How to Build an Indoor Playground

What child doesn’t dream a couple of playground of their very own. In our case, I fully underestimated the use our younger children would get out of a playground in our yard.

We purchased our yard playground used when our youngsters have been simply 1 and 4, and I truthfully thought they wouldn’t use it.

So, when it got here time to determine what present we’d make them final Christmas, an indoor playground appeared logical. Our basement was giant and underutilized and every vacation season we get away the instruments and customized make our youngsters’s foremost Christmas present. You can learn all about this custom and see all of our previous items together with how-to directions in our Hand-Made Holiday Gift Tradition article.

This article focuses on how we made our youngsters a full-on playground in our basement full with swings, monkey bars, a loft play space, a clubhouse and a slide.

Read all about this easy storefront undertaking created from an affordable bookshelf, PVC piping, and a blanket right here.

Before taking up this undertaking I wanted to ensure I had sufficient room. I might recommend you begin there as nicely. As our youngsters have been getting older, they have been getting much less use of out of their storefront play area, which was a present from just a few years again. We opted to construct the playground on this area.

In our case we had loads of room, however I used to be involved in regards to the ceiling top. I checked my ceiling top to ensure the slide I needed would match with sufficient clearance for the children (and adults) to slide safely and comfortably. Once I knew I might match what I envisioned, I ran the numbers to ensure the undertaking was not too costly.

The Budget

I estimate that I spent about $413 on the whole playground. I saved just a few hundred {dollars} discovering a used slide, however aside from that these prices ought to be correct. Here’s how I spent the cash:

Loft construction, railing, ladder and monkey bars body: ($153)

• 4×8 sheet of plywood (for loft platform) – $50
• (2) 4″x4″x8′ posts (used as help for loft) – Normally $25, however I obtained mine free from a good friend
• (12) 2″x4″x8′ boards @$3.50/board – $42
• (10) 2″x3″x8′ boards @2.50/board – $25
• (2) 2″x4″x12′ boards for monkey bars – $16
• Wood screws and some giant bolts for swing mount – $20

Playground Equipment: ($180)

Drop ceiling substitute and tray ceiling building: ($80)

• (2) 4×8 sheets of Drywall (for areas the place drop ceiling was eliminated) – $18
• (1) 2″x8″x10′ board (for facet of drop ceiling that’s now uncovered due to tray ceiling – $12
• (3) trim boards for round new tray ceiling – $15
• Drywall screws, thinset, joint tape, caulk, and ceiling paint $35

Project Outline

The first step was clearing out the area. I then decided the best orientation for the loft. I stored the 4×8 sheet of plywood full sized to maximize the loft dimension.

I didn’t reduce the plywood sheet to maximize the playground loft’s dimensions.

I made my top alternative based mostly on the best slide top and the ceiling top. The very first thing I noticed was that the drop ceiling wanted to go above the loft as a result of I wanted the extra 8″ of top. This meant I wanted to drywall the ceiling and shut off the sting of the drop ceiling, successfully making a tray ceiling, which proved to be about as a lot work as the whole playground construct.

Once I had the drop ceiling eliminated above the loft and closed off the edges of the drop ceiling I began on the loft. Once the loft was mounted to the wall and supported in all 4 corners I constructed the ladder and measured the opening for the slide and constructed the railing.

Next I mounted the slide and screwed 2×4’s to the ceiling rafters for the monkey bar runner boards.

In this photograph you may see how the monkey bar boards are mounted. I added extra vertical help boards and braced them up within the ceiling with further boards operating from ground board to ground board joist.

Then I mounted the monkey bar runner boards and eventually the monkey bars.

I lastly have a spot for pull-ups.

Then I mounted the swings and reduce the drop ceiling panels to match round my monkey bar mounts and the swing mounts. The closing step was the ceiling drywall work, which I didn’t take pleasure in. Cutting, mounting, jointing, and sanding giant panels of drywall the wrong way up is just not enjoyable and people who do drywall for a dwelling deserve extra recognition. I truly splurged and purchased an superior skilled drywall sander for about $140 that connects to a store vac and this eradicated the drywall mud. This is an important software for any DIY lover. I gained’t use it typically, however it modifications the drywall sport totally.

These help beams mount to the ground joists and I drywalled round them.

Once the ceiling was executed I painted the ceiling and journey, hung Christmas lights and a few previous curtains utilizing easy pvc pipe and pipe clamps.

This is the view from the decrease fort space. The children use this as a hideout and reading nook.

I additionally found a random electrical swap field proper subsequent to the brand new playground so I added a swap and a lightweight I had already for some added ambiance.

The children have “camped out” on this higher loft and the 4×8 sheet of plywood is ideal for a twin mattress with room to spare for sometimes used pathway between the ladder and the slide.

The children have used the heck out of their new playground. It was particularly good within the winter months once they obtained bored with the chilly. We have been initially apprehensive they might not need to go outdoors, however this was not the case. A basement is barely a lot enjoyable I assume.

If I have been to rank their favourite and most used side of this playground it might be the remedy swings. The swings are on swivel mounts and so they can spin or use them like common swings. They use these easy swings for all several types of play and once they swing, they swing so excessive their heads and toes hit the drop ceiling. They love that this bothers me.

Of the entire constructing initiatives we’ve executed, that is most likely tied with their outdoors fort, which I’ve not but posted about, as their most used home made present. If you’ve obtained the area, some ambition to construct, and about $500 to burn, it’s best to take into account turning your basement right into a playground too.

If this undertaking is just too formidable, take a look at our different home made present concepts right here and join our e-mail record for extra screen-free motivation.