❚ This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you buy products or sign up for services through links on our site, but this never affects our recommendations.

Best climbing frames for outdoors and indoors in 2025

Which are the best children’s climbing frames? We've picked the ones most rated by our child and parent testers, in a range of sizes and prices, for different ages from toddler to teen

best climbing frame header

Published: April 30, 2025 at 9:05 AM

Save

Most children love to climb and, while taking the kids to the park is a great way to burn off some energy, nothing beats having an adventure in your own back garden with a climbing frame.

This versatile piece of kit can vary from a small plastic frame all the way up to huge wooden forts with climbing walls, sandpits and cargo nets.

As well as being a lot of fun to play on, climbing frames teach children how to navigate risk and help them to develop key skills including balance, strength and gross motor skills.

With the help of our child and parent testers, we have tested and rated loads of different climbing frames to select the 10 best in a range of sizes, price and age suitability.

Best climbing frames at a glance

Jump to:

Best climbing frames for kids in 2025

1. TP Toys Explorer Metal Climbing Frame Black Edition, £149.99

Available at: TP Toys

TP Toys Explorer Metal Climbing Frame Black Edition with child tester

Age: 18 months+ | Size: L208cm x W208cm x H201cm | Maximum user weight: 100kg | Main material: Steel | Warranty: Frame, 5 years (rust); all other parts, 1 year | Assembly time: 2 hours (2 adults)

Pros:

Cons:

If you're looking for a climbing frame that offers protection from the sun, this could be just the ticket. This model features covered den at the top that you reach by climbing the frame or using a cargo net. At the base, there's also a hexagonal ball pit/sandpit area for extra fun.

It's designed for toddler age and up, and the clever design allows the climbing frame to grow with your child, so the platform can be built at a low height (56cm) to begin with and then raised all the way up to 119cm in later years. The maximum child weight is very generous but we reckon that, for older kids – 8 years and up, say – it might be a little small.

My daughter loves it and has played with it every day since it's been built. I like that it has the cargo net, so they have different options for climbing up, and the playmat is a great feature to have for younger ones to play in, too, or for having a picnic in.

Lisa, mum of our child tester Chloe, 4

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

2. Plum Deimos Metal Dome, £119.99

Available at: Robert Dyas

Robert Dyas monkey climbing frame

Robert Dyas

Age: 3 to 6 | Size: H90 x W190 x D190cm

Pros:

Cons:

This very affordable climbing frame can be used indoors or outdoors. It is very lightweight, so super-easy to move around your house or garden. Kids can climb to the top of the dome, swing from the bars and make a camp inside. This type of interlocking open frame is great for developing problem-solving skills, as well as building upper and lower body strength. While its main use is climbing, we also like the potential for imaginative play. The dome shape lends itself well to becoming a den and we found that, with a couple of sheets and some pegs, it becomes a fun hideaway.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

3. FatMoose CleverClimber Club XXL, £699.99

Available at: Amazon

FatMoose CleverClimber Club

Age: 3+ | Size: L250cm x W105cm x H220cm | Maximum user weight: 100kg | Main material: Pressure-treated solid wood | Warranty: 10 years (all wooden parts) | Assembly time: 2 hours+ (2 adults)

Pros:

Cons:

This wooden, multi-activity climbing frame will keep your kids acrobatically busy with its ladders, cargo net, ropes and climbing wall. It's impressively compact for a climbing frame and we love how it can be tweaked to suit your children's needs. For example, you can extend the climbing wall to make it the full height of the frame or you can use the extra wooden boards to create a basketball ring backboard, as shown in our picture (the basketball ring is sold separately).

