When my son started to climb and walk I knew we needed a climbing frame or a pickler. I had recommendations for the Kmart climbing frame and climbing blocks at Kmart, but I was also eyeing some more expensive items online. Were they really so much better, despite looking the same? I finally decided to buy this wooden climbing frame at Kmart and it has been used ever since by my active little boy. It has even served different purposes as his interests change. Here is the wooden frames Kmart product.
Here is our review of the Kmart climbing frame, and the many creative ways we have used it for other activities and play ideas with other toys.
Benefits of a climbing frame
Play is more than just playing for children, so it’s always great to choose a toy or play equipment that aids their development. Whether you are pro Screen Time or not, different play toys and equipment should make up part of their week. The Kmart climbing frame, and any climbing frame, can assist with:
- Builds core strength, muscle tone and strength as children pull themselves up
- Fine motor skills improved as hand-eye coordination brings children to reach and hand onto handholds
- Strengthens balance and trust in their agility
- Helps kids judge distance and space
- Improve spatial awareness and body awareness, moving and reaching at the same time
- Allows kids to engage in “open-ended play”, using imagination to play with the frame
- Keeps children active while inside
- Strengthens limbs
This kid’s climbing frame was important to our family as a lot of my son’s favourite toys have him sitting on the ground to enjoy them. He loves to use crayons, pens, and play with climbing blocks from Kmart and magnets. All great for development but not really doing anything for his physical development. The Kmart climbing frame has got him up on his feet and encourages better physical activity. Coupled with the Kmart climbing blocks, he’s never looked back.
Kmart climbing frame review
For $39, the Kmart climbing frame is unbeatable. Lots of Scandi-style toys and play equipment have skyrocketed in price as they become more popular, so it is great to see Kmart hasn’t capitalised on this. The wooden climbing frame Kmart sells feels very solid and study, and the way it is designed is so that it could never be uneven.
Like most things they sell, the wooden frames at Kmart included screws that are steel, and while they did take much more effort than we anticipated to screw in – it didn’t take more than 25 minutes. You will only need a Phillips Head and/or Powerdrill to assemble this Kmart climbing frame.
The maximum weight capacity (30kg) is less than most other climbing frames I have seen, but if this is something that is only going to be used by one child at a time – that capacity shouldn’t be a problem for most households. The steps are made from a different material to the frame, and you can’t really tell from the box but you can when it is assembled. This isn’t too much of a detractor but would have been great if they were both made from Beechwood or Birch Plywood.
The box also comes with anti-slip stickers to place on the four legs of the base to avoid the Kmart wooden climbing frame from moving – this is critical as your little one is pulling themselves up and climbing. Was glad to see this was included and not just recommended for the purchaser to stick on.
Only when reading the instruction manual for the Kmart climbing frame did I see that it is unsuitable for outdoors. If you are buying this for a patio or outdoor use, you may want to consider another climbing frame – perhaps one in plastic material instead. Overall, I am very happy with wooden frames Kmart offer and at $39, it will be used for a while to come by my son as he plays in new ways. You can also get a climb and slide Kmart attachment as well. Read on for some play ideas!
Kmart climbing frame specs
Folded size: 84cm (H) x 53cm (W) x 10.5cm (D)
Open size: 70cm (H) x 53cm (W) x 90cm (D)
Ages 3+
Material: Birch plywood & Beechwood
Maximum weight capacity: 30kg
Product weight: 4kg
5 play ideas for the Kmart climbing frame
As you have probably realised already as a parent, kids tend to use their toys in every way except as they are intended. The wooden climbing frame Kmart stocks can also be a diverse toy and be enjoyed in many ways. Here are some of the play ideas for the wooden frames at Kmart we have tried with success, saving us from buying new things and cluttering the playroom further.
1. Use it as a cubby house
Simply throw a towel or small blanket over the Kmart climber frame with a clear opening and your little one will love crawling underneath. We also put a torch inside and he enjoyed shining the light on the blanketed walls of this small space. If they are old enough to understand and play Hide and Seek, this is a great spot for hiding!
2. Connect it to a climb and slide Kmart product, Kmart pickler or Kmart climbing blocks
The wooden frame can accompany another climbing frame or be used on its own. We have a few climbing blocks and propped one underneath one side of the frame to create a bit of height. This was a fun way to incorporate both toys and allowed my son to experiment with moving from one height and texture to another. Be sure to have your play mat down if you are playing with height! You can also grab the Kmart wooden slide to attach for extra fun.
3. Learning to count with the steps
If you are a parent who likes to stack games with education, then you can use the steps on the climbing frame Kmart design for counting. Either they can put their hands on the steps and count or you can show them how. If your child is a little more visual, you can paint the steps in different colours and teach your child the colours as they play.
4. Create an activity course (check out the climbing set at Kmart too)
You can incorporate your Kmart climbing frame into a fun little obstacle course, including the Kmart wooden slide. They can walk around big cushions, collect toys off shelves and climb on the climbing frame to get to the next part of the course. I tried something like this with my son, and we had some success but there were lots of distractions! Once I moved through the course on my knees he got more of an understanding of what we were doing.
Next time you are at the shops, look at the toddler climbing frame selection to see what items you can get for a Kmart wooden play gym at home. Kmart climbing blocks are also a great addition to any playroom. This is a fun thing to do if you have more than one child too!
5. Hang toys from the steps to collect
If you have something flat that can lay on the top two steps of the Kmart climbing frame, and your child can stand up, reach and retrieve it. We have been doing this with books, stuffed toys and other items around the house. Be sure to have some items hang on the inside of the Kmart climbing frame so they have to go underneath to retrieve, it will create a little Kmart wooden play gym at home.
What toys are you loving lately? Be sure to check out our other topics from the Melbourne Kids & Home archives! Prefer to get out and explore? Check out our round-up of the best outdoor activities in Melbourne with kids.
