Physical development programme ideas please for older baby and toddler

[Korrale4kq]

When she walks the 2x4 spot her by holding your hands under her armpits or prefarably her elbows if she stretches her arms out. Demonstrate how she should walk the beam. Holding her hands will offset her natural balance ability.

[mybabyian]

My son had been trying to jump since he was about a year old.  It was sooo adorable.  One day my husband and I looked at him and said what is he doing?  We realized he was walking around and saying "up" while trying to thrust himself upwards.  It was so funny!   

We are very lucky because we have a pool that is deep enough for him to swim in but shallow enough for him to stand in.  He first learned to jump in the water which gave him a lot of support.  I think because of that he soon learned how to jump on land.

He is a bit of a cautious kid.  I don't see him climbing over the play ground like other kids but inspite of this seems to be pretty well developed.  He learned to jump at 21 months and could also walk up and down stairs with out holding anything.  This of course depends on the stairs, but today he walked a few steps down our stairs which are pretty steep with two balls in his hands preventing him from grabing the wall or the rail.  He is 22 months.  I am not sure what is average but I was pretty impressed.

So my point is that I think all the swimming he does has really helped his physical development.  He has been swimming on average 3 times a week since he was about 9 months or so old. 

He also loves playing soccer and basketball and he runs around the house shooting hoops and kicking goals all day.  I am sure not everyone would appreciate that in their house but we don't have an outdoors so I let him.  I think this has helped him a lot too and it is completely unstructured.  He just loves to do it. 

Yesterday I was shocked to see him catch the basketball that his dad tossed to him.  I am not sure what the average age for that is either but it impressed me.  He was very proud of himself too.   

Anyway, thanks for everyone's posts I might have to take a trip to buy a 2x4 today.   

[CVMomma]

Thanks, Korrale and Mandab for answering!  It has been going pretty well for beginners    At least we are both having fun!  Still no jumping, but she'll get it when she gets it!  She has known the difference between jump, hop, and leap, for quite a while--thanks to LR!  We will keep at it. 

mybabyian:  we would love to incorporate swimming into our routine, but we don't live close enough to a pool.  Your son sounds very advanced for his age!  Keep up the good work!  Catching a basketball!  Wow!!!

[kiwimum]

Thanks mybabyian - I never thought to get her to try jumping in the pool, such a good idea I'm going to give that a try.

izpp11 I am also a rock climber and after watching these YouTube clip it's impressive to see what kids still in nappies can do. Have a look

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Gsc80hJJ928&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Gsc80hJJ928&rel=1</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/6GeFrtsZVLE&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/6GeFrtsZVLE&rel=1</a>

[lzp11]

Thanks Kiwimum - what an amazing video!  I so wish we had access to a climbing wall, I know my DD would love it.  She is sensible but really willing to try out new experiences.  Yesterday she happily jumped at least 6-7 foot from a platform into a pit full of foam blocks at the gymnastics centre!  I was more scared than her!!
I know that some people have more facilities and even a climbing wall in the garage - I'm very jealous as it's not an option for us.  Anyone got any great ideas for ways to simulate climbing?

[Kerileanne99]

Izp11-
With everything going on I havent had a chance to upload all the current photos of our garage climbing wall, but thought you might like to see some of the pictures from our old one and the first week (a year ago!) of the new garage one!
When Alex was born we lived in an apartment and could not do anything permanent to the walls...but as you can see, it is still possible to have a whole room in an apartment, completely free-standing but wedged in tightly.  We had four 180 lb grown men climbing in there one day with nary a groan of the wood.  She had foam steps, a ball pit, a cargo ladder, a swing , slide, etc.  Ha, ha, this was also our guest room You should have seen my parents faces when they came to visit and discovered where they were to sleep! (we did make a temporary concession and added a bed...)

The first picture was taken when hubby first began to build the garage playground.  Alex's slab was the first to go up.  She loves to climb, and recently completed her first outdoor top-rope on limestone!

Honestly, I understand your pain.  When we last lived in the UK we settled for putting up a pull-up bar in a doorway (you can see one in the first picture)  From this you can add all sorts of inexpensive homemade gymnastics and climbing apparati that are removeable when not in use. Some of the things we did:  a low-hanging trapeze style bar made from PVC pipe, a wooden dowel and rope. Gripping, pulling up their weight, swinging (either hanging or seated), more gymnastics-style moves, and hanging upside down trying to bat at a toy we hung.  You can buy very inexpensive gymnastic-rings that can be hung for the same purposes.  Rockrings and a hangboard have graced our doorways, one so large that Hubby had to duck to enter room!
We made a set of brachiation bars that latched to the pull-up bar at the top, and the bottom could be moved so that the slope could change to anything from 'monkey bar style, to vertical ladder with little adjustment.  The most elaborate thing we did was to build a door-width climbing slab that could be attached to the  bar as well, again changing the slope from vertical to slab easily.
As soon as I can I will post the pictures of our ridiculous version now, with lots of homemade ideas...we even use the PVC-plumbing caps, drill a hole through the end so that a bolt will go through, and then screw it into the climbing-wall T-nut as if it is a hold!  We do several of these, then use pool noodles to insert in the caps, creating a 3D obstacle course on the climbing wall..  We have had to get very creative to maximize space as the van still needs to fit when it is not in use
Okay! so hope this helps a bit until I can get up some more images!

