UKC

Does anyone know of any garden climbing walls I can buy for my toddler? Just looking for something fairly short and slabby, can be plastic if any of the main toy companies do anything.
We're trying to sort garden toys for my daughter's first birthday, so swing, slide, paddling pool etc, but since she climbs everything in sight in the house, including bookshelves, it would be great to get her a mini "wall".

Thanks, Cx

In reply to Caralynh:

Don't know of any being made but you could make one yourself. Places like Go Outdoors sell holds

In reply to Caralynh:

Just buy some slabs of wood (chipboard ) and some holds and create one! Dead easy. We have got a training wall in the garage and we built a straight up wall at the same time for the wee man when he was little. Now (he is nearly six) he is onto the 'real wall'....

In reply to Caralynh:

indoors (kitchen) and slightly overhanging (slabs no good for kids, they are savagely strong, have immense power/weight and love swinging about) kept my three occupied, they just randomly climb it as they pass.

In reply to Caralynh:

Thanks. Will see if hubby or my Dad feel creative! Hopefully if she has somewhere proper to climb, she will leave the house alone! (wishful thinking I know)

In reply to Caralynh:

I'm planning on building one for the nipper.

Ready made ones are available but are very expensive. Inspiration and tutorials/plans abound on the internet, I've found Pinterest a good source.

Sourcing cheap holds looks like more of a hurdle than building the wall...

In reply to Caralynh:

A friend took a slab of wood and cut out shapes. Then attached the shapes to the wood. Thus there are holes and holds. No fancy climbing stuff needed.

In reply to cuppatea:

I made my own holds by making some nice shapes from oasis,making a silicone mould of it then mixing resin and sand to cast it. They work out about a quid a piece but there a lot of work.the good thing is you can make anything you want so they can be really nice jugs, and the moulds can be reused loads of times too.

In reply to Wsdconst:

Thanks for the reply, sounds like a plan.

What's oasis?

In reply to cuppatea:

That stuff that you stick flowers in its green and very mouldable.i have also used foam insulation too and that's really good but takes abit more time. Do it outside because it's messy.theres loads of stuff on YouTube showing you how too. I put pieces of dish cloth(the net type) in between the layers of silicone on the mould to reinforce it so it doesn't split when you remove the cast.got the resin from halfords (don't forget hardener )

In reply to Wsdconst:

We bought the Ikea kitchen. My 2 year old son mantleshelves the oven and then gets stuck on the overhang that is the microwave cupboard. He required MR call out today in the form of his mum. I said leave the weekling until he can fall off like a man.

In reply to Philip:

If your not falling, you're not trying

In reply to Wsdconst:


He should have learnt his lesson after he dyno'd to the radiator from the armchair and couldn't reverse it. At least that time it was to get to the light switch so he sent a rescue message in morse code.

I'm still trying to encourage tree climbing. If I can get him up the apple tree by September (he'll be 28 months) - then it will save me buying some taller step ladders for the harvest.

In reply to Caralynh:

(Tongue in cheek reply)

She can build finger strength by practicing opening the fridge door.

Once open there are lots of shelf moves with easy hand grips and LOADS of food incentives to encourage the young climber.

If there are any alcoholic beverages therein she will also gain the benefit of conditioning herself for the "average Climber Lifestyle" in later life.

If you keep your ciggies and lighter on top of the fridge for topping out then all you need is some spandex climbing gear that will fit over the pampers a tribal tat or two and job done!!

In reply to Caralynh:

Reading this thread with interest! Watching the absolutely natural way children climb is amazing. My little one assumes EVERYTHING is for climbing on - to the extent that if I build her a den she just tries to get on top of it (and usually destroys it in the process).

In reply to Caralynh:

Scott Muir makes traverse walls and home walls. I've seen some of his and they are good quality but no idea on the price.
http://www.dreamclimbingwalls.com/home-training-walls/

In reply to Scott K:

Sheet of 13mm ply (4ft by 8ft), tee nuts and some holds/holes, battened to wall (with appropriate overhang, 10-20 degrees) lick of paint job done for about 100 quid - 8 ft looks really high till they get to about 5 yrs

In reply to Caralynh:
What's up with a tree?