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Climbing toys are more than just toys. They are great for active kids who thrive when they are in motion, and they are also an easy way to help your child strengthen their gross motor skills.
Gross motor skills are the reason your child is always on the move! These skills are associated with children’s physical development. They help them learn to move their entire body, to perfect their balance and posture, to work on the control of their muscles, and to strengthen large muscles such as their legs and arms.
A climbing toy helps yours 1-year-old develop many new skills or strengthen the ones they already have, on condition that you choose a climbing toy that corresponds to their age and to their level of development.
In this article, we’ll be looking at the criteria to consider when choosing a climbing toy for a 1-year-old. I’ll then give you several examples of good climbing toys for this age group. So, let’s get started!
Why a climbing toy for a 1-year-old is important
Climbing toys are perfect for one-year-olds because they allow children to perfect movements such as walking, balancing, sitting, crawling, coordinating, jumping, running, skipping, climbing, throwing, catching, kicking, cycling, and so on.
These toys are therefore important because they can help your child develop the physical skills that they need to be able to use their large muscles effectively.
When kids turn one, it is not uncommon for them to start acting independent and daring. They want to do everything, try everything, and see everything!
But, at the same time, some kids around this age are highly cautious and have almost to be “pushed” to try out anything new or anything that looks relatively scary.
It’s therefore really important to choose a climbing toy that is adapted to a 1-year-old. This will allow the cautious kids to feel comfortable and less intimidated, and still enable the more adventurous ones to explore and discover without feeling frustrated.
How to choose a climbing toy for a 1-year-old
At age one, your baby is much more adventurous than they were just a few months ago. They want to explore things, to try out new things, and to be left to their own devices so that they can feel a bit more grown up!
It is for all these reasons that this age requires parents to be even more cautious so that they can allow their kids to play freely without stressing about safety issues.
If you’re thinking about getting a climbing toy for a 1-year-old, here are just a few precautions to take:
1) Choose the right fit!
There is a reason why all toys have recommended age guidelines – not all of them are appropriate for kids depending on their age and on their level of development.
When toys are age-appropriate, they allow children to develop new skills without frustrating them. Age-appropriate toys are also suitable for you kid in term of safety requirements.
While simply looking at a toy may give you the impression that it will make the perfect climbing toy for your 1-year-old, this conclusion may not be true.
In reality, to determine the suitability of a climbing toy for your 1 year old, manufacturers look at things such as how easily your baby can grip the climbing toy, the appropriate height to avoid either scaring or frustrating them, the number of parts, the different body muscles used, the form and color, the presence of choking hazards such as loose parts, and so on.
Although children’s toy age recommendations remain at the discretion of their manufacturers, they are still a pretty good guide that can make it easier to choose your 1-year-olds’ climbing toy.
2) Pay attention to choking hazards
Most age-appropriate toys pay attention to things such as loose parts that can pose a choking hazard to 1-year-olds. That said, you can also ensure that there is nothing dangerous in the climbing toy you get your 1-year-old.
For example, there should be no small detachable objects or long ropes that can be dangerous. This is especially true if you are buying a second-hand climbing toy – monitor everything!
3) Privilege materials that are easy to clean
1-year-olds make things dirty, that’s just the way it is. They won’t think about “washing their chocolate-covered sticky fingers” before using their climbing toy, they’ll just use it!
And then the Covid-19 pandemic has shown us that it helps to be able to clean and disinfect stuff!
If you’re thinking of getting a climbing toy for your 1-year-old, choose something that is easy to clean.
4) Privilege economical toys
Economical toys are those that you buy once and then use for years, or those that multiple kids can use for years. While these toys might be more costly when you first purchase them, their durability means that they will last and last…
Below are our picks of the best climbing toys for 1-year-olds.
Best climbing toys for 1-year-olds
Step2 Sports-Tastic Activity Center Playset
The Step2 Sports-Tastic Activity Center Playset is a great climbing toy for a 1-year-old because it helps them develop different skills while having fun.
What you’ll love:
- It includes different features to ensure that your child has the best experience possible (tethered baseball, basketball hoop, soccer goal, a bat);
- It is easy to clean;
- It enables your child to strengthen their gross motor skills by encouraging them to crawl and to slide;
- Storage space is provided to store the equipment on the activity center.
SoftScape Toddler Playtime Corner Climber
If you’re looking for a great climbing toy for your 1-year-old, you’ll love this corner climber on which your child can crawl and climb.
What you’ll love:
You can move the different forms around, meaning that your child can try out different play configurations;
- It fits perfectly in a corner so it is great for saving space;
- It is safe for your child to climb and crawl on;
- Is a great in-door climbing toy for a 1-year-old;
- It has a non-slip bottom to reduce danger (slipping and sliding);
- It is easy to clean.
Your 1-year-old will absolutely love the Ikkle toddler climbing toy which is cute and solid!
What you’ll love
- It is easy to clean;
- It has smooth rounded edges which increase your child’s safety;
- It is a great open-ended toy that your kid can use as they see fit (climbing toy, hide and seek, sitting toy, fort…);
- It is extremely solid and stable.
Radio Flyer, Tumble Town Foam Blocks
This climbing toy for a 1-year-old is not only great for the development of their gross motor skills; it is also great for helping them work on their imagination.
What you’ll love:
- Your child can create as many configurations as they can imagine;
- It is easy to clean;
- Your kid can move the blocks around by themselves;
- It is made from high quality materials.
Your 1-year-old will fall in love with their first trampoline and its funky design.
What you’ll love:
- It is a great toy for improving your child’s gross motor skills;
- It is padded to ensure safety;
- The handles are easy to grip for your 1-year-old;
- The trampoline uses non-slip material to ensure safety and stability;
- It’s great for both indoor and outdoor use.
WoodenLikes Set of 3 Pickler Climbing Triangle
Pikler triangles are one of the best climbing toys for a 1-year-old because of the many options that they propose.
What you’ll love:
- Its amazing quality, meaning that you kid can use it for years!
- Its great for indoor play, so you no longer have to wonder what to do with your kid on those rainy days!
- It can be folded in record time, meaning it is easy to move it (or store it) quite easily;
- It is made using non-toxic materials;
- It is easy to clean;
- The edges are rounded to reduce all risks.
Tottlr Foldable Triangle Climber
If you’re looking for the perfect fit for your 1-year-old, you’ll love the Tottlr foldable triangle climber.
What you’ll love:
- It is small and practical to put away;
- It is the perfect size for a 1-year-old;
- It is easy to clean.
What you’ll love less:
Your child will quickly outgrow it as it isn’t suitable for children over the age of two.
I hope that some of the options presented here have given you an idea of the best climbing toy for a 1-year-old. That said, there are many other easy ways to help your child develop their gross motor skills. This article has 44 easy activities you can start doing from today!
Further reading
Montessori toys for 1-year-old babies
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