Types of Toddler Slides and Climbers
Besides the size, slides and climbers can differ in other aspects such as the material they are made out of or even the additional accessories that come with them. Choosing the appropriate playground equipment for your child depends on several factors such as the age of your child, the amount of space you have, and your budget. While some look for a cheaper option, quality playground slides will typically ensure greater safety for children using it. Here are some of the most common types of slides and climbers you can find on the market.
Different Types of Toddler Slides
Children’s slides are the most common type of playground equipment and they are often brightly colored. All slides, including our EZPlay slides, have some standard components: a raised platform and a ramp (called a chute) that children use to slide down.
Typically, slides are made from either plastic or stainless steel. In addition, slides can be differentiated according to the design of slide chutes. The best-known variations of slide chutes are straight, parallel (or side-by-side), spiral, tunnel, and wavy. However, the most common division of slides is into freestanding slides and composite slides.
Freestanding and Composite Slides
Freestanding slides are slides that are not attached to any other playground equipment. They are a great alternative to other playground equipment sets (such as full swing sets) because they don’t take up much room in your backyard or home. If you have a small child, he or she will enjoy these slides much more than other enormous playground sets. On the other hand, composite slides are slides connected to other playground equipment. They can be a part of a swing set or perhaps even children’s climber.
Different Types of Toddler Climbers
Toddler climbers are a great way to make sure your children use and enhance their gross motor skills during their play time. When playing on a simple climber, a child will practice jumping, climbing, balancing, pulling, and even sliding at the same time. In addition, climbers provide an opportunity for dramatic play.
Children can use their creativity and imagination to turn their climbers and other indoor wooden playsets, such as our EZPlay jungle gyms, into castles, pirate ships, jungles, and many more.
One of the most common toddler climbers is the dome climbing frame. It is an excellent piece of equipment for teaching motor skills and balance, and also for developing strength. This type of climber can be used by more than one child at the same time and it is suitable for kids older than three. Typically, these climbers are made out of steel that has a textured finish for grip.
Another common type of climbers is a climbing frame with a slide. The climber can be made simply out of bars with some sort of a den at the top of the climber. More advanced climbing frames can include a climbing wall, rope, basketball hoop, and even balancing boards, which the children can use to reach the slide. These climbers offer tons of features that will keep your children interested for a long time. Typically, these climbers can be used by children that are only 18 months old and up to 12 years.
The most advanced (and the most expensive as well) toddler sliders and climbers play sets are typically very large in size and contain many features. These sets can include large slides (wave or parallel), swings, monkey bars, climbing walls, nets, and even sandpits. The greatest thing about these slides is that you can start with only a few features and then add some extras as your children grow up. Majority of these climbers are suitable only for outdoor use because of their size.
Reasons to Love Toddler Slides and Climbers
Toddler slides and climbers do not only provide amusement for your children, but they come with some benefits as well. Children can improve their coordination and balance by interacting with and playing on slides and climbers. Whenever a child climbs up a slide, positions and then pushes himself down the chute, he or she is improving coordination and balance skills.
In addition, children also develop their notion of spatial awareness since they have to decide when the right time to slide down is and when to prepare their feet to descend properly off the chute.
Many parents worry that their children spend too much time sitting, watching cartoons or playing on their tablets. A piece of play equipment, such as an EZPlay playgym for sale with slide or a climber, will present many physical challenges to children. Climbing up the ladder and sliding down repeatedly sure is fun, but it requires hard work. By interacting with slides and climbers, children develop their upper and lower body strength and they also get to do some cardio exercises.
When choosing the right toddler slides and climbers, always make sure to take size to age into consideration. Smaller play equipment is recommended for younger children, especially for toddlers, and for indoor use as well. You can always use different types of slides independently or combine them with other play equipment, such as with climbers. To get more ideas on how to create the perfect piece of play equipment, browse some of EZPlay range.