to our children as well. We introduce a crash diet for them of vegetables and fruit worrying they did not get enough over the holidays!

Most experts agree that a combination of healthy eating and healthy living provides the best balance for life. Exercise and an active lifestyle combined with healthy eating and treating yourself in moderation is the key. It is just a case of balancing it all out!

This is where Selwood Products can help with your New Year plans and promises! Climbing frames, swing sets and garden toys to get the children out in the garden and enjoying active play. Fresh air, physical play and burning off those Christmas calories are all great bonuses. Plus less time indoors watching television and munching on snacks! With sale items such as the Andorra and the Ashcroft now massively reduced in price, take advantage of our fantastic offers and help get your family active for the New Year!

Winter Sale!

Let’s be honest, as much as we all love Christmas (and come on admit it you big kid you still do!) it does mean we have to pinch the pennies and watch our spending a little bit more! We are living in difficult times financially and we are all much more conscious of our spending habits! With websites such as MoneySavingExpert.com advising us of the best purchases around, seasonal sales and cash back schemes we should all be on top of our finances, leaving our bank managers proud as punch! In all honesty though we can all agree that purchasing fantastic presents for the children and other loved ones at Christmas time can leave you a little short. With so much on offer in the shops and online we end up spending more than we had budgeted for. That is why taking advantage of sales and seasonal discounts can really help at this time of year.

Selwood Products are launching a massive winter sale with huge discounts across the range. Just because winter is upon us, doesn’t mean that you have to stay wrapped up indoors – you can still venture outside and play! The great range of outdoor toys and climbing frames that Selwood Products have on offer, mean there is plenty to choose from! With our winter discounts you won’t be disappointed and there will still be change in your purse!

Our ever popular Andorra climbing frame is discounted to £279.00 – that’s a massive saving of over £200, and with free delivery it is such a great offer. For those of you with a little more space why not check out the fantastic reductions on the Belton Climbing Frame; was £1,220 – now reduced to £659, saving you £561, and with free delivery too!!

If you need to add some accessories on to your climbing frame then you will be pleased to know that the Selwood baby bucket and the Selwood glider are also discounted. These can be added to your order by the click of a button! With free delivery across the range, these offers are sure to put a smile on your face and keep your wallet happy!

Here at Selwood Products we understand that a climbing frame is a considered purchase and something that you want to last for years to come. You want to be able to purchase from a manufacturer you can trust and all our climbing frames are designed and tested to both EN-71 and ASTM safety standards. Our superb range of wooden climbing frames come with a ten year warranty and are manufactured from high quality cedar wood which is soft to the touch and rarely cracks or splinters, making it ideal for play.

All our sets come pre-boxed and have an illustrated manual enclosed to ease construction. You can rest assured that buying from Selwood Products means buying the best products at the best prices, more so now with our fantastic range of discounts across the climbing frames range!

Keeping the children entertained over the Christmas holidays!

With the Christmas holidays nearly upon us, what can we do to make sure the children stay entertained whilst at home? We know they will have fun playing with their presents but we also know that this won’t last long! Think ahead and prepare yourself with a range of activities bound to keep the little ones entertained during the school holidays.

Brilliant Baking - Get them in the kitchen with you and spend time baking together. Children love to create sweet treats to eat and we have found a great recipe from the Mail Online’s food & drink section for ‘Festive Fairy Cakes’ – yummy little treats flavoured with warming wintery cinnamon and zesty orange! Why not try gingerbread or shortbread and use Christmas cutters to make seasonal shaped treats?

Dabble in some dough – For the younger children why not make your own play dough. Use green and red colouring to give it a more festive appearance. It’s so simple; here is Selwood’s recipe;
150g plain white flour
300ml warm water
Few drops red or green food colouring
75g salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2tsp cream of tartar

Place all ingredients into a saucepan and heat over a medium heat, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken and form a ball of dough. Remove from the saucepan and allow to cool. Knead well. If the mixture is too sticky add some flour, or if it is too dry add some water. When cold store in an airtight container, in a cool dry place.

Get Crafty – Dig out the paper, sticky tape and colouring pens and get creative with Christmas crafts. Why not make some Christmas masks; visit www.freefunfings.com and download some great masks to colour in and wear. Why not use up old scraps of wrapping paper and make paper chains for the children to hang in their bedrooms. They will love mixing and matching colours and seeing how far they can stretch the chains across their bedroom ceilings!

