If Your Kid Can't Sit Still, This Indoor Doorway Swing Might Be Just What You Need

To quote Game of Thrones, “Winter is coming." Parents, you know what that means: rowdy children forced indoors. Whether you live in a suburban home or studio apartment, figuring out ways to burn some kid energy during the cooler months is a challenge. In my weaker moments, I’ve had my son run timed wind sprints around the house, so I know how bad it can get. This year is going to be especially difficult, but there may just be a solution. Enter: The Playzone-Fit Kidtrix Deluxe Doorway Swing. This thing is awesome! But... is it safe?

The latest from b4Adventure, a Colorado-based company that specializes in products that encourage kids to get active, this indoor jungle gym is a three-in-one swing, hammock, and monkey bar set that you can install in any doorway. Think of it like one of those old-school baby swings on steroids. Designed for children ages three and up, it can hold up to 150 pounds and lets kids lounge, swing, or work on their backuprise-to-handstand skills.

Naturally, when looking at this thing, my instinct as a mother is to wonder if this apparatus is truly trustworthy. I mean, my son fell out of his chair at the dinner table the other night and nearly got a concussion. How can I be sure he won’t break an arm doing backwards rolls on this thing?

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According to the instructional material, to set up the Playzone-Fit Kidtrix Deluxe Doorway Swing, you simply need “a compatible doorframe” — no hardware necessary. Mmmkay. All it takes is the installation of the two vice grips at the correct height of the doorway and BAM! Next stop: Olympic Games Tokyo 2021 for your little gymnast in training. Or is it?

The last time I attached anything to a door frame, it was a jumpy swing for my son when he was one. The gear only sorta secured to my irregularly shaped craftsman cottage kitchen entryway and the few days I let my boy bounce I watched in a constant state of panic. Could this glorified chin-up bar really be safer?

The company that makes the swing, b4Adventure, says yes. Molly Ridic, senior marketing manager at the company tells Romper that the Kidtrix has been tested to the highest safety standards for the U.S. market. “This includes ASTM F963 for Children’s toys and ASTM F1148 for Children’s play equipment,” she says. What’s that mean? ASTM stands for the American Society for Testing and Materials. The organization publishes international standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services including toys, and a ranking of F963 is considered the “gold standard” for toy safety, according to ASTM’s website. As for ASTM F1148, that applies to indoor playground equipment and means that the toy meets standard consumer safety specifications. Not too shabby.

But if that all reads like technical jargon, maybe this will give you more peace of mind: The Playzone-Fit Kidtrix Deluxe Doorway Swing met 200 pounds for dynamic weight testing, but to ensure safety, the company has limited its recommended use to a maximum of 150 pounds.

Not surprisingly, Ridic adds that “it is important to share that the strength of the installed doorway frame is just as important as the strength of the product,” which may have been the problem with my son’s bouncy swing all along.

Bottom line, this multifaceted indoor play structure will, at the very least, ignite curiosity upon installation and, with any luck (and some adult supervision), help kids get a little indoor recess action in, even when it’s raining or snowing outside.

Right now the Playzone-Fit Kidtrix Deluxe Doorway Swing is available for pre-order and is expected to ship in November.