Climbing Frames UK – Half Term Activities

February 9th, 2012

Half terms are generally met with mixed emotions amongst families. Delight from the children and dread from the parents. Of course outdoor play equipment and climbing frames can be something of a life saver come those times when everyone has cabin fever and the children just need to let off some steam (and we need a few minutes peace). A few hours spent in the fresh air running around and tiring themselves out (fingers crossed) is priceless.

However, we understand families like to spend at least one day of the half term out and about. Their climbing frame will still be there once they return home. We’ve done some rooting around on the world wide web and found some fantastic activities that take place mainly in the great outdoors.

Den Building.

What we do is all about embracing the outdoors and being adventurous and the following activity sounds perfect for that. At King Barrow Ridge, Stonehedge you can spend a few hours exploring the fields and woods, build a den and gather round a camp fire for a round of Kumbaya or toasted marshmallows.
The Details:
King Barrow Ridge, Stonehenge.
01980 664780, Visitwiltshire.co.uk
16th Feb 2-4.30pm
Children £3, supervising adults, free.

Jimmy’s Farm.

If farms and animals are what your children love to do then taking a trip to Jimmy’s Farm in Ipswich could be the perfect day trip. Jimmy is well known for being Jamie Oliver’s friend and champion of rare breed animals. As well as the gorgeous restaurant which serves delicious and hearty food there is also the nature trail, woodland walk and adventure playground. Children have a chance to meet rare breed pigs, sheep, chickens, goats, rabbits and even alpacas. There’s the chance to feed hungry lambs and even watch lambs being born.
The Details:
Jimmy’s Farm, Ipswich, Suffolk.
01473 604206, www.jimmysfarm.com
Open 7 days a week. Feeding times between 11am and 2pm
Some activities cost whilst others remain free.

Snowdrops by Starlight.

For those readers in Scotland, particularly the Fife area, there is a rare opportunity to witness the sheer beauty of nature (with a little help from enchanting lighting). The Cambo estate showcases 300 species of snowdrop and with the addition of light and sound the 70 acres is transformed into a magical woodland where children can hunt for fairies and adults can simply enjoy their surroundings.
The Details:
Cambo Estate, Fife
Snowdropsbystarlight.com
11th – 19th Feb
Be sure to pre-book. £9 per adult Monday to Thursday and £12 Friday to Sunday. Children 3-16, £5.50

Bushcraft Lessons.

Now this is one for all those budding Bear Grylls characters out there. Whinlatter Forest in Cumbria has enlisted the help of bushcraft leaders to teach children to survive in the wild using only natural materials and skill. They will have the chance to build shelters, make a fire from flint and steel, cook on a campfire and much more.
The Details:
Whinlatter Forest, Keswick, Cumbria.
Keswickcanoeandbushcraft.co.uk
12th Feb, 1pm-4pm
£10 per child

Dragon Hunting.

Those braver ones amongst us will love the idea of hunting down their very own dragon. Dunster Castle, Somerset has introduced treasure trails amongst the castle grounds. Children can follow the trails in the hope of finding the Dragon’s lair. There are prizes for all those who make it to their destination.
The Details:
Dunster Castle, Somerset.
Nationaltrust.org.uk
11th-19th Feb
£2 per trail in addition to normal garden admission – £4.70 per adult and £2.20 per child

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Climbing Frames UK & Forest Schools

February 2nd, 2012

For years we have been selling climbing frames and singing the praises of outdoor play. There are huge physical benefits to getting children out of the house and out of their comfort zone and it would seem that people are realising the great outdoors can also have huge educational benefits. The concept of Forest Schools is a Scandinavian one which focuses on nature and movement as a means of aiding child development.

Leaving stuffy and overheated classrooms behind offers children the chance to put learning into context. They have tangible objects and situations they can relate their learning. It may seem like a slightly scary concept to those who, quite understandably, equate learning with classrooms, pens and paper. However Forest Schools can improve children’s social skills, concentration, health, initiative and independence, considerably.

Lessons take place 36 weeks of the year for 1-2 hours at a time. A big part of the lessons is to introduce children to risk. Today’s world is one which children are wrapped in cotton wool and warned of the dangers of almost everything. Why venture out into the big bad world when they can sit comfortably in the safety of their own home and live a virtual life through technology? Forest Schools (and our climbing frames )work to combat this and encourage things like climbing trees. Climbing trees teaches the concept of meeting a challenge head on and overcoming it. Children learn a sense of achievement and ambition.

Here is a short video on what Forest schools actually are:

Do your children attend Forest Schools? What are your thoughts on them?

 

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The Climbing Frames UK Potty List

January 19th, 2012

As experts in outdoor play equipment and climbing frames we are strong believers in letting children be children. Our younger years are for carefree, wild, fun not worries and stresses. That’s why when we spotted a potty list for toddler’s causing a buzz on the internet we were quite interested to see what was on it.

