You’ve taken a look into the playsets on the market for your kids. Your kids have gotten out of the toddler stage, and you know you want something with larger, grander slides that grab and hold the attention of your kids and their friends. We are here to help you distinguish which options to check out for your needs. Slides are the go-to when it comes to large-scale backyard fun.
We have full blown reviews of some of these playsets and are working on others. In the meantime, we’re providing a synopsis of what we love about each of these top sliding playsets. As always, please feel free to let us know if you have any requests for other reviews.
The Backyartisan's Short List: Best Backyard Playsets with Slides
| Great Skye II Swing Set by Gorilla Playsets | Best Overall Sliding Playset |
| Backyard Discovery Cedar Cove Wooden Swing Set | Best Sliding Playset Under $2,000 |
| KidKraft Copper Ridge Wooden Playset | Best Sliding Playset for Social Play |
Great Skye II Swing Set by Gorilla Playsets
Best Overall Sliding Playset
Backyartisan Rating: 4.15 stars
We think that the Great Skye packs the most sliding bang for your buck and in the tightest space for your backyard. Sure, Gorilla has other playsets with a tube slide or a 14’ scoop slide, but the Great Skye II does it all off of what is essentially 1.5 forts.
Where It Shines:
- Two major slides off of its 7’ deck
- Great for older kids
- Premium playset with great durability
- Gets a lot of sliding out of a small(ish) footprint
Where It Could Improve:
- Not the cheapest, but that long scoop slide is the main great
- Installation process is tedious
Backyard Discovery Cedar Cove Wooden Swing Set
Best Sliding Playset Under $2,000
Backyartisan Rating: 3.5 stars
The Cedar Cove knocks out the winding tube slide and provides a great bumping wave slide option for your little ones. And it does it all for $1,700, which is a great price point for so much bulk required for a sliding playset. Aside from the extra slides and checking the swings box, it’s not a whole lot more, but very solid.
Where It Shines:
- Two great slide options off of a 5’ deck
- 3 swing positions
- Built-in picnic table
- Under $2,000
Where It Could Improve:
- Not our favorite looking swing set color scheme
- Not heavy duty, if you need that
KidKraft Copper Ridge Wooden Playset
Best Sliding Playset for Social Play
Backyartisan Rating: 3.85 stars
We love that the Copper Ridge has the dual wave slide for racing side-by-side. It also has a third level for an outlook, pushing over the top for a dynamic wooden playset for all ages. KidKraft has really dialed in this playset for the under-10 age group and it’s still big enough to host a bunch of kids.
Where It Shines:
- Great for younger kids
- Third deck is a nice touch!
- Side-by-side racing slides
- Good-looking swing set
Where It Could Improve:
- Not heavy duty for older kids
- Price tag may feel a little steep for product
How We Picked the Playsets with Slides on This Short List
Shipping & Receiving Process
Playsets are bulky, awkward items to ship, so most large playsets with slides are shipped via freight or LTL. That means you will need to coordinate trucking company appointments, delivery, and unboxing all of the equipment before setting up the playset. The addition of a slide can make for an even bulkier shipment.
Some brands are better than others at the whole shipping process and all the fees included with it. Of the brands on this Short List, KidKraft is definitely the simplest to ship and unbox. Gorilla playsets are a bit of a hot mess to unbox sometimes, but their playsets are some of the most durable and fun for kids with a lot of accessories (more on that later). Backyard Discovery is somewhere in the middle.
Read our full guide on how to receive a playset shipment for all our advice on the subject.
Installation & Setup
Playsets, especially ones with large slides, require a lot of time and patience to set up. For your larger and complex installations like Gorilla Playsets, it could take you 2 or more working days to set everything up. We aren't just considering time here though. The quality of the instructions, unboxing experience and taking inventory of all your pieces, and just the general complexity of putting it all together are all factors we consider in our reviews. You can read our write-ups on DIY playset installation, hiring professional playset installers, and playset yard requirements for all our advice on the installation process.
Stability & Durability of Materials
Stability, durability, and overall construction quality of the playset are super important for safety. We are looking at stuff like the joints and hardware, wood thickness, plastic thickness, wood stain, weight limits, ongoing maintenance needs, and other factors. When it comes to slides, there are a few configurations to choose from, but generally most slides are made from a hard plastic material. The joint quality of the slide pieces and how it connects to the broader playset are particular elements that we scrutinize here.
Play Elements
Obviously the play elements and accessories are one of the most important factors when it comes to picking out the right playset - you want to make sure your kids will actually use it and enjoy it! For all of our reviews, we look at: ups/downs/acrosses, swings, slides, social play accessories (more than one kid playing), solo play accessories (single kid playing), and roof/kit options.
When it comes to slides in particular, there are a few types of slides to choose from: tube slides, scoop slides, and straight slides are the most popular. For tube slides, they can also be straight or in a curved or spiral configuration. There are no meaningful differences between the slide types in terms of durability, so you really should just choose based on your kids' preferences.
Price & Value
Finally, we consider price and value for every single playset we review. Playsets with slides are generally going to be slightly more expensive than your basic swing set or fort playset, but you can still get a decent playset that will last you a really long time for around or under $2,000. But overall price isn't the only way we look at the dollar amount - if it's within your budget, an expensive playset can still be a great value because of the quality you are getting. However, you should always try to stay within your budget, so we included playsets across a wide price range that we think are a good value. We also consider shipping costs, the brand warranty, and other fees here.
For all the criteria you should look for in a playset, read our entire in-depth article on buying a playset. And for all of our recommendations, head over to our article on the best kids' playsets.
Recap: The Best Playsets with Slides
- Great Skye II Swing Set by Gorilla Playsets - Best Overall Sliding Playset
- Backyard Discovery Cedar Cove Wooden Swing Set - Best Sliding Playset Under $2,000
- KidKraft Copper Ridge Wooden Playset - Best Sliding Playset for Social Play
