Swing (seat)

A swing is a hanging seat. It is usually found in a playground for children. Acrobats in a circus can also have swings which hang from the top of the tent. Sometimes chairs in gardens are made to swing gently.

The seat of a swing is suspended from chains or ropes. The child sits on the swing and kicks off from the ground with his feet.  The swing then starts to swing to and fro.  The child can make the swing go higher by pulling (as he goes forwards) and pushing (as he goes backwards) the rope and by making his legs straight as it goes up. Once a swing is in motion it continues to oscillate like a pendulum until something brings it to a halt.

In children's playgrounds some swings are made for very young children.  They have safety bars with holes for the legs. Their parents can push them to help the swing. At the highest point on a swing, the person sitting on it is weightless.

Usually the ground is grassy, sandy, or padded with rubber so riders do not hurt themselves badly if they fall off, although this should not happen if they are being sensible. Sometimes several swings are hung from one long metal or wooden frame.

Many children have swings in their own gardens or back yards.  A tyre (or tire) can be hung by a rope from the branch of a tree to make a swing.

Category:Playground equipment