The idea of a potty list, a children’s version of a bucket list, is to list all of the things a child should have done by their third birthday. We loved the ideas on there. They range from old fashioned fun to mischief and a little bit of naughtiness. In there is to make a mud pie, break something valuable and wear pants on their head. Noticeably no electronic toys or TV related activities featured.

We thought we would come up with a few additions of our own. As our climbing frames range from 3-10 years our potty list is more of a ‘Things to do before you reach 10’.

1. Whizz down a slide.
2. Be pushed so high on a swing you think you’re going to go right over the swing beam.
3. Sneak up a slide the wrong way.
4. Learn to swing yourself.
5. Go from one end of the monkey bars to the other…solo.
6. Hang upside down from a trapeze bar.
7. Bounce so high on a trampoline you scare yourself.
8. Be brave enough to swing higher than your brother/sister.
9. Race to the highest point of your climbing frame and declare you are King of the castle.
10. Create your very own den, complete with secret password and secret handshake.

Outdoor play equipment is ideal for allowing children to let loose and really run wild in the safety of their own home.

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Outdoor play enhances sleep

January 11th, 2012

In a world filled with iPads, Nintendos and Xboxs, outdoor play equipment like climbing frames and swingsets can sometimes be overlooked. The National Wildlife Federation has released a new parent guide advising parents that in fact outdoor play can enhance children’s sleep.

The report claims that children in the U.S spend on average 7 hours and 38 mins a day looking at electronic entertainment. Some parents may be questioning why their children are losing between 10-14 hours sleep a week, and NWF suggest it could be their choice of toys.

Exposure to natural daylight has an effect on our internal body clock so the time children spend on their climbing frame or swing set could help prepare them for a better and earlier night’s sleep. It also works to elevate moods and keep children alert during the day.

The NWF also explain that nature has a calming effect on children and often acts as a place to escape to from the various stresses and pressures of their life. Research has also shown that time spent outdoors can help those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder concentrate for longer.

Being outdoors encourages exercise, and outdoor play equipment such as climbing frames means children are running, jumping, climbing, sliding, swinging, all of which help to improve their strength and flexibility. All the while the body is producing the happy hormones endorphins, enhancing their sense of well being and putting their mind at rest before bed time.

As if you needed any more reasons to invest in outdoor play what could be better than enhancing children’s sleep? Here is a little guideline of how much sleep your children should be getting.

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The Benefits of Monkey Bars

January 5th, 2012

We all remember monkey bars from our childhood don’t we? They were the perfect opportunity to show off just how brave we were. Swinging from bar to bar and finally reaching the end felt like such a huge achievement.

When designing and manufacturing our climbing frames we pay special attention to the features we include. It is important to us that children get as much enjoyment out of their swing set as possible, so the more exciting and varied the features the better. Buying a climbing frame with monkey bars is a fabulous way to increase the longevity of the swing set. Whilst the younger children may be content on the swings and slide, not yet ready to attempt the monkey bars, older children will love the sense of adventure they bring. Also if your children are still quite young the addition of the monkey bars means the climbing frame will continue to offer new challenges for years to come.

It is great to offer children a variety of challenges. By taking on a challenge and completing it they are learning how great it is to achieve something and this will hopefully spur them on to keep challenging themselves and keep aspiring to reach certain goals. Swinging above the ground can seem a little daunting at first but it is always great to encourage children to come out of their comfort zone and try new things.

It goes without saying that monkey bars add that little extra excitement to a climbing frame, however, as well as being great fun they also have huge health and learning benefits. Getting to grips with monkey bars teaches and improves co-ordination as well as strength.

Monkey bars create the real sense of an adventure playground in your own back garden. Perfect for keeping little monkeys occupied and enjoying themselves for hours.

 

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Advice on Building your Climbing Frame

December 16th, 2011

Many of you will have brought a climbing frame from us in the last few weeks ready to surprise your children on Christmas day. We know that at Christmas everything needs to be done 1000 times faster and with the least amount of hassle possible. For that very reason we have asked our Parts Specialist, Matt Chittock, to give his top tips for a successful climbing frame build. Working with our climbing frames day in, day out, Matt is a man who really knows what he is talking about.

The Key to Assembly Success.

1. Before you start lay out all the parts and check them off. The easiest way of identifying a part is by its length.

2. Notice how many holes there are on each piece and where they are located. This helps with identification.

3. Sort all screws, bolts, washers into piles.

4. Make sure to erect the climbing frame on as flat a surface as possible.

5. A cordless drill can save a lot of time and effort. If you don’t have one please click here

6. Climbing frames are large pieces of outdoor equipment and although it is possible for one person to assemble them on their own, we recommend two or more people.

