One of the most popular of outdoor toys in recent times has been the wooden climbing frame. However, within the blame culture that is around right now, there are concerns over the safety of those climbing frames.

The fact is that should you use common sense then virtually all of those safety worries disappear. Supervision of youngsters playing on the climbing frame is clearly important, but there are a number of things that must be considered before the climbing frame is even put together.

It’s vital to ensure that the climbing frame is sited safely. This means preserving a safe boundary around the climbing frame of roughly 6 feet. This is necessary for plenty of reasons. Most wooden climbing frames these days have swings connected and unless a good boundary is left around the climbing frame then there is the danger that a little one might get hit as they move in front of, or behind, a child who is using the swing. And of course ample clearance can be necessary in case a child falls off the swing or climbing frame.

Among different factors that you must think about when siting a wooden climbing frame is the surface that you’re going to put it on. It is not essential to go out and buy any type of special surface, although bark and rubber matting are available, as grass is normally adequate. You must however avoid siting the climbing frame on hard surfaces such as concrete or tarmac as these might cause severe harm to any youngster who falls onto them.

Take into account additionally the proximity of different things in your garden which can snag a toddler or be a danger to them in the event that they have been to either hit, or land on it. Examples of this type of thing include washing lines and tree branches.

When assembling your climbing frame pay particular attention to how it is mounted into place within the ground. The methods used to do this have differed over the years and sometimes the structure is designed to just sit on the ground, other times ground anchors are used to anchor it into position. Sometimes the posts of the climbing frame are designed so that they are longer than needed so that the extra length can be sunk into a hole in the ground which is then filled with concrete so as to anchor the posts firmly in position.

Whichever method your climbing frame is designed to make use of to secure it to the ground it is necessary that you comply with the instructions carefully. In very excessive winds it is not unheard of for wooden climbing frames to be blown over, despite their considerable weight. And in case you have failed to observe the manufacturers directions for securing it in place then any insurance claim you make may be deemed invalid.

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