The outdoor swing set that Barack and Michelle Obama installed at the White House for their daughters has inspired the imaginations of many people all over the country. Along with the wave of hope that accompanied the elevation of the Obamas to First Family status, many people have reexamined their values and priorities, and this swing set seems to symbolize what is really important when all is said and done: happy, growing times with family and perhaps not taking things quite so seriously.
The children’s swing set has been waiting in the wings in recent years, as other forms of entertainment took its place for awhile, most notably television viewing and computer gaming. But it’s always been ready to make its big return when interest grew again. After all, this is a type of play that can be universally enjoyed, by friends and family alike. The swing set is moving into the backyards once again, returning from its sojourn in parks and playgrounds where even play became more formalized and scheduled.
The set installed by the Obamas was made and set up by Rainbow Play Systems of South Dakota. Rainbow swing sets went through a rocky period a few years ago because some major parts that were made in China were prone to breaking; one girl broke her wrist when she fell from a defective set. Greg Foster, owner of Rainbow Play Systems, spoke of the recalls and other problems at the time the White House set was installed, mentioning how all the important parts of a Rainbow swing set are now made in the U.S.A. and inspected here, with only very minor parts still made in China. There have been no more safety issues since. The swing set kit chosen for the Obama children is like many of the new incarnations of this kind of play assembly. The girls and their friends can climb a wall up into a fort and peek out through “bubbles” in the wall, play on the ropes, and of course use the traditional swings as well. And attached to the outdoor swing set is a picnic table, which again demonstrates Barack and Michelle Obama’s commitment to a healthy family environment. The outdoor swing set speaks to parental involvement and safe play; an example the nation can take to heart.