Are you searching for ways to keep your energetic 2-year-old occupied and engaged? Look no further than climbing toys! As a parent, you are well aware that toddlers are natural climbers, whether it’s on the furniture, stairs, or anything they can get their hands on.
Not only is climbing fun for your little one, but it also has numerous developmental benefits, such as enhancing cognitive development, spatial awareness, muscular development, and problem-solving abilities.
While you want to encourage your child’s natural inclination to climb, you also want to make sure they are doing so safely. In this guide, we will explore the best climbing toys for 2-year-olds, from simple rockers and climbers to more elaborate playsets with slides, tunnels, and more.
Whether you have an indoor or outdoor space, we’ve got you covered with a wide range of options to suit your child’s needs and preferences. So, buckle up, and get ready to discover the perfect climbing toy to keep your little one engaged, active, and safe.
Our Top Picks
- Best For Outdoors: Step2 – Game Time Sports Climber & Slide
- Best Multipurpose: Step2 Naturally Playful Woodland Climber
- Best For Corners: Amazon Basics Kids Soft Play Corner Climber
- Best Triangle Climber: Costzon Wooden Climbing Toy
- Best Jungle Gym: Kids Jungle Gym Climber
- Best Multi-Level Climber: Simplay3 Young Explorers Adventure Climber
- Best Arch Climber: YOLEO Climber Arch Rocker
- Best Simple Climber: Little Tikes Junior Play Slide
- Best With Ball Drop: Step2 Play Ball Fun Toddler Climber
- Best Playhouse: Little Tikes Rock Climber & Slide
In This Article
HappyBabyHub’s Best Climbing Toys For 2-Year-Olds Picks
Step2 – Game Time Sports Climber & Slide – Best For Outdoors
- Great for a bigger bedroom if you don’t want to put it outside
- Has a basketball hoop
- Comes with a slide
- Very sturdy
- You need a drill to assemble this
This Step2 climber with a sports theme is the ideal playdate activity for your 2-year-old. This sturdy plastic gym is double-walled, ensuring your child’s safety as they navigate the slide and climbing ladder, even in chilly weather.
There’s no end to the excitement with a soccer goal to kick through and a basketball hoop to slam dunk in. The clickable knobs allow your toddler to keep score while having a blast. They’ll love going up and down the slide and steps, and the crawl space under the platform provides a new spot for hide-and-seek or crawling through.
Step2 Naturally Playful Woodland Climber – Best Multipurpose
- Easy to assemble
- Made of hard sturdy plastic
- The slide is a nice size for a 2-year old
- The play area under the platform is high enough for a toddler to sit upright
- The platform is fairly small and rectangular shaped
With two climbing walls, a ladder, and an indoor slide, your 2-year-old will have endless opportunities to explore and improve their balance, coordination, and gross motor skills. There’s even a built-in hiding place for added excitement!
This climber is designed for outdoor use, but be aware that it weighs just over 80 pounds and may require some assistance to move. Once outside, the bottom section can even be converted into a sandbox for more fun in the sun. And when playtime is over, it can double as storage or a hiding place for your child’s toys.
Amazon Basics Kids Soft Play Corner Climber – Best For Corners
- Good quality Velcro keeps the pieces connected
- The blocks are firm and have just the right amount of softness
- Easy to clean
- Very vibrant colors
- The platform is fairly small and rectangular shaped
Looking for an easy-to-clean and high-quality playset that will fit in the corner of your room? Look no further than this fantastic four-piece set! With interlocking hook-and-loop strips that secure the pieces together and a hook-and-loop bottom that keeps it in place, you can rest easy knowing your child will be safe while they play.
Each piece is designed with a unique function that encourages learning and development, and the set can be used alone or combined for even more fun. And at 40 by 40 by 10 inches, it’s compact enough to fit in any space. Additionally, it is made from CertiPUR-US certified PU foam with a faux leather covering.
Costzon Wooden Climbing Toy – Best Triangle Climber
- Pretty stable
- Very straightforward to put together
- Easy to adjust for climbing level
- The wood is made out of very sturdy polished wood so no worries of splinters
- The mat that comes with it for laying on the inverted bridge is slippery and does not have any straps to keep it in place
Made from high-quality beech and birch wood, this set is both sturdy and durable. The triangular ladder can be angled to your toddler’s liking, while the sliding boards are made of birch wood and securely fasten to the ladder with special grooves to prevent swaying.
Plus, you can adjust the height of the sliding ramp to fit your child’s play preferences. With a wide base and the ability to hold up to 132 pounds, you can rest assured that your child will have a safe and fun time playing on this set.
Kids Jungle Gym Climber – Best Jungle Gym
- The size is perfect, substantial enough for endless play
- Great for indoor or outdoor
- The wood/wood composite is nice and sturdy and doesn’t get cold to the touch
- Can handle rough play of toddlers
- Not the easiest to put together
With a jungle theme that’s sure to inspire imaginative play, this climber features a variety of fun and challenging elements, including monkey bars, a climbing net, a slide, a ring, and a Swedish ladder.
Designed to support children weighing up to 110 pounds, this sturdy play structure is made with durable materials and painted with environmentally friendly paint in bright, eye-catching colors that are sure to captivate your child’s attention. And with a compact size of just 4.4 feet long and 2.8 feet wide, it won’t take up too much space in your house or outdoor play area.
Simplay3 Young Explorers Adventure Climber – Best Multi-Level Climber
- Pretty sturdy once assembled
- Lots of little holes, nooks, and crannies for your 2-year-old to explore
- The underside is a perfect little cubby for dumping toys into
- Light and easy to move
- The directions are all pictures and are semi-difficult to follow
This multi-level climber can be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors, and can even fit through a standard doorway for easy transportation. The slide offers an expanded surface area for a smoother ride, and the side rails provide a secure grip for little hands to climb up the ladder and onto the two-tier platform.
