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May 22, 2018 · 13 Comments

DIY Tree Swing

DIY Projects

We recently added a DIY tree swing to the large tree in our front yard, and our son is loving it! This wooden tree swing is incredibly easy to put together, and your kids will love swinging on it all summer long!

diy tree swing

Jackson loves to swing (what three-year-old doesn’t?) and a couple of years back we got him one of those ugly, plastic swings to hang on the tree in our front yard. I didn’t mind that it was an eyesore – it made him happy – but I did mind that we did kind of an awkward job of hanging it and it sat really high off the ground.

It looked ridiculous. And we never fixed it. For years. It still functioned (kind of) and Jack never complained, so we just rolled with it.

But now, he’s really getting to a point where he’s outgrowing the blue monstrosity and he really prefers to use a “big kid” swing when we go to the playground. So, we decided it was high time to make a DIY tree swing that would grow with him a little better and have the added bonus of not making our front yard look like a toddler playground.

I debated even posting this project because it’s so easy, but I had a really hard time finding tutorials online when I was trying to figure out how to do this, so I figured it was worth it in case anyone else goes looking in the future. I have to add the obvious disclaimer that we aren’t pros and this may or may not be the safest or smartest way to hang a tree swing. We’re both confident that this will be a sturdy and safe swing for our family, but you should always take on a project like this at your own risk!

DIY wooden tree swing

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Ugh, how adorable is that?

The best part about this project? It cost about $10 (all you need is some rope and a piece of wood), takes less than an hour to build, and looks incredibly cute. When I was researching, I found a similar wood swing for over $200 on Etsy. TWO-HUNDRED-DOLLARS, Y’ALL. And that wasn’t abnormal. There were several $200+ options that look almost exactly like the one we built.

Crazy.

So, let’s get to it.

How to Build a DIY Tree Swing

Wood for DIY tree swing

Step 1: Cut Your Wood to Size

Start with a piece of wood cut to the size you want. My research told me that a “standard” size for a wood swing is about 7″ deep by 16″ long, so that’s what we went with. You can make it a little longer for a more rustic look (and to fit a bigger butt), but this was the perfect size for Jack.

Drill a hole near each corner of the wood, and sand all of the edges down a bit so they aren’t too sharp. If you want to stain, paint, or seal your board, this is a great time to do it. We left ours natural for now, but I may go back later and at least seal it.

Step 2: Tie Rope Around Tree Branch

How to tie knot for tree swing

How to attach tree swing to branch

Step 3: Attach Rope to Swing Seat

Next up, grab your rope and tie it around the branch of your tree using a double running bowline knot. Grab the other end of the rope, thread it down through one hole in a side of the swing and up through the other, then tie a fisherman’s knot with five loops (meaning, you’ll loop the rope around five times before doing the knot, and have the end of it come up through all five loops).

knots for wooden tree swing kids tree swing

We got one side done, then used a level on the other side to make sure the swing didn’t hang crooked.

Easy DIY tree swing

Use some rope clamps or zip ties to tie up the excess rope, so it doesn’t just flap around….

And then, get to swinging.

how to build a tree swing

wooden tree swing for kids

DIY tree swing tutorial

This is a seriously easy project, but I can’t even tell you how much joy it has brought Jackson already. We just finished hanging it yesterday and I swear he would spend every waking second out there if we let him. I have a feeling we’ll get a lot of use out of it this summer!

And I’m feeling pretty happy to have that ugly blue swing out of my life.

What projects did you work on this weekend?

Other Kid-Friendly DIY Ideas

  • DIY Backyard Chalkboard
  • Easy Display for Kids’ Art
  • IKEA Play Kitchen Makeover
  • Tips for Decorating with Kids
  • How to Create a Summer Schedule

Want even more DIY outdoor project ideas? Check out this post with 15 great ideas! 

Previous Post: « DIY Vertical Wall Planter
Next Post: A Simple Kid Art Display Using IKEA Curtain Rods »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jim Isaac says

    June 14, 2021 at 6:39 pm

    I made several wood tree swings before that my kids really enjoy. It’s fun to do it specially with your kids and Family. We are also planning to purchase one from treeswingstore.com as a gift for my wife.

    Reply
  2. Sanjay Mali says

    October 17, 2020 at 10:20 pm

    Not uncommon though here in India, the knot fixing would be a little bit tricky here. Good thing to do.

    Reply
  3. Alex says

    April 28, 2020 at 9:16 pm

    What kind of wood did you use?

    Reply
    • Amanda Hendrix says

      April 30, 2020 at 8:26 am

      I believe we used some pressure treated lumber! It was just some scrap wood we had out in our garage!

      Reply
      • Jenni says

        August 8, 2020 at 10:55 am

        How long approximately was the rope you used?

        Reply
  4. F chiklis says

    July 8, 2018 at 10:05 am

    Tha k you form the great idea…made one for or maybe my daughter’s 7th birthday. No store bought gift can compare!!

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      July 8, 2018 at 6:15 pm

      I’m so glad to hear it!!

      Reply
  5. Jenna Wilson says

    May 8, 2018 at 6:59 am

    What size rope did you use?

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      May 9, 2018 at 10:48 am

      Hi Jenna! I linked to the exact rope we used in the post – it was 1/4″. 🙂

      Reply
      • Dwayne M says

        April 12, 2020 at 7:21 pm

        I think you mean 3/4″ rope judging by the pictures.

        Reply
  6. Adam says

    October 27, 2017 at 10:45 am

    Nice! Gonna give this a shot.

    Reply
  7. Paul says

    October 13, 2017 at 3:02 pm

    I love the change! Those plastic swings are great, but they don’t have any real character or craftsmanship to them. I like the look of the new swing in your pics enough that I just found one to hang in my tree for my wife. Yep, I actually found a place that sells swings big enough for adults – http://www.treeswingstore.com/adulttreeswings/ – and I didn’t have to build it myself! In a couple days my wife will have a grin as big as your sons! Thanks for the idea.

    Reply
  8. Adam Sharpley says

    May 23, 2017 at 10:47 pm

    As they say when life gives you lemon, make lemonade out of it, though not an exact and a stupid analogy but can’t resist, when you have got a tree, then not make a swing and hang on it. Nice and very easy steps, completely DIY.

    Reply

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Overwhelmed by DIY? Let's do it together! I'm Amanda, and I live in the suburbs of Austin, Texas with my husband and two sons. I've taught myself how to make simple updates to help make my house a home, and I want to show you how to do it, too. Click here to learn more about us.

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