Once we had our backyard playset up and functional the very next thing I pondered was how I’d decorate it for holidays. I knew the girls would love to see it lit up or adorned with seasonal decor, so my mind got to work. Our swing set is all the way in the back of our yard with no electrical source in sight, so exterior illumination was going to be a challenge. Here’s how our festive Christmas backyard playset came to be.
About Our Backyard Playset
We had the Backyard Discovery Mystic Tower Playset installed earlier this year and it’s been an absolute hit ever since! This model was our top pick based on reviews, durability, warranty and the natural color scheme was a huge plus for me.
As soon as this playset was installed I began scheming ways to “make a house a home” if you will. That’s how the solar barn light over the slide came to be. We later added a small deck box below the main deck for discreet toy storage. After months of use, this is also a 10/10 recommendation!
While these additions carried us beautifully through the summer, fall brought on another decorative itch to scratch. Halloween. My first pass at seasonal lighting on the playset were with these orange and purple solar lights for spooky season – and they were a HUGE hit! Which leads me to my next point…
My Christmas Backyard Playset Lighting
The same lights I used for Halloween also came in a few different Christmas-themed color schemes. However, my four-year-old requested “candy cane lights” so the decision to go with white and red solar lights was a no-brainer.
See them in action here:
Now to “install” these super simple solar lights!
How to Add Christmas Lights to a Backyard Playset with No Electricity
No electricity, no drill? No problem! I didn’t fasten these solar Christmas lights to our playset at all. They wrapped around the beams themselves with a few creative touches.
First, I started with the solar panel end. There’s about four feet of extra cord without lighting between the solar panel and the lights, so I wrapped it around the solar panel and the beam about four or five times, then began spiraling the beams with the lighting. The solar panels stay snug in place and the cord covering a tiny part of it hasn’t proven to be an issue whatsoever.
When I reached the end of the light strand I tucked the end into a wrapped strand for a bit of extra staying power, but truly, that’s it! No overthinking, no extra fasteners.
For three of the four strands I simply continued the lighting after the last strand ended, placing the solar panel down just over the end of the last strand and continuing the lighting thereafter.
For the final strand I made an arch out of the lighting leading into the underneath area with their play grill and deck box. It gives it a real-door feel that makes the whole playset look like a decorated house!
This took me about 20 minutes on a chilly day and I only needed a ladder for stringing them over the swingset beam. Otherwise, I was able to hang everything by climbing into the playset or from the ground. My kids were outside “helping” which made it a fun family activity that they now get to enjoy all season long, making this a total success in my book!
Decorate a Playset for Other Seasons
This seasonal playset decorating tradition started with my Halloween playset lighting. Be sure to stock up for other holidays if you catch these seasonally colored solar lights on sale!
Would you attempt these solar lights to make your own Christmas backyard playset? Keep reading about all of my favorite Christmas decorating tips and traditions here!