With circular doors to crawl through, your child can enter a secret fort with a steering wheel for imaginative playtime. The playset is made with double-walled plastic construction that has child-friendly edges, is resistant to weather and UV rays, and is durable enough to withstand the roughest play for years to come.
YOLEO Climber Arch Rocker – Best Arch Climber
- Sturdy materials
- Great for building confidence, coordination, and muscle strength in young toddlers
- Compact design
- The wood is very smooth
- The instructions aren’t very clear but if you look at the pictures it’s easy to figure out how to put it together
This fantastic birch wood arch rocker comes with a smooth surface that is not only easy to clean with a sponge but also ensures your child’s delicate hands are safe from splinters. While the vibrant paint may chip occasionally, rest assured that it’s made of safe materials.
No matter how your little one decides to use it – as a rocker, climber, bridge, or something else – this rocker is sturdy enough to handle up to 110 pounds. Plus, there are plenty of strategically-placed grips for kids to hold onto as they explore and play!
Little Tikes Junior Play Slide – Best Simple Climber
- Simple design
- Affordable
- It has a safety lock to prevent the slide from folding up while in use
- Can handle rough play
- Might be too steep for some
Get ready for your little one to explore with this simple yet exciting Little Tikes climbing set! It’s perfect for kids aged 18 months to 4 years old, and the best part is that you won’t need any tools to assemble it.
Setting it up is a breeze and your toddler will be thrilled to try it out right away. It is great to use for multiple seasons, and it holds up through the blazing summer heat and even the coldest of winters. It’s a fantastic investment at a budget-friendly price.
Step2 Play Ball Fun Toddler Climber – Best With Ball Drop
- Easy lightweight material but pretty sturdy
- The steps have little grooves in them so it’s not really slippery
- Cool ball maze
- Fairly easy assembly
- The blue piece that you attach to both walls is kind of hard to get in right
Your little ones will have a blast climbing up the stairs and zooming down the slide. And when they need a break, the crawl space underneath is the perfect spot to hide out or stash some toys.
But that’s not all – this climbing toy also features a fun put-and-take ball maze, complete with 10 balls that zigzag down into the basin below. Not only is it a great way for toddlers to work on their fine motor skills, but they can also add sand or water to the basin for an extra level of sensory play.
And don’t worry about any mess – when playtime is over and the basin is full, simply remove the non-leak drain cap to empty it out. It’s the perfect addition to any backyard playset!
Little Tikes Rock Climber & Slide – Best Playhouse
- Adjustable slide
- Great size and have multiple plays
- Suitable indoors or outdoors
- Doesn’t weigh too much
- Takes a couple of hours to put together but the directions are straightforward
If your little adventurer enjoys a bit of variety with their climbing toys, then the Little Tikes Rock Climber Slide is perfect for them! With its vibrant playhouse design, this climbing toy offers a ton of kid-friendly activities to keep your child’s mind and body active, and it can be used both indoors and outdoors.
It comes complete with three crawl-through tunnels, a slide, and two climbing walls, but you can also add a telescope and driving wheel for even more excitement. We love that you can adjust the slide height to accommodate your growing tot.
How To Choose Climbing Toys For 2-Year-Olds?
- Safety: Safety should always be a top priority when choosing any toy for your child. Ensure that the climbing toy is age-appropriate and that it meets all safety standards. Check that there are no sharp edges, loose parts, or small pieces that can pose a choking hazard (1). Additionally, make sure to check the CPSC site for recalls.
- Size And Weight: Climbing toys come in different sizes and weights. For a 2-year-old, it is essential to choose a toy that is appropriate for their size and weight. A toy that is too heavy or too large for your child can be dangerous and may cause injury.
- Material: Climbing toys are made from different materials such as plastic, wood, or metal. Consider the material used in the toy’s construction, as it can affect the durability, safety, and ease of maintenance of the toy. Plastic is an excellent option for outdoor use. While foam play spaces are best reserved for indoor use to prevent wear and tear.
- Versatility: Look for climbing toys that offer versatility, such as those that can be used both indoors and outdoors. Toys that can be used in different ways, such as climbing, crawling, and sliding, can provide hours of fun and engagement for your child.
Are Toddler Climbers Worth It?
Yes, toddler climbers are definitely worth it. Climbing is a natural and beneficial activity for toddlers, as it helps to develop their gross motor skills, spatial awareness, and problem-solving abilities. Climbing toys provide a safe and fun way for toddlers to engage in this activity, while also promoting physical activity and imaginative play. Additionally, climbers are a great way to burn off excess energy and can help promote better sleep for toddlers.
Are Climbing Toys Safe?
As with any toy, there are potential safety hazards to consider when it comes to climbing toys. However, when used properly and under adult supervision, climbing toys can be safe and beneficial for children’s development. It’s important to choose climbing toys that are age-appropriate for your child and to ensure that they are sturdy and properly assembled.
What Are The Benefits Of Climbing For A Toddler
- Develop their gross motor skills such as balance, coordination, and strength
- Helps strengthen their muscles, increase their flexibility, and improve their overall physical fitness (2)
- Develop cognitive abilities in toddlers
- Promote a better understanding of cause and effect, as well as the concept of risk versus reward
- Improve sensory processing and integration
- Boost a toddler’s self-confidence and self-esteem as they conquer new challenges and gain a sense of accomplishment
- Provide an outlet for their energy, which can help reduce stress and anxiety
- Encourage social interaction and cooperation as toddlers work together to climb and play on the equipment
