How to Tie a Knot for a Child's Swing

How to Tie a Child's Swing

• 1

  Measure the distance from the tree limb you will be hanging your swing from to the ground. Round up to the nearest foot and add an additional 5 feet to that number.

• 2

  Cut two lengths of rope that are equal to the measurement determined in Step 1.

• 3

  Loop one of the ropes over the limb.

• 4

  Tie a running bowline knot in one end of the rope.

• 5

  Slip the other end of the rope length through the loop in the bowline knot.

• 6

  Repeat Steps 3 through 5 on the other piece of rope, placing it about a foot away from the first rope piece.

• 7

  Pull the remaining lengths of rope hanging from the tree tight so the bowline knots are snug against the tree limb.

• 8

  Slip the end of the left rope through the top left hole on the plank or swing and pull the rope under the seat and to the top right hole. Tie a loose knot to keep the rope in place.

• 9

  Repeat Step 7 on the other piece of rope using the remaining two holes. Tie another loose knot.

• 10

  Untie your temporary loose knots and tie a rolling hitch knot between the top right and bottom right side ropes. Tie another rolling hitch knot between the top left and bottom left holes. Cut off any extra rope that may be hanging from your knots. You now have a securely tied your child's swing.

How to Tie a Bowline Knot

• 11

  Make a loop along the length of the rope.

• 12

  Feed the end of the rope up and through the loop. Do not pull the rope all the way through. Only pull through as much rope as you need to complete all of the steps.

• 13

  Wrap the end of the rope around the back of the top piece of rope.

• 14

  Bring the end down and through the loop once again, pulling the rope end to tighten the knot. You should be left with an additional loop at the bottom of the knot.

How to Tie a Rolling Hitch Knot

• 15

  Wrap the shorter rope around the longer rope once so that it forms a loop, crossing the end of the short rope with the beginning of the short rope.

• 16

  Loop the end of the short rope around the long rope again, with the end of the short rope coming through between the beginning of the short rope and the long rope.

• 17

  Make one more loop, only this time pull the end of the rope through the first two loops you made and pull tight to make a knot.