Review of the Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber & Swing Set Extension
As of this writing, there were 116 customer comments and 61 answered questions for the Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber & Swing Set Extension. I’ve read the customer feedback, and then condensed the results into this review. I hope that this helps you when shopping for a swing set.
Best Fea​tures
- check
- check
- check
- check
- check
Item Specifics
The Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber & Swing Set Extension has lots of features. This swing set has a roomy deck with balcony railing. The 5 1/2 foot slide allows young kids to have fun and use their imaginations. It has a secret playhouse, as well as craw-through portals. There is a swing extension that has two strap swings, also called belt swings. The playset also has a climbing ladder, which allows children to climb up onto the deck. The purpose of the Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber is to transform your backyard into a playground. This playset can hold lots of children at once. The Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber & Swing Set Extension is made in the USA.
About the Company
Step2 is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys, and the world’s largest rotational molder of plastics. Their goal is to make toys that have children use their imaginations. They also desire to bring families together with their toys. Step2 sells many different products, including kids toys, kids furniture, and even items for adults, such as stools, mailboxes, and benches. To find out more about their products, visit their website at www.step2.com.
No Need to Deal with Wood Issues
Wood is nice, I believe and it would be my top choice for a swing set/play set. But with that being said, there is also some advantages to not having wood to deal with. You will never have to stain it. Splinters won’t occur. You also won’t have to worry about wood cracking or rotting. So there are definitely some advantages to a play set not made of wood. A customer had this to say about the material, ” I don’t have to worry about splinters from a wood set or rust from a metal set (like the ones I grew up with).”
Hard to Read Directions
There were a lot of comments about the directions being hard to read. Here is one of the many negative comments on ease of assembly, “The set was not difficult to put together, but it is highly recommended that two people work on setting it up. The directions are horrible, with only pictures to show. You better know how to read plans (limited version) when putting this together.”
Rural Buyers, Be Aware That Boxes Are Very Large
Being a rural resident myself, I understand the concerns with how things will be shipped. Many of us live on the end of 4 wheel dirt roads. So be aware that some people commented that a tractor trailer delivered their swingset. Here is one of those comments, “Now that set-up is complete I am very happy with this play set. That being said, when I purchased it, nowhere on the listing did it say that it would be delivered on a tractor trailer. I live in the mountains where that is absolutely not an option, so it took me several weeks of back and forth to finally get it shipped to my place of business and then had to pay someone with a trailer to take it home for me. The boxes are huge! If I had known delivery was on a tractor trailer I never would have ordered it.”
For Toddlers and Young Children Only
The Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber & Swing Set Extension is not for big kids. Here is a comment from a customer about the age range that it should be used for, “The slide is very VERY narrow. Do NOT buy this set for older kids. Older meaning beyond 5 years of age. The swings and tower may still be good but the slide will be too small.”
Another customer commented this, “We got it together finally only to find out our son was too tall to fit in the house under the platform. He is only 2 and not incredibly tall for his age. Also he barely fit down the slide.. it is very narrow. We ended up having to take it apart and return it. I don’t know how a 3 yr old would ever fit in the playhouse section.”
Possibly Dangerous Open Slates
There was a complaint about the open slates to the left of the left swing. A customer explains, “One more thing ( very important ) if you look at the swing on the left next to the playhouse, this house has open slates in it, my 2 year old granddaughter when swinging squeals and throws her arms out to the side of her, which we have had to stop her from doing because she can get her wrist caught in these slates and break her arm!!! Not much better on the other side either…so now grandpa not only has to sink it in cement but has to drill another hole up on top so that we can put her swing directly in the middle so that she can’t reach out on either side and catch her little arm. So no one else will be able to swing with her now. So not really happy with this item, but maybe with the write ups here the company will take notice and improve their product for others. Hope this has helped someone.”
Not Too Brightly Colored
Some people don’t like the bright colored swing sets. The Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber & Swing Set Extension has rustic colors that many of the customers preferred over bright colors. Here is one of those comments, “The colors look good, and are not the usual circus colors that most sets like these are. The playhouse is a good size, the deck and slide are a great size for our son, and two swings means that he can swing with a friend. He will grow into this set nicely.”
Wasp Hiding Places
This swingset has places that wasps could hide in. The last thing a child needs is a bunch of stinging insects getting her when she plays. So this is definitely something to consider or to remember to check and spray for wasps. Here is a customer comment about this, “One warning: Nooks and crannies for wasps to hide in. This would be an issue for any play structure though.”
Pros
- plus
- plus
- plus
Cons
- close
- close
- close
Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber & Swing Set Extension Conclusion
The Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber & Swing Set Extension is a small play set that is made for very young children. It is made of plastic instead of the traditional wood. There were mixed comments about the ease of assembly with many people saying that the directions were hard to understand. Be aware that this swing set will arrive in a very large box. Some people commented that it took a tractor trailer to deliver it. This isn’t your typical UPS delivery type of package. There were some concerns about safety, with the slats being too close to the swing. Some felt that a child could break his or her arms in the slats. The colors are not bright like some swing and play sets are. A lot of parents liked the rustic colors. There are some places that wasps could hide, so if you buy this swing set be aware to frequently check for wasps. Overall, the majority of comments were very positive for this swing set. It is durable and should last for a long time.
Common Questions
Here are some top questions that I found for people considering buying the Step2 Naturally Playful Playhouse Climber & Swing Set Extension.
- chevron-circle-right
- chevron-circle-right
- chevron-circle-right
Related Article: Best Swing Sets: Top 10 Reviewed and Our Favorite Option