7. Remember to drill pilot holes (sized 1/8th of an inch) before mounting lag screws.

8. Make sure you keep bolts loose and tighten on completion of the build.

9. Remember to firmly anchor the unit to the ground before using the ground anchors provided.

10. We recommend that you apply a wood sealant or protection at least once per year. Proper care and maintenance will help maintain the beauty of the set as well as ensure the maximum life of the frame.

Another little tip is to part assemble the climbing frame and perhaps keep the sections in a shed or garage. This way when the big build comes on Xmas Eve there is less time spent building and more time spent sampling mince pies and enjoying the festivities.

 

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Climbing Frames UK’s Adventurer of the Week

December 8th, 2011

This week we want to celebrate the true adventurous spirit of a woman adventurer. If anyone has brought one of our climbing frames or swing sets for their children they will know that the little ladies can be just as daring and brave as the young men.

Felicity Aston from  South East England is on track to becoming the first woman to cross Antarctica alone. The 1700km ski is estimated to take her 70 days and a lot of muscle power as she pulls all her supplies along on a sled. Felicity’s aim was to reach her destination on the 100th year anniversary of Roald Amundsen’s expedition (one of our very own Wednesday Adventurers) but the bad weather conditions have put her 5 days behind schedule. Clearly a great lover of the cold weather, Felicity has spent the last decade getting involved with various exciting adventures and expeditions. There was the first British women’s crossing of Greenland, a 700km winter crossing of the frozen Lake Baikal in Siberia and a rather adventurous expedition in Iceland. She was also part of the first ever, all-female team to complete the Polar Challenge, a 360-mile endurance race to the magnetic north pole.

Battling extreme winds, snow, freezing temperatures, blisters from her skis and not to mention a little loneliness Felicity is doing us all proud and ploughing (or skiing) on. We know she would think nothing of scaling our climbing frames in the snow, wind or rain.

 

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Sports medicine specialists call for P.E testing in schools.

December 2nd, 2011

Outdoor play equipment – such as climbing frames and trampolines – in the home contribute hugely to keeping children active and healthy, however this is just half the struggle as active lifestyles should also be encouraged at school.

At a recent teachers’ conference in London, sports medicine specialists stressed the need for P.E to be treated as seriously as other core subjects such as English and Maths. This would mean the next generation of adults will be more conscious of the positive benefits of remaining healthy and keeping fit. Currently the NHS spends £4.2 billion every year on obesity related procedures and treatments and educating children to engage in exercise and to eat well should mean a drop in this enormous figure.

Taking it a step further sports medicine specialist Dr Andy Franklyn-Miller suggested we should be looking to introduce testing within P.E lessons in order to monitor children’s progress. His argument being that without testing, no improvement or perhaps decline in skills can be monitored and no help can be given to those children that are struggling with physical activities. There was some opposition from the members of the National Union of Teachers who felt that testing wasn’t appropriate.

What are your thoughts? Should PE testing be introduced or would this reduce enthusiasm for physical education further?

 

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Climbing Frames UK – Wednesday Adventurer

November 23rd, 2011

It is impossible to discuss adventure and exploration without mentioning Sir Ranulph Fiennes. We love climbing frames and swingsets but more than that we love adventure and it doesn’t get more adventurous than Ranulph.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes is one of the most famous adventurers of our time. Born in the UK in 1944 and brought up in South Africa he went on to join, first the Royal Scots Greys, and then the SAS. Sir Ranulph is what we would call at CFUK, something of a real-life super hero. Amongst his long, long list of achievements he was the first to reach both Poles, the first to cross the Antarctic and Arctic Ocean, he led the first hover craft expedition up the world’s longest river (the Nile) and has climbed Mount Everest not once but four times raising millions of pounds for charity.

Proving his super human abilities further, just 3 months after suffering a massive heart attack, 3 day coma and double bypass Ranulph achieved the first 7x7x7 (seven marathons in seven consecutive days on all seven continents). In 1984 the Guinness Book of Records described him as ‘The World’s Greatest Living Explorer.’

What climbing frame would Ranulph buy: Topeka premium climbing frame.

It goes without saying that only our biggest, bestest most adventurous climbing frame will do for ‘The world’s greatest living explorer.’ There are two 14ft rocket slides, perfect for racing across the garden. And it’s not quite Everest but the play deck is 7ft off the ground and there is a lot of climbing, playing and exploring to do around the multi-level play deck area.

 

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30 Deals of November: Week 4

November 18th, 2011

This is the last full week of our huge climbing frame promotion. Since the beginning of November we have been offering a deal a day on one of our spectacular climbing frames. We know that many of you like to buy swingsets for your children for Xmas and we have timed the promotion just right so you have time to order, receive and build your chosen climbing frame.

Monday 21st: Balmoral swingset

Tuesday 22nd: Windemere with straight slide

Wednesday 23rd: Panorama

Thursday 24th: Belfort

Friday 25th: Summerville

Saturday 26th: Summerville

Sunday 27th: Summerville

To view the climbing frames click here

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