A bit of sofa time – Chilling out on the sofa watching a film and tucking into popcorn can be a great way to spend time together as a family. Don’t worry about the children watching the television every now and then. If all of you sit down to share in watching a great family film it can bring you together and give you the chance to laugh and chat together afterwards. Popcorn always goes down a treat and gives a real cinema feel!

Festive play with friends – Holiday time is ideal for inviting your children’s friends round to play. A more relaxed pace of life and time to catch up with each other makes for great play sessions! A new face can be a breath of fresh air and it will give the children something to look forward to and maybe even a great reason to tidy up their toys!

Parlour game giggles – why not take a step back in time and play parlour games such as charades, the name game or blind man’s buff. These games are a great way for the family to get together and have a laugh and a giggle. Traditionally played by the Victorian’s at Christmas time, they were a popular form of entertainment and were always part of the Christmas festivities.

It’s all about having fun at Christmas time and keeping the children entertained after the initial excitement of opening presents has passed. Activities together as a family are a great way to enjoy the holiday period. If the children received money for Christmas then why not sit down with them and talk about what they would like to spend their money on; days out, games or garden toys are super ideas. A great investment could be a swingset or trampoline for the garden. We have a great range available at selwoodproducts.com and all come with free delivery!

Are you ready for Christmas?

It’s the start of December, one of the busiest months of the year and preparations should be well under way by now for a stress free Christmas and New Year! You should have ordered the turkey, written your Christmas cards, decided where to put the all important tree and have made up your mind on what presents to buy the family. Sound familiar? No. Then don’t panic, you are not in the minority. Most of us leave things until the last minute these days. Pressures of work combined with end of term activities for the children, plus keeping the housework up to date can all be to blame. People are increasingly leaving their Christmas shopping right until the last minute with some even using Christmas Eve as their only designated shopping time. Of course this can result in huge disappointment for those shoppers as the shelves are undoubtedly empty with products out of stock.

So who is the biggest culprit here; men or women? Well typically men are the main offenders with nearly a fifth of them admitting to leaving their shopping until the last minute. Women tend to be more organised although let’s not pretend that us women don’t dash out on Christmas Eve in a mad panic because we have managed to forget one vital item for the festivities! It is a well know fact that avoiding the crowds of shoppers and the last minute rush in the week before Christmas can mean your shopping days are more relaxing and your general approach to Christmas is calm and collected rather than fast and furious! So make a start now at the beginning of the month, plan ahead and finish off those lists. Book some days in your diary and have a set list for each day. Stick to it and keep to a budget. Last minute dashes to the shops can mean over spending and blowing your budget. Christmas can be an expensive time but by being organised and shopping in advance you can keep an eye on the pennies and stay within your budget.

Take advantage of pre Christmas offers, discounts and deals. These can save you time and money. One of the best ways to control your spending and to be organised is to shop online. Not only do you avoid the crowds of frustrated shoppers but also the temptation to spend over budget. We offer a fantastic range of climbing frames, swing sets and garden toys for children aged 3 upwards. So if you are still thinking of what to buy the children this year then look no further than Selwood Products. Beat the Christmas rush, shop and pay securely online and be super organised all in one go! Not only will you be giving the children a fantastic present that can be used all year round and provide hours of active outdoor play but you can also give yourself a pat on the back and look forward to an organised relaxing Christmas!

Which Christmas tree is best for me?

December is finally here and for most of us, Christmas preparations begin with our purchase of the all important tree! How do you know if you are buying the right tree? What varieties should we be looking at and how important is cost? Have a look at Selwood’s ‘Top Tree Tips’ for selecting the best tree for you and your family this year.

Artificial trees are still very popular with fibre optic varieties and various colours available. They come in different heights and widths and you can always guarantee their needles will never fall! Bear in mind though, if a design is popular now it may not be in a few years time! Real trees are great; they have a wonderful fragrance and are really authentic. They are hugely popular nowadays and as long as you follow a few simple tips to look after your tree, it will last over the Christmas period and be a great feature in your house.

