12month old is climbing on the furniture!

[user1471623789]

One of my 12 month old twins has started climbing on the furniture and won't stop. Every Time i leave the room she climbs up on something. I can't be there with them all day 24/7 i still have to clean and cook and they can't do that with me! My house has 4 floors-one room on each floor. They have the living room for them to play in. It's got a baby gate to keep them away from the stairs and a large playpen which she can also almost climb out of. She got onto the piece of furniture with the TV more than once and now wants the sofa but she tries to climb up the back and could fall. If i tell her not to do it she just cries(she cries at everything her twin is the opposite). What should I do? I'd keep her with me if i could but with twins that's impossible!

[hazeimcgee]

Bigger play pen?

[FATEdestiny]

Sounds like a normal young toddler to me.

Teach her to climb safely - how to safely climb on and off the sofa for example. Make it a game.

Toddler proof everything else - if you have bookcases or a TV then ensure these sorts of things are fastened to the wall where possible.

You can't expect to stop a toddler from claiming - it's a normal skill. It would be like trying to forcibly stop a child learning to run. You just can't stop it. But you make it as safe as possible.

Consider a pile of cushions behind the sofa, for example.

Then just supervise. You really do need eyes (and ears) in the back of your head at this age.