Very clever ideas needed: climbing frame in our garden is too big for our DCs (we rent)

[SobranieCocktail]

Title says it all really. Our DCs are 2 and 4, and the climbing frame is prob suitable for age 7+

It;s got a fabulous sort of gangway which is about 6 or 7 foot high and goes through a tree. The DCs can easily climb up to it, but if they fell off (and there are no safety railings) they would definitely be badly hurt.

Basically I can't take my eye off my DCs even for a second in the garden as they make a beeline for it, so I'm wondering if anyone can think of clever ways of making it safer.

I don't suppose putting wood chip underneath would help?

Can you staple netting to the sides of the gangway to the handrail, if there is one?

If they're tiny enough that may be enough to prevent any serious tumbles, and I agree, wood bark underneath would help.

I'm not sure...how much cushioning would that provide? It really is quite a big drop!

There's no handrail, unfortunately. I'm trying to think of clever ways to assemble netting under the whole shebang, but there's nothing to attach it to.

Any more ideas?

Put smooth wooden panels over the bottom of the ladders / access points so that they can't climb up?

B&S - yeah...I think that mght be the only way forward. Tis a shame though as it's a great fun climbing frame...just too old for them.

Could you 'create' some sort of side to the walkway by tying ropes to it, or to the trees it goes through, and then use netting to fill in the gaps? The ropes could act as a sort of handrail. Sorry - difficult to describe!

I was going to suggest what Benny&Swoon said (like they do on ladders on bunkbeds in furniture shops to stop children climbing on them)