4. Dunster House Monkey Bars Climbing Frame, £314

Available at: Amazon

Dunster House Monkey Bars Climbing frame

Age: 3 to 14 | Size: L190cm x W315cm x H220cm | Maximum user weight: 100kg | Main material: Pressure-treated wood and steel | Warranty: 10 years (insect infestations and fungal decay) | Assembly time: 1 day (2 adults)

Pros:

Cons:

This is the climbing frame for kids who just love to swing. It's big – though perhaps not as big as you'd think from the picture – and very tall (over 2 metres), so it's suitable right up to early teenage years. Because of the height, though, we'd recommend thinking about placing safety mats underneath to cushion any potential falls.

The wood is thick, solid and great quality, though you may want to add a layer of varnish to protect it even more from the weather, and there are really strong metal braces at all the key joints. But it is a monster job putting it all together: you'll need a drill (no pre-cut holes) and a whole day of careful instruction-following. It comes with anchor points included and it's recommended that you place it on a level surface at least 2m from any structure or overhanging branches/wires.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

5. Wickey MultiFlyer Climbing Frame with Wooden Roof, £599

Available at: Amazon and ManoMano

A collage of Wickey Multiflyer outside in the garden with kids playing on it alongside the studio shot of the product

Age: 3 to 12 | Size: L288cm x W429cm x H263cm | Maximum user weight: 100kg | Main material: Pressure-treated wood | Warranty: 10 years | Assembly: 5 hours (3 adults)

Pros:

Cons:

This wide, wooden climbing frame boasts a climbing wall, ladder, slide, sandpit in the base and 2 swings, which can be swapped out for other swinging accessories such as rings or a trapeze. The platform at the top of the ladder has a ship’s wheel, lookout post and telescope, which make great props for loads of imaginative play.

You'll need to buy your own ground anchors (nothing is included). Slide available in a choice of 8 colours.

It really is the most brilliant piece of play equipment!

Parent tester Katie

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

6. Liberty House Toys Multipurpose Play Gym, £111.99

Available at: Robert Dyas

Liberty House Toys Multipurpose Play Gym

Robert Dyas

Age: 2+

Pros:

Cons:

Now here's a climbing frame you can design – and re-design – yourself. This giant plastic construction set comes with parts which you plug together to create a ton of different designs , including cubes, tunnels, pyramids, play towers and even mountains. This is great if you have children of different ages, as the little ones can climb on the lower grids and the slightly older or more adventurous ones can go a bit higher. You can also start off building a lower frame and then tweak the design as your child grows to make it more challenging.

It’s really robust and we love how versatile it is. You can change the arrangement, buy extra pieces and also accessories.

Parent tester Tanya

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

7. UFO Den & Climbing Frame, £199.99

Available at: TP Toys

UFO den and climbing frame

Age: 3+ | Size: L201cm x W217cm x H122cm | Maximum user weight: 100kg | Warranty: 1 year | Assembly time: 2 hours (2 people)

Pros:

Cons:

This cool UFO Den and Climbing Frame toy is sure to capture your child's imagination. With a climbing frame that goes up and over a floating den, it's got plenty of appeal for children of a variety of ages, plus, the swinging den is a perfect place for chilling out after all that climbing. The kit is strong and durable, and handles wet weather well. The den has a mesh floor which allows good ventilation and drainage when it rains, so you don't have to worry about it becoming too soggy.

I love it! I’m so high at the top, and I like going inside the den and hiding. It’s so cool.

Child tester Lily, 3

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

8. Active Tots Wooden Climbing Triangle, £69.99

Available at: Amazon and TP Toys

active tots climbing frame_

Age: 18 months+ | Size: L94.5cm x W29cm x H8.5cm | Maximum user weight: 100kg | Main material: Sustainable timber wood | Warranty: 1 year | Assembly time: Less than 30mins

Pros:

Cons:

With customisable interconnectivity, a beautiful simplistic design and an easy fold, this little wooden climbing frame brings physical play inside. It's suitable from 18 months old and is a safe way to build your child's strength and body awareness from a young age. The timber wood is from eco-friendly, sustainable sources and you can buy additional wooden accessories like slides, bridges, and tunnels to boost the play potential for your little climber.

