How to choose the most appropriate climbing frame for your kids

Most parents recognise that climbing frames are a fantastic way for children to keep in shape, to enjoy creative play and to improve skills in coordination and problem solving. If you’ve decided to erect a children’s climbing frame in the privacy of your garden, you probably recognise the wide range of health and social benefits that the equipment offers kids of all ages – including grown-up kids!

Actually deciding which frame to install is a more tricky decision. Despite looking broadly similar in terms of their structure and components, children’s climbing frames come in a wide range of styles, designs and sizes, so it’s important to invest your money wisely in play equipment that will not only suit your kids’ immediate needs, but also cater for the entire family for many years to come.

It’s all about the numbers

A useful starting point when choosing your new children’s climbing frame is to consider the ages of your kids and how many will be using the equipment at any one time. Don’t forget that a newly installed climbing frame from Gardenatics is likely to be a big draw for your children’s friends and your garden may suddenly become unusually popular!

A useful rule of thumb is to always purchase a climbing frame with the long-term in mind, rather like buying new school shoes during the summer holiday. Children have an unfortunate habit of growing quickly and, in much the same way that a snugly-fitted pair of shoes may cease to be comfortable after a few months, a climbing frame that is perfectly designed for your kids today may not be able to offer the space or versatility that they need tomorrow.

Children are pretty adaptable creatures, so smaller kids are far more likely to cope on a larger climbing frame in the short term, than older and bigger children on equipment that is simply too small.

Adapt your garden

As well as choosing a climbing frame that is large enough for your children, you also need to assess the space available in your garden, remembering that some of our equipment needs twice the area in order to be used most effectively.

For ease of planning, think about your eldest child and imagine them five years on. Don’t assume that teenagers wouldn’t want to use the climbing frame either – you might be pleasantly surprised how the excitement of playing on a climbing frame never goes away.

While children’s climbing frames are available in a wide range of sizes, at Gardenatics our products are up to six feet square, affording teens and even adults with ample space to relax, explore and play.

You’ll also need to allow for ample space around the climbing frame for your little ones to run, jump and hide so that they can make full use of their new equipment. A 1.5 metre deep space around the climbing frame should enable your kids to play safely.

Invest for durability and strength

With the long-term in mind, it’s also vital to invest in a high quality product that will withstand both years of enthusiastic play and the unpredictable British weather.

Cheaper plastic or metal frames may be tempting on the wallet, but these are liable to become damaged, worn or corroded, so a more durable alternative is likely to reward your children with years of safe play. Constructed from high quality slow grown timber that is treated to protect against rough play and weathering, the range of children’s climbing frames at Gardenatics are robust and substantial enough to last, making them an excellent investment for the long term.

Choosing a children’s climbing frame is an important decision, hopefully, one that you will have to make just once. So it pays to spend your money wisely in order to give your kids the best opportunities to learn and play safely for many years to come.