A child’s first steps is one of the most eagerly anticipated milestones of early childhood, commemorated with sweet videos and lots of applause. But new parents might not realize that a child’s first steps often foreshadow another major milestone: climbing.
Toddlers (and even some older babies) can become prolific climbers, reaching for anything and everything to pull themselves up to new heights. It’s cute, but also a little scary for parents worried about their little ones falling or pulling things down on their heads. If your toddler seems more like a mountain goat than a kid, these toddler climbing tips are for you.
Why toddlers climb
Curious creatures that they are, tots are eager to explore their world vertically. Toddlers may try to climb as soon as they're able to crawl (which can happen around 8 or 9 months), although many kids won’t start climbing in earnest until they're 18 to 24 months old.
Think of your child’s climbing habit as a natural progression of his developing mobility. First he can hold his head up, then he can sit up, then he can crawl, which gives him a whole new access to the world around him.
With climbing, he gets even more ways to practice motor skills, balance and hand-eye coordination. He can also develop his sense of spatial relations, meaning where objects and people are in relation to each other.
Toddlers are quick to take their stacking skills and rapidly developing coordination to new heights — literally. (If I put my stool on top of the couch, I can reach that lamp … )
Just how not every kid crawls, not every toddler will feel the urge to climb. But for those who do, their parents have the challenge of keeping their little ones safe from tumbles and other harm, especially since toddlers have a limited conception of what's dangerous and what's not.
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How to get a toddler to stop climbing on everything
You can't — and shouldn't try — to stop a toddler from climbing outright. It's yet another way for him to learn about his environment and gain confidence in his abilities.
That said, climbing unsafe surfaces (like bookshelves and wobbly chairs) or climbing unsupervised puts your child at risk of falling.
An estimated 2.2 million kids ages 14 and under receive treatment every year for fall-related injuries — and children 4 and under account for more than half of these incidents. Toddlers are especially prone to falling from windows and play equipment, while babies often fall from furniture and stairs.
Thankfully, you can let your toddler climb safely by following some basic guidelines:
- Provide safe outlets. Let him climb to his heart's content on indoor and outdoor play gyms, and buy a sturdy children's step stool so he can access out-of-reach toys or books without resorting to makeshift (and tip-prone) climbing structures. You can also make obstacle courses out of pillows and have your kid practice on steps in your home under your watchful eye.
- Anticipate accidents. You already babyproofed your house — now it's time to climb-proof it, too, by securing heavy furniture (especially dressers, which are a leading cause of injuries) and by putting away potential dangers. (Get more climbing-specific childproofing tips below.)
- Remain on catch duty. You'll need to supervise a climb-happy kid vigilantly. No matter where or what he's climbing, stay nearby in case he takes a tumble — or wants to scale something unsafe.
- Set clear, firm rules. Be consistent with your little one about which things he is allowed to climb and what's off-limits.
- Intervene when things get unsafe. If your toddler ignores your warnings about climbing off-limits objects, remove him from the situation and redirect him to a safer climbing activity.
How to get a toddler to stop climbing out of the crib
At some point, your little one will likely attempt to climb out of his crib. Your little Houdini's escape attempts aren't just a nuisance — they also put him at risk of falling and hitting his head.
As with any kind of climbing, be clear with your toddler that crib climbing is unsafe and not allowed. If the behavior persists, there are a few things you can do to keep him safe and limit his ability to scale the crib.
- Set the mattress on the lowest setting, if you have an adjustable crib.
- Stash stuffed animals and pillows out of the crib. He can potentially use them as stepping stones to freedom (and falls).
- Move large furniture away from the crib, so that he doesn’t bump himself on hard objects if he escapes or use them as part of his escape plan. (You can also put sofa cushions or folded quilts on the floor to soften a potential landing.)
- Add a safety gate across your toddler’s door. This will keep him from roaming around the house and getting into even more trouble if he does escape his bed.
If your kiddo consistently tries to climb out of his crib, it might be time to transition to a toddler bed (even if he’s younger than the recommended 2½ or 3 years of age for this change). For kids who attempt to climb out once or twice, it's probably okay to keep them in their cribs for the time being.
How to keep climbing toddlers safe
Beyond the best practices outlined above, you'll want to brush up on some childproofing basics to keep your climbing toddler safe at home (and reduce some of the temptation to climb). Here are some good places to start:
- Install baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Properly-secured baby gates will keep your little one from sneaking off to practice his stair-climbing skills under your nose. Screw gates at the top of the stairs into the wall. Keep the gates closed at all times when not in use.
- Anchor large furniture securely. You may have skipped that step when building IKEA furniture in college, but anchoring furniture ensures that it won’t cause serious injury to children. Using mounts, brackets, braces, anchors or wall straps, secure standing bookshelves, dressers, desks and chests to the wall or the floor to prevent tip-overs. Mount or fasten TVs to the wall as well.
- Close and latch all drawers and cabinets. Safety latches and locks keep kids from accessing medicines, sharp objects or other unsafe items, and your toddler has much more vertical reach now than he did as a baby.
- Store ladders, stools and rickety furniture out of the way. If it's wobbly, it’s not safe around a climb-happy toddler.
- Keep chairs, stools and other furniture away from windows. Your toddler may try to climb up onto a windowsill if given the opportunity — don’t give it to him.
- Limit visual temptations. Placing desirable items (like a confiscated toy or his favorite treats) in view on high shelves can incite unsafe climbing. Make sure they're out of sight to reduce the temptation.
- Keep go-to climbing areas safe. If your little one loves climbing onto the sofa, for example, add extra padding in the form of a mat or spare pillows around it to lessen the blow of an unexpected tumble.
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