My little one was so excited about this climbing frame. Once I'd built it (with ease), she took straight away to climbing it. She found it fairly easy to use and was so proud of herself each time she achieved getting over the top.

Parent tester Jennie

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

9. Jungle Gym Jungle Hut, £672

Available from: TP Toys and Jungle Gym

Jungle Hut Wooden Climbing Frame with slide

Age: 3 to 10 | Size: L320cm x W160cm x H290cm | Maximum user weight: 50kg | Main material: Wood | Warranty: 10 years (wood rot); 2 years (other parts) | Assembly times: 5 hours (2 adults)

Pros:

Cons:

Packing a lot into a small space, this climbing frame is reasonably narrow, so it'll fit in a smallish garden, but also stands quite tall and has multiple play areas, meaning it can hold up to 6 children at once. As well as the long wavy slide, there's a sandpit in the base and a shaded platform at the top of the ladder – complete with a 'starOscope' and steering wheel.

It’s not an easy building job, requiring a drill to make the holes (none of the wood is pre-drilled) and 2 pairs of hands to put it all together, but it's well worth it for the wow-factor. Ground anchors – essential for holding the climbing frame secure – are included in the price. Slide available in 6 colours.

What to look for when choosing a climbing frame

Space – Most outdoor climbing frames require level ground and a minimum amount of clear space around the structure. This is something you will need to factor in when measuring your garden and choosing the size frame you want.

Age suitability – This is a really important feature to consider, as it can be dangerous for younger children to use play equipment that's too high for them. It is also important to look at the maximum weight limit, especially if you are going to have younger and older siblings playing on the same climbing frame.

Material – The majority of climbing frames are made from plastic, wood or metal. Each material has its pros and cons. For example, treated wooden climbing frames tend to be hardwearing and most have quite long manufacturer guarantees. Metal frames can be very sturdy, but are prone to rust if they are left open to the elements throughout the year. Plastic is really easy to clean but can get hot and fade in the sun.

Assembly – In general, most climbing frames will come in parts and will take you a good few hours to assemble (if that idea fills you with dread, you can find build services who'll do it for you – at a cost). Wooden climbing frames usually come with pre-cut pieces of timber but you might have to drill the holes yourself or cut any tarpaulin pieces.

Extras – Many climbing frames come with items such as swings, ropes, covers or bars, but make sure you check exactly what's included and what's extra. Often the stock photographs will show items that you have to purchase separately. It is also worth checking if the climbing frame is modular and can have other sections, such as swings or a slide, added at a later date.

Ad

How to safely install your climbing frame

Follow these top safety tips from David Woodman, head of quality assurance and product development at Plum, when choosing, setting up and using climbing frames in the garden with children.

How to safely maintain your wooden climbing frame

How we tested our 10 of the best?

When choosing and testing these climbing frames we considered size, price, assembly time, safety, sturdiness, age suitability, longevity of use and, of course, play value. Out 10 of the Best lists are compiled by qualified and experienced parenting journalists. They rely on a number of sources, including our testing during the MadeForMums awards and feedback from our home testing panel and Top Testers Club. Each year, 1000s of products are put through their paces by hundreds of parents across the country on behalf of MadeForMums, to ensure we’re bringing you honest and true reviews and recommendations. Our list is not an ordered ranking from 1-10, but instead a carefully selected group of tried-and-tested products, each of which we believe is best for a different situation or requirement. We don’t just tell you what is best, we aim to help you discover what is best for your family.

About the author

Gabrielle Nathan is a freelance journalist with 20 years’ experience in lifestyle and consumer journalism. She’s mum to three children aged 9, 6 and 3 and is currently umming and aahing over which climbing frame to choose for them.

Read more:

Authors

Gabrielle NathanContributor

Gabrielle Nathan has been a journalist for 20 years, writing lifestyle features for publications including Red, Women’s Health, Wildflower and Condé Nast Traveller. She has been writing about parenting since 2012, the year she became a mum.

Ad

Ad

Loading...

Ad

Loading...