Toddler Assault Course - any ideas, tips, recommendations???

[looneytune]

My ds2 (22 months) and one of my toddler mindees (21 months) don't stop climbing. They've both been doing it for months now but are getting more and more adventurous and well, they scare me at times!! LOL I know it's great to allow them to develop these physical skills but I'd love to find a safer way than the constant climbing on tables then onto the sofa, running across it, bouncing then diving!!!

We're out and about a lot which is great but I'd love to find an alternative to my furniture when it comes to being at home, as I can't make lunch or prepare activities without having to strap them into highchairs for their own safety!

I've seen something online but it's £995!!!! link here. Anyone know of a MUCH cheaper option? I'm sure I could use stuff we have here, I'm just too frazzled to think atm .

Right, I'm not working for the rest of the day so I'm off to make a cuppa and do some more searching on the net

Any help would be much appreciated

We had a long hallway in our old house and we used large cushions, on the floor, pop up tunnels and large cuddly toys to make an assault course for our boys.

You can get pop up tunnels pretty cheaply.

any good?

I don't know the answer but I am going to lurk on this thread because I think it's a great idea and it's coming into winter over here so am going to need all the indoor help I can get.

also might be time to review your house rules lol??

Eglu - I've got a pop up tunnel and 2 pop up tents and they think it's so funny to dive on TOP of them and knock the tents down!! Seriously, they used to do this great but now it all ends up collapsed and they aren't using them properly so looking for more ideas. We used to have a hall in our old house but unfortunately this house has just a little porch. So the space we have indoors is the lounge and playroom (they have more space between but nowhere to put anything like this.

BOYS - that would be FAB if I could afford a couple of hundred pounds I wish I could but dh is out of work and we're skint basically so whatever I get/use will have to be much cheaper. If only I had more Tesco vouchers collected, I could get something better!

I interpreted that as a course where you're assaulted by toddlers. Anyway...

I reckon you can make one from beanbags to jump on, pop up tunnels, tents, carboard boxes etc for them to crawl through etc

Those soft play things look fab. Do they make them for adults? I always feel jealous when we go to soft play areas cos I really, really want to play too.

oh just seen your response about space.

What about beanbags?

How about things like:
Pop up tunnel, hoops, a paddling pool with balls (maybe to land in when jumping off something?)

I can't think of something to climb onto though?

Have you thought of buying a cheap bouncy castle? They are great for burning off excess toddler energy and not too pricey, and seem to sell on well.

Boys - LOL about the house rules. I have tried and they aren't listening (I find boys take a lot longer, in general, to start co-operating! ). But at the same time as still trying to deal with this behaviour (as my house rules include respecting furniture, no standing on it etc. etc), I do know this is a developmental stage so feel I should be providing an alternative. I swear when they do the 'diving' it's like they're jumping off a bridge doing a bungy jump or something

Today it was just them 2 but normally I'd had 4 of them (aged 3 and under, although the other 2 are EASY in comparison and don't worry me at all)

FrakkedUpTheElection - yes, beanbags, oh I'm sure I've got a big one in the loft!! And spare pillows!! Right, this is more like it. I'd LOVE to get the soft play bits but it's just way too expensive for me and would cost about the same as I get for this little mindee in TWO MONTHS (only comes 2 mornings a week) so couldn't justify right now. As for soft play areas - I do play with it all too LOL

JennyPenny - that's great, have all those and done them all separately but hadn't put them together like that. Would have to be an outdoor activity though as I wouldn't have enough room to put all in the house in one room (our paddling pool is BIG LOL). I have thought about a bouncy castle but I reckon it would take up most of my garden? Unless they do smaller ones than my cm friend has? We are going to be getting a big trampoline (dh finally agreed although we don't have a great big garden) but I think these are for older children. We have a toddler trampoline and they do use it before I think it's the climbing high up they really like!!

Sorry cross posted there

I like this!! may even be able to fit indoors???

Looney - I have looked into bouncey castles a lot recently so might be able to help.

We bought one similar to what you linked to, but found it wasn't very "bouncey" as it doesn't have a continuous pump. But maybe a good option for you as you are wanting it inside (We have a big garden so wanted something bigger, so sold it on.)

We now borrow FILS which is more like this:
direct.tesco.com/product/images/?R=205-8129&tn=/9/SS10205-8129TPS607254.jpg which is sooo much better if space isn't an option, as its like a proper bouncey castle.

Have you got a trampoline? Maybe one of those small ones with the handles might be OK for inside?

I love my beanbag. I'm sitting on it right now. And it's fun to jump on and roll on and generally be a kid about...

Can you get some old cushions and tie them together with bungee ropes and string? So climb onto cushions, dive off them landing on top of bean bag. Maybe also use a child height chair so long as they aren't totally crazy and likely to end up with a chair leg in the eye?

What about one of those ikea stool things to climb p and over too?

Jenny - thanks for the info, I won't bother with that one then. And the other is too big and too expensive but looks fab Yes, the toddler trampoline I've got is the sort with the bar across. They do like it but I reckon they'd climb onto the table/sofa THEN jump on it

Navy - LOL, will rope dh in and we'll test ds2 over the weekend with something like that. I have various kiddie sized chairs but yes, it's the leg in the eye I'd worry about as together they ARE crazy (remembering I'd have 4 in total of course! ) Oh, this is going to be fun!!

FrakkedUpTheElection - sounds like you're a big kid yourself!!

Do you have lots of other mindees as well or could you get them to a local Tumble Tots session as that's exactly what Tumble Tots is, it's like dog agility but for Todlers!

Big empty cardboard boxes to crawl through? You could get creative and hang bits from the ceiling (of the box)

Unfortunately I have 4 aged 3 and under each day so this isn't possible. Also, my local tumble tots is not on the days I have mindee. I just have this little one on Tuesday and Friday mornings. Tuesdays aren't too bad as we're at the children's centre and they have soft pieces to climb on etc. (but I still have to keep close on him and ds2, even though I also have 2 more aged 2 and under). I was thinking about doing local soft play on Friday mornings but last mindee isn't dropped off until 9.30am and because I have a pre-school run, I'd have to leave that place by 11.30 at the latest meaning we'd not get much more than an hour there and it will have cost between £10-£15 I think. Would definitely like to take ds2 to tumble tots at the weekend but he already does swimming and we have ds1 to think about as well so not sure we can commit to it.

Carrotgirl - yes, I think I'll try the boxes as it's been a while. Just can see them diving on top of them like they do the pop up stuff!!

@ "dog agility but for Toddlers"

What about some of those big exercise balls... love the post giving me some good ideas. big balls

what about space hoppers
www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=space+hopper&tag=googhydr-21&index=toys&hvadid= 4

We also needed soft play but it was beyond budget.

Trawl through cheapie shops just looking for inflatable bits. We found:

Inflatable rubber dinghy

Inflatable pool beds and pool toys

Air beds

Inflatable tunnels, ramps etc (a set in Argos)

And got a very cheap electrical pump (often included with airbeds)

Argos, charity shops, TK Max and toystores had the best pickings.

I take my three to the local soft play every Thursday without fail, I can only afford to do it because they do a membership scheme which is £10 per month. We go for 2.5hrs each time and there's always a craft activity there as well so although I pay for the memberships myself I feel we get good value for money. I keep costs down by taking packed lunches and trying my hardest not to buy any coffee there! I don't think I'd be so interested in going was it not for my DD (29m) enjoying it so much, I've taken her to various soft play centres since she was 5m and I couldn't just stop her going once I became a CM.