How-to: Make Your Kid a Tire Swing

Build a Tree House

tire swing tutorial (5 of 5)

Got a tree? Got a tire? Got a kid?

Make a tire swing!

The ubiquitous tire swing is the ultimate outdoor summer project. By recycling an old tire into a new swing set, you give your kids an outlet for healthy activity in a natural environment. Let your kids help you build it, and you give them hands-on experience with problem-solving, real-world math, and tool use. Do it right, and your tree will stay strong and happy.

Best of all, there’s no one exact way to build a tire swing. Before you read through the following project tutorials and real-life tips, take a walk through your garage and spy out your old stash: chains, ropes, tubing, and hardware of all kinds can be substituted for some of the materials called for here, with a little creativity.

And you and your kids can be swinging by nightfall.

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Written by Julie Finn

I'm a writer, crafter, Zombie Preparedness Planner, and homeschooling momma of two kids who will hopefully someday transition into using their genius for good, not the evil machinations and mess-making in which they currently indulge. I'm interested in recycling and nature crafts, food security, STEM education, and the DIY lifestyle, however it's manifested--making myself some underwear out of T-shirts? Done it. Teaching myself guitar? Doing it right now.

Visit my blog Craft Knife for a peek at our very weird handmade homeschool life, and my etsy shop Pumpkin+Bear for a truly odd number of rainbow-themed beeswax pretties.

7 Comments

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  1. Oh, how we miss Black Beauty! That was the name Emma gave our tire swing. We had ours rigged up differently, where Emma had to sit on the tread and you could throw a ball through the opening. When we first starting using it (our tire was larger then the standard tire), Emma could hunker down inside the tire. She’d nap in their while her Da or I pushed her.

    Fun times. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

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