Scandinavian climbing frames, such as the Montessori triangle, arch, ramp, and other training complexes, are wooden toys created for children's free movement, exploration of space, and the capabilities of their bodies. Also, they work great to develop children's gross motor skills, coordination, balance, and spatial perception.
In this article, we will consider the advantages of using Scandinavian climbers, various exercises according to the age of the child, as well as ways to integrate such elements into the child's play environment directly at home. You'll learn how to get kids interested in healthy activities in a fun and exciting way and help them explore, discover, develop, and become more confident and independent. At the same time, you will learn how to do it safely while combining climbing frames with other game elements.
What is a Scandinavian climber and its benefits for a child?
A Scandinavian climbing frame is a wooden structure, usually consisting of a frame and rungs. A Montessori ramp can have small stones instead of steps (as on slides for climbers). Constructions can be small so that even the little ones can use them, or larger—for children 4–7 years old.
Climbing on steps or pebbles, children develop gross and fine motor skills, master their own bodies and learn coordination of movements. Meanwhile, pebbles have an additional advantage: they have a massage effect and develop logic because children have to figure out where it is better to put their hand or foot to reach the top. In addition, the Montessori ramp is a two-sided product, and its other side is smooth. Attaching the ramp to the Scandinavian Triangle gives you a kiddie slide, and it's another way to have fun without even going outside.
Advantages of climbing frames:
- Play and explore in a safe and controlled environment;
- Children can climb and explore at their own pace;
- Physical abilities, agility, coordination, and balance develop naturally;
- The use of steps made of natural wood causes pleasant tactile sensations, promotes the development of sensors and fine motor skills;
- Climbing, balancing, and moving up and down stairs require a combination of strength, coordination, and spatial awareness.
In addition, Scandinavian climbers can encourage creativity and imagination as children can use the climber in different ways, such as pretending it's an awning or a spaceship. It encourages creative play, which is essential for cognitive and social-emotional development.
Scandinavian climber for child development
Scandinavian climbing frames are a distinctive way to develop motor skills and improve coordination; they are excellent training complexes for various exercises. We recommend using it only under adult supervision, and this is an essential safety rule. A few more rules should be observed:
- Make sure that the structure stands securely on the floor or other surfaces. It should not wobble, and all screws should be securely fixed.
- Lay a mat or soft carpet under the base of the climbing frame. This will help to avoid injury to the child in the event of a fall.
- Don't let your toddler play on the climbing frame while his hands or feet are wet, because the baby may slip on the step or not hold the rail with his hands.
The best exercises with Scandinavian climbers
Here's what to do with any Scandinavian climbing frame. We offer you several options for exercises and activities, but you can expand this list at your discretion and develop exciting entertainment with the baby. This will be a helpful experience that the child will like and help develop all the skills mentioned above.
- Climbing and descending the ladder with different grips.
- Transitioning from one side of the climbing frame to another using different techniques (sideways, diagonally, etc.).
- Climbing under the arch, triangle, and ramp is also fascinating and helpful. Use climbing frames as a tunnel for the child to crawl through. You can diversify this exercise by offering the baby to collect various objects on their way.
- Children can also grab a soft toy with their feet and hold on to the upper crossbar of the triangle with their hands. Task: lift the toy with your feet as high as possible.
- The Montessori Trapezium complex offers even more opportunities because here the toddler can use gymnastic rings, climb a ladder with wooden spheres, and use a handrail ladder and a rope ladder.
The main thing is that it should be fun, engaging, and pleasurable to the child. Do not try to force the toddler to perform specific exercises by force or against their will, as this will not give the desired results. Follow the baby's mood, condition and preferences: both parents and children will benefit from this.
Integration of Scandinavian climbing frames into the interior of a children's room
Scandinavian Montessori toddler climbing frames are compact and some can be folded when the game ends. This allows a small gymnastic corner to be arranged even in the smallest children's room, and it's effortless to do:
- Determine how much free space you can allocate to put children's climbing frames at home. Depending on this, choose those elements that are suitable in size and correspond to the child's age. If the room is small, give preference to foldable structures.
- Take care of a carpet, mat, or blanket that can be laid under the structure. This will protect the toddler from injury and make the exercise more comfortable and pleasant.
- Ensure the floor is level in the room where you are setting up the gymnastic complex. This is important for the climbing frame's stability and the baby's safety.
Only buy a few items at a time. Gradually replace some climbing frames with others appropriate to the child's age, needs, and abilities. In this case, the family budget will do without unnecessary burdens, but at the same time, your children will get everything they need and will try different options.
Choosing the right Scandinavian climber for the development of different age groups of children
When choosing Scandinavian climbers, several factors should be considered:
- For children from 0 to 4 years old, Scandinavian trapezes have a small height and “Trapeze” complex, designed for this age. These are the safest options with immediate steps and compact dimensions. Large sets are better suited for children up to 8 years old, since they are designed to withstand greater loads, and the elements themselves have sizes suitable for the child's needs.
- Free space in the room. Although children's climbing frames are small and multifunctional, you need to ensure there is enough space at home to place these elements, taking into account safety and comfort measures for children.
- A combination of different surface types, slopes, difficulty levels, and available activity options. For example, a trapeze or an arch has similar possibilities, so you can choose one alternative instead of buying both elements. Likewise, the arch can be replaced with a balancer swing, as it combines equally well with the ramp and the Montessori triangle.
You can also add variety by combining climbing frames with other useful devices: swings, rope ladders, ropes, etc. All this will help children develop versatility, perform various exercise options, learn to overcome difficulties, solve problems, communicate, and show their creative abilities.
Therefore, parents' main task is planning various options for activities, exercises, and forms of recreation using Scandinavian climbing frames. With this approach, you can arrange an exciting and useful play area where the kids can develop their skills, have fun, play, and become independent and confident.
Nordic stepladder: exiting games and exercises to develop motor skills and coordination
The Nordic stepladder focuses on training coordination of movements, attention, logic, and physical abilities. Ladders can be diverse: vertical or horizontal, wooden or rope. Thus, children get tactile sensations and develop physical qualities. We offer several interesting and fun exercises:
- Let the children climb the ladder's first rung and then reach with one hand to touch the next. Kids need to alternate hands during each step to develop coordination and balance.
- Turn the Scandinavian arch ladder over to use as a balancer. Offer children to rock back and forth to develop balance and coordination.
- Arrange a relay race if the kid has friends or siblings. Have them compete against each other by taking turns going up and down the Scandinavian ladder.
- Lay the lane using a Nordic ladder and other equipment, such as cones or obstacles. Let kids run, jump and climb the track to develop agility and coordination.
These games and exercises can be adapted for children of all ages and abilities and can be done both indoors and outdoors. This is an exciting and effective way to develop motor skills and coordination and to promote health.
Summing up
Scandinavian climbing frames are the best way to stimulate physical activity and improve motor skills and coordination. There are so many exercises that kids can do on their own or with parents or friends. Such a play area in the children's room contributes to developing physical abilities and cognitive and educational activities. Also, Scandinavian climbing frames work well with Montessori equipment, increasing their functionality and usefulness.
The main thing is to provide a safe space for games in the room and to ensure toddlers are supervised when they use climbing equipment. Before each use, it is necessary to check the stability and integrity of all elements. If everything is fine, you can climb, jump, balance, swing, and always have fun as long as the baby is interested.