Toddler Climbing Play: Safe Fun in the Sprouts Room!

I’ve heard this so many times from parents and teachers over the years… “Help, my toddler won’t stop climbing everything!” It’s a classic, isn’t it? But what if we change how we think about it and give them something safe to climb on instead?

I had absolute blast covering the Sprouts room (our sweet 1-year-olds!) for an afternoon last week. We have these big, soft foam cushions in the room that usually just sit off to the side. Most days, the littles like to push them around the floor like giant cars or building blocks.

Well, last week, two of our little adventurers decided they were going to attempt scaling the table! Before anyone could take a tumble, I grabbed those big cushions and brought them right over to the middle of the floor.

Turning Table Climbers into Floor Rollers

Instead of just saying “no, no, get down,” we turned it into a game. I placed the cushion on the floor making a little indoor hill and then they took turns rolling right over them. Safe toddler climbing play for the win!

Not only did they have a absolute blast with the “climb,” but a funny thing happened while we were doing it. They learned they had to take turns with their friends! At one year old, waiting even five seconds for your friend to roll out of the way feels like a lifetime, but they did it. They stood there wiggling with excitement while their buddy finished their turn.

PopPop Matt and I talk about this all the time. Toddlers just have this natural urge in their little bodies to go up. Their muscles are growing, they feel strong, and to them, a dining chair or a classroom table looks just like a mountain waiting to be conquered! You can’t really turn off that instinct, but you can definitely give them a better mountain… and a safer choice.

Little Discoveries and Daily Joys

If you have a little monkey at home who is trying to climb your coffee table or bookshelves right now, don’t panic! You don’t need fancy playground equipment to make a safe spot for them. Pull the couch cushions onto the carpet, pile up a few firm pillows, and let them climb, tumble, and roll safely.

It’s such a simple thing, but redirecting that energy saves your furniture, saves your nerves, and gives them a safe outlet to burn off all that boundless toddler energy.

I am so incredibly grateful to smile every single day at the discovery of these youngsters—including my own grandchildren who are right here in the mix with us. Watching their little lightbulbs go off when they figure out a new skill or master a big turn is hands-down the best part of my day.

Love on the little climbers,

Grammy Kim