Materials
Decide where you will build your teeter totter. Choose an area that is level and free of rocks and debris. Gather all of your materials together. Select pressure treated wood that is appropriate for outdoor use to form the central support unit. Use a cement filled tire to station the support unit. Alternatively, bury half of a sand-filled barrel or two galvanized steel window wells to serve as the fulcrum base of your teeter totter. Use a plank of wood at least 10 feet long for the teeter totter seats. Position it at least 16 inches off of the ground when level.
Building
If using wood, you can make the teeter totter adjustable by drilling several holes in the sides of the support unit where the bolts can be interchanged. Check to make sure the front and sides of the support unit are level before securing the seat plank on top . The seat plank should rest on the fulcrum at its exact center in order for it to work properly. The seat plank should have a pivot bar attached that allows it to rock over the fulcrum.
Additional Considerations
Adding handles or seat cushions to the teeter totter plank is optional. Leaving off the handles can allow children of different weights to position themselves for balance at different levels on the plank. Always supervise your children's use of the teeter totter, advising them on how to make gradual movements rather than jerks and jumps that will throw a rider off.