Opinons on these please???

[mamadiva]

My main concerns are

Will it last?
Is it big enough adventurous enough for a 3YO?
Is the slide a decent size?

Berchet Climber
Little Tikes Jungle
Little Tikes Expadition

Personally I'd so 'no' to any of them for a 3yo, but as always, it depends on the 3yr old. How do they measure up to what he/she likes to play on in a playground? To me, they all look good for an 18mo. A 3 year old might have a bit of a fun, but not for long.

Would you be better off going for something bigger, but second hand?

It's a tricky one, cos we got an unexpected inheritance and got DD (nearly 3) a huge (and embarrassingly pricey) TP climbing frame recommended for 4yo - 12yo, on the basis it would at least last and it was definintely the right decision. It's been up for 6 months and she can do the whole thing herself, uses it as a den etc etc. But then, climbing is her thing. Many of her (larger) mates struggle on it, so as usual, its horses for courses.

How much space do you have?

Hiya we have a fair bit of space but not masses can't think measurement size will have to get that sorted obviously.

Main concerns are money and the fact that we can't cement anything ino the ground as it is a housing association property so in a way that limits us.

I saw this one last night and have fell in love with it but costs way too much!

Must start putting on lottery me thinks

agree with mij........fine for the day he gets them, within a week tho, nope, no good..he will have got bored already.

put it this way, we got one for my 18mth DS2, put it against the wall, he climbed the 6ft wall instead......the teeny climbing frame was far far too 'babyish' for him.

if you can save up, get a monsterous huge thing that will last.

I agree with Mij. They all look pretty small. But i was to see the last one says 5-10yrs. I really can't see my 4,6 and 9 yr olds on that.

All too young for a 3 year old ime and with no growing room.

We bought something very close to this for our son when 3 and he still loves it now he is eight.

What about something like this and this which joins onto the one in my 1st link?

I looked at that too Tortoise but far too big for our garden! And we can't cement it in so think I need plastic or wood.

Not sure though.

We would only have room for the tower with slide but nothing else.

There are a few much cheaper TP-look-alike sets out there mamadiva, and again I'd suggest you try ebay/freecycle for local pick-up climbing frames (far fewer bidders cos often the sellers/givers away want you to dismantle it yourself and of course it's collection only). But that does mean waiting until the right thing comes up. Oh, or netmums local notice board perhaps?

Also, we live in a rented property, and our landlord (admittedly not a HA) didn't mind us digging a pretty large hole cos our garden is quite slopey, and we needed a flatish surface (we plan to be in this house for several years!). If you or your DP are a bit handy, it's possible to drill some kind of fixing device into a metal frame and peg it into the ground, like you do with the wooden ones.