After a very mild winter and only a handful of rainy days, I am beginning to see the early signs of Spring. The days are getting a bit longer and we’ve had plenty of sunshine…perfect for enjoying the outdoors. We’ve already had our first official playdate of the season and my son, in particular is gearing up for a Spring and Summer filled with running, jumping, climbing, and outdoor exploring.
In a society that is driven by technology, it’s too easy to allow children an overabundance of screen time. Play…imaginative, active, cooperative play that engages the senses requires a more strategic approach. This year, I’ve been selected to be part of Step2’s Test Drive Team. Having purchased and used their products for my children, I already had a familiarity with the brand that makes incredible toys for toddlers and preschoolers. This year, Step2 is introducing brand new products that I think are going to delight and inspire parents and children.
To celebrate my involvement with the program, I threw a backyard playdate to show some of my closest friends and their children one of their newest innovations, Skyward Summit, a backyard climber that has the look and feel of a rock climbing wall. My husband put the climber together in approximately 2-3 hours, and while it did take some time, the end result was so worth it.
I can’t truly convey how excited my son was to climb grab the flag that sits at the top of the climber. At four, it’s a challenge that isn’t impossible for him to achieve. With four unique climbing surfaces, children of varying ages will enjoy the many ways to experience play on this climber. There is this middle section that allows children to peer out from the top and both my son and my daughter can’t get enough of that area. The climber is incredibly sturdy, attractive in appearance, and one of the most unique outdoor toys I’ve yet to see.
We had 2 families and our neighbors over for our backyard playdate. I decided to pick up some reusable lunch totes and snack containers and loaded them up with apples, juice boxes, baked chips, 100 calorie snacks, and more. Once the kids needed a break, they sat at our outdoor table with their new lunch bags and fueled up with the snacks I provided. Included in their lunch bags was individual paint kits to create their own suncatchers and some of the homemade play dough I made earlier in the week. It provided a creative break when the kids needed a bit of downtime.
Because the climber really does require that children be supervised during use, I stood outside with the moms I invited over and we talked about how surprised we were with the games the children made up while playing on the climber. They used the flag and dreamed up this game of tag and it was all focused on the Skyward Summit. I had never really thought about using the climber in this way. I love that the children drew from their imaginations to create this game. Check out this video of our playdate and some of the responses from the moms:
Step2’s Skyward Summit sits 80 inches tall and features more than 100 square feet of area for climbing. There are 2 climbing cargo nets, a floor net, and nine grips. As I mentioned above, I highly recommend that parents supervise children (particularly younger children) while playing, climbing, and exploring. The climber is appropriate for children between the ages of 4 and 8 and for weight purposes, no more than 4 children should climb at once. For more information, visit Step2.
And be sure to check out the company’s Creative Play Plus blog which serves as a resource for parents and features the latest research on creative play and child development.
No compensation was received for this post. As part of Step2’s Test Drive Program, I receive products for which I provide my honest feedback. I also received a reimbursement for the snacks provided at our playdate.
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How fun! I love this idea and take on a revamped chil outdoor play set. Certainly not your boring swing and slide combo. : )
i would love to sit at the top of this cool structure :)) looks fun!
that is AWESOME!!! what a great toy for kids to play with and be creative!!
OMG I want that climbing tower! I especially like that it doesn’t take a whole huge east coast sized back yard to set it up. We’re so cramped here in CA. I couldn’t fit a full sized swingset with climbing wall like I wanted. This is awesome 🙂
Very cool! My girls would have loved this.
OMG i NEED that for my son! He would love it, must have!
this looks like such a fun way to spend the day with the family. the kids would love it!