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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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 World’s Most Imaginative Outdoor Play Equipment

January 3rd, 2012

We like to think our outdoor play equipment is pretty fantastic but whilst scouring the internet we discovered some truly awesome playgrounds from across the globe.

Denmark


Japan


Kuala Lumpur

Australia

France


USA

What do you think?

To create your very own adventure playground sneak a peek at our outdoor play equipment.

 

 

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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 9th, 2011

After looking back through our Wednesday adventurer blogs it has come to our attention that all these adventurers are male. Our climbing frames  and outdoor play equipment are for girls and boys alike so we thought it was about time that we evened up the battle of the sexes and gave a female adventurer the chance to shine.

This Wednesday’s adventurer is Amelia Earhart who was born in Kansas in 1897. She was the 16th woman to gain a pilot’s license and the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. This fascination with aviation first began in 1920 when she took her first flight in an aeroplane. From then on she took various different jobs from photographer to truck driver to be able to afford flying lessons.

So intent on looking like a professional pilot Amelia slept in her leather pilot’s jacket for three nights in a row to give it a more worn in appearance. After a life spent championing women and their worth, Earhart went missing over the central Pacific Ocean whilst attempting to travel around the globe.

Which climbing frame would Amelia buy?

The Grande Panorama:

With Amelia Earhart’s love of flying the trapeze on this fantastic set is really the reason we chose it for her. However it also has some other fantastic features such as a playhouse upstairs and downstairs.

 

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Climbing Frames UK Celebrates Halloween

October 28th, 2011

 

Here at Climbing Frames UK we will use any excuse to celebrate. The best thing about working with outdoor play equipment, climbing frames, trampolines and other really cool stuff is that it is basically required that we have fun.

The Selwood cottage is up for grabs at the moment and all of our Facebook friends have the opportunity to win it. So we decided in the honour of Old Hallow’s Eve we would recruit the help of a five year-old Witch and seven year-old Vampire to help us decorate the playhouse.

Here are some before and after photos.

We would love to see you cover your climbing frames in cobwebs or transform your trampoline.

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Climbing Frames – Wednesday Adventurer

October 26th, 2011

Along with our passion for outdoor play equipment and climbing frames we love adventure and fun. Every other Wednesday we want to tell you a little about the adventurers we admire. Getting the children out of the house and into the garden exploring their surroundings is a fantastic way of encouraging their imagination.

Adventurer Brian Jones would definitely have loved our climbing frames and outdoor play equipment as a child. In 1999 Brian and his companion Bertrand Piccard managed to pilot a balloon non-stop around the world for the very first time in history. The former RAF pilot and his Swiss team-mate took off on Monday 1st March, in a balloon called the Orbiter Breitling 3, and landed 21 days later.

They travelled a total of 46,666 km, the furthest a flight in history within the earth’s atmosphere by any type of flying machine. The balloon amazingly managed to reach altitudes of 38,507ft and speeds of 142 mph.

So what next for the balloon instructor and examiner? Brian is working on the Solar Impulse Project, a solar powered aeroplane which he hopes will travel around the world.

Who has been your favourite adventurer so far?

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Climbing Frame Recommendations – May 2010

May 6th, 2010

Climbing Frames UK are the number one location for wooden garden climbing frames and play equipment, including trampolines.

Below we have outlined our 3 best value climbing frame sets for May 2010 based on current sale prices. We have split the sets into categories, under £499, between £500 and £999 and over £1000. We see each swing set as excellent value for money and is our ‘best buy’ climbing frame available now for each price bracket described above.

Best Value Climbing Frame Under £499
The Columbia Playset is our best value Climbing Frame for under £499 because it has a large play deck, great swing features and compact layout. The price of the playset has been kept low by utilising a tarp cover rather than a fully wooden roof. The tarp is large enough to protect your children from rain or sunshine, and is strong enough to be left out all year because it is UV resistant and strong enough to withstand most weather conditions. The tarp roof is also feature a wooden trim . The single treehouse fort has a playdeck measuring approximately 1m 10cm square, with an amazing 1m 90cm headroom (max). The swing beam features the most popular swing accessories including 2 belt swings and a 2-child glider.

For Full details on the Columbia Climbing Frame please Click Here

Best Value Climbing Frame between £500 and £999

The Atlantis Playset is our best value Climbing Frame for under £499 because it has a large play deck, great swing features and compact layout. The Atlantis is a beautiful set with a fully wooden roof, a cabin and great set of features. The play deck is 1m 65cm by 1m 4cm, including a sundeck area. There’s over 1m 60cm headroom (max) in the cabin on the deck. There’s even a little serving wall under the playdeck, in addition to the solid rockwall and the useful flat step ladder. The swing beam features the most popular swing accessories including 2 belt swings and a 2-child glider.

For Full details of the Atlantis Climbing Frame please Click Here.

Best Value Climbing Frame Over £1000

The Highlander Playset is our best value Climbing Frame for over £1000 because it has a large play deck, great swing features and popular layout. Featuring 3 levels of play deck with internal flat step ladders to move from layer to layer. Children love the c

limbing and play within their own treehouse, especially the enclosed high level deck to the rear of the treehouse. There’s a 3m (10ft) super speedy wave slide and a 1.52m (5ft) rockwall to give a challenging way up to the centre play deck.

The swing beam features our most popular swing options with two belt swings and a 2-child glider, although remember other swing options such as a trapeze bar or baby seat are available as optional extras and are easily interchangeable with the belt swings. Below the play deck to the front is a large picnic table that can easily seat four children. For full product information and further images please click on the link below.

For full details of the Highlander Climbing Frame please Click Here.

Climbing Frames UK currently have fantastic sales on all of the above products with delivery taking 5-7 days from date of order why not grab yourself a bargain and make the most of the glorious summer ahead. Please visit www.climbingframesuk.com to view our full range of climbing frames.

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