Always choose a tree with shiny needles that are a good fresh green colour. The most popular tree in the UK is the Nordman Fir. It has a great fragrance with soft needles that cling well to its branches. It tends to be bushier than other varieties and will stay looking fresh even after being indoors for a good few days! Another popular variety is the Lodgepole Pine. It has good firm branches with needles that hold well. Both varieties of tree will last much longer if they are watered. Treat your Christmas tree like a flower; water it well and do not place in front of a direct heat source. One variety we would recommend to avoid is Spruces. Even though they are more reasonably priced which makes them attractive, they lose their spiky needles quickly, even when watered and do not have much of a fragrance. Bear in mind that you will have enough to keep busy with over the festive period without having to spend time clearing up fallen needles!

Once you have chosen the right tree, transport it home and let it stand in a small amount of water for a day or so before you put it up indoors. This will also give you a chance to work out where to place the tree in the house. Avoid hot or warm areas such as next to a radiator or in front of a fireplace. It is lovely for passers by to see a tree in the window, lit up and twinkling in the dark. If not in the window then perhaps in the corner of the room to help to save space. You may need to move your furniture around, but make sure you do not place your tree in the way of where people walk. Remember you will need access to top up the water reservoir regularly so bear this in mind as well.

A round and bushy tree in the room adorned with decorations and lights looks fantastic and really sets the scene for the festive period. But with such a large tree you can often run out of space for all the presents! Gifts spill out into the hallway, leaving a trail of wrapping paper to the front door and back! So our ‘top tip’ for avoiding this??? Look online for Selwood Products and purchase a fantastic climbing frame or swingset from our range! Delight your little ones when they peak outside on Christmas morning with a fantastic gift that lasts all year round. Have it built ready for the big day and you can be sure that underneath your tree stays clutter free!

Wrap up warm for outdoor play!

Don’t miss the opportunity to let your children play outside just because the temperature has dropped or the first snowflakes of winter have started to fall! Encourage their adventurous spirit whatever the weather, but make sure your little ones are wrapped up warm. They will have great fun playing on their climbing frames or with their garden toys, even in winter time!

Here are Selwood Products ‘Top Ten Tips’ for keeping the children warm while outside this winter!

1. Fuel their play – Give them a hearty breakfast, lunch or snack before they venture outside. If it’s early morning play then porridge and warm milk are great for filling their tummies! At lunchtime, soup or pasta is a super start to the afternoon. If they need a quick fix snack for late afternoon play then why not try toast or crumpets!

2. Wrap them up warm – It’s an old saying but a true one! Vests, leggings or tights under trousers, thick socks, gloves or mittens, scarves and hats are a must. Coats should cover the hip area and always make sure that the waist and midriff area are kept covered. Layer their clothing so heat can stay trapped between the layers and always tuck vests or t-shirts in rather than leave them hanging over the top.

3. Don’t lose your head! – We lose more heat out of our heads than any other part of our body. So keep a hat on your little ones at all times when they are playing outdoors during the winter. Thermal, fleece or knitted – it doesn’t matter as long they are covered up. Cover ears too; how about a traditional deer stalker hat with fold down ear flaps or even ear muffs. They can come in a variety of bright colours attractive to children!

4. Keep it watertight – Waterproof footwear is hugely important. Wellies and thermal socks make a great combo. Snow boots are brilliant as they keep feet toasty warm whilst remaining waterproof and often have draw string tops to keep feet nice and dry.

5. Hot little hands
– Keeping little hands warm doesn’t just mean gloves or mittens. There are some great products on the market nowadays; like hot hands hand warmers by Heatmax. Simply click them to start them heating up and then they last for up to 10 hours!

6. Luscious lips and rosy noses! – Use petroleum jelly to prevent wind and cold chapped lips. Spread a little at the end of your child’s nose and on their top lip to prevent runny noses from causing chapped skin.

7. Sunscreen isn’t just for summer – Apply sunscreen to your child’s face. Snow can reflect up to 80% of UV rays and it will help to keep skin moisturised and prevent drying out in harsh cold windy conditions.

8. Got it in one! – Why not pop your child in an all in one snow suit or overall. Most outdoor adventure shops have great outfits for children – not just for those on the slopes! An all in one means they can keep zipped up warm and toasty from the cold and still enjoy their active outdoor play.

9. Super snacks – All that climbing and playing on the swings makes for hungry children! Super snack ideas when they come in from the garden include; hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, toast with chocolate spread or hot banana custard. Yum!!!

10. Let them be children! - as long as you have taken care to protect them from the elements and made sure they are full of energy for winter garden play, you can relax knowing they will have just as much fun out there as they would on a summers day!