Let’s say you and your family are thinking about purchasing an outdoor, wooden play set next spring or summer. Why not take your family out and visit the local showroom of a play set provider and builder? You will discover that they will likely have a handful of sample play sets for your kids to take for a test drive. The way this writer sees it, there is absolutely no need to make a decision in a hurry. In fact, I recommend several 1/2 hour trips to the showroom(s). You want your kids to try every piece of equipment, standard and optional, available to you before you make your eventual decision and plunk down hundreds or thousands of dollars to have one of those beautiful structures erected in your yard.
When my wife and I decided to buy one for our own backyard, we made at least 4 wintertime visits to the showroom. We kept coming up with additional questions, concerns and reasons to stop in and let our daughter run around the place, swing, climb and slide. No sales person is going to mind a child playing while the parent(s) discusses credit payment options, swing configurations and delivery timeframes.
The presence of such a store in your community can mean a nice little cold weather play opportunity for your children. Stop in for a spell between trips to the grocery store and other mundane errands you must accomplish during the day.
If you do not actually have an interest in purchasing one of their units, there is no need to feel bad about using their test sets to amuse your kids for a brief period of time. You can always consider their space for a future birthday party. Many of these companies look to maximize the revenue from their equipment and showroom by renting out their rooms and playing host to kid’s parties.