[kiwimum]

Kerilaenne99 that's amazing, I so want to do something like that to our garage. I'd love to see your other photos.

[Mandabplus3]

I showed my kids, now they all want to come and play with Alex! ( so do I!)
I have no chance of convincing hubby this is a good idea but I have convinced him a beam is a good birthday present idea for our oldest ( maybe because the other option I ran past him was an ipad  ) So now I need to find a way to get a bar put in for the next child's birthday and then maybe I can get a fort with a climbing wall attached to the new back deck I am asking for, for Christmas. Yep a deck is a rather extravagant Christmas present. 
Although...we do have a LARGE concrete water tank in the backyard...is it possible to attach holds to that without drilling holes? Now that would make a great climbing wall!
I really need an excavater...

[Kerileanne99]

Manda-
I have seen homemade walls, called 'woodies' made just about everywhere!  There is one in Dallas, Tx made from an old Grain Silo, and there are lots, including one in Darlington, UK, made by bolting holds to the concrete inside of an old elevator shaft! 
No, you cannot bolt the holds safely to concrete without drilling, BUT! You can build a wooden support structure on the side and bolt directly to that.  I will put together a list of our favorite sites for homemade walls.  One of the most common indoor woodies is to do the inside of the stairwell, because it is usually taller and has a built in slope...
If the kids loved the old apartment wall, they are going to LOVE the new garage setup!  Hubby has promised that he will take new pictures and upload them this weekend!
If you are considering making a balance beam, I am posting a picture below of our homemade one.  She started out on a rougher 2 by 4 plank, but when she got better, it just wasnt stable enough to do things like kicks, tip-toe, heel, and now trying cartwheels and such.  We made ours by gluing, then screwing together three 2 by 4 planks, then using 2 smaller peices as supports.  We then purchased an inexpensive carpet remnant with pad (total cost was about $20-  we bought a ten-foot by 18 in strip!) and covered the beam and supports, first with the pad, then carpet.  Now it is much sturdier and she has progressed tremendously, very quickly!

[LDSMom]

I love the beam and the rock walls! I would also love to see any links for how to build your own, I've been thinking of putting in a climbing wall in my sons room, but not really sure where to start.

[Kerileanne99]

Here are some of our favorite sites for ideas and step-by-step instructions!
But basically, a small wall in a child's bedroom could be done in a day!  You would basically just build a two by four frame, just as though you are framing a regular wall.  For a child's room I would go no higher than about 1/2 way to 3/4 up the wall, the length of the wall.  Then use 3/4 in plywood that will be the facing, or wall. If you want VERY basic, you can then use screw on holds directly, although it is better to do a bit of extra work by drilling a pattern of holes (exact instructions on following sites or you can PM me for detailed instructions!) there are then metal T-nuts that are pounded into the drilled holes, basically creating a threaded hole for a climbing hold to be bolted on. This way they can easily be moved around for new, exciting, and more challenging 'boulder problems'...you will be then able to traverse the climbing wall.
A fun activity we do with some of the students and Alex that would be easy to replicate: I have cut 3 in long dowels, 1/2 in in diameter, and glued a small magnet to one end. The other end has bright colorful flags attached.  These can be moved from bolt hole to bolt hole, and the kids are challenged to retrieve them, in complex patterns sometimes! Even math problems, as in find all the flags with number combinations that add up to ten, or spell the word x, in order...So many possibilities!

http://www.atomikclimbingholds.com/topic/16-how-to-build-a-rock-climbing-wall?gclid=CKXvjOvg6LECFQGCtgodkTkAHw

http://www.indoorclimbing.com/Home_Climbing_Walls_(Exterior).html

http://andylibrande.com/homeclimbingwall/author/andylibrande/

[LDSMom]

Cool, thanks! Do you know- if I purchase the t-nuts online, does it come with the bolts or do I buy them separately?

[Kerileanne99]

LDS Mom-
You buy the T-nuts separately.  This is because the holds, depending on the size and depth, require different length bolts.  When you purchase the holds, they will either come with the correct bolts or will give you the option as a drop down to choose with or without bolts. Eventually you will want to get a few extra bolts, and make sure you have extra T-nuts, as they do strip sometimes!
Oh! And just a note if you aren't familiar with the holds and bolts. Make sure that you order the proper sized T-wrench to bolt your holds on! Or you will have one unhappy little boy with a wall and no holds on it! The bolts are hex-bolts...
BTW-
If you have a decent sized REI near you they usually carry a limited number of holds and T-nuts, as well as other climbing supplies. Also, depending on how many holds you decide to go with, they can get quite pricey.  You can routinely find them on places like EBay, to either start out with or to supplement - although I would highly, highly recommend new bolts and T-nuts, even for a child's bouldering wall....

[lzp11]

Wow Keri - that room is amazing, so the new one much be incredible!!  Thanks for all the inspiration.
Unfortunately, I don't think we'll have able to have any kind of climbing wall any time soon, although I will keep working on my husband!  But no, we don't really have the space.
I was very excited this weekend to visit a local woodland park which has just developed some woodland activities for all ages, including climbing nets and a "climbing tree".  They made this by strapping lots of climbing holds around the trunk of a tall pine tree that has not many branches but lots of bumps to safely secