Climbing Playground Equipment

Most children are natural climbers. From the first time your tot makes it up onto the back of the sofa to when he starts scaling trees and fences, your child is exploring the world around him and that often includes going vertical. A climbing playground can help kids climb in a safe environment, but why should children be allowed to climb in the first place?

- Climbing strengthens muscles and helps kids become more agile.
- It is great exercise which helps combat childhood obesity.
- Children can feel a great sense of accomplishment when they climb higher than before.
- They learn to set goals and work toward them.
- Climbing is something that parents and kids can enjoy doing together.

There are many great reasons to let children climb, as long as it is done in a safe, supervised area. They'll benefit greatly and with regular climbing, can become quite adept at it.

There's always some risk when your children are climbing . . . but then again, there's risk when they walk down the street. Many parents feel that the benefits outweigh the bad and they gladly let their children climb in safe areas. You can easily make sure that climbing playgrounds are as safe as possible, though.

First of all, the equipment should be of good quality. If metal, be sure that it isn't rusted and that there are no bits sticking out that could catch on clothing. Wooden climbing structures need to be sturdy and sanded to avoid splinters. All joints MUST be tight . . . if your playground equipment wobbles, don't let children climb it.

Secondly, be sure that the ground is soft. You can do this by making sure there is a softer material below the climbing structure. Mulch, sand and cork are all good materials to use. It's easiest to have an edging material, such as block or wood around the edge of the play area to ensure that the softer material stay inside the play area . . . at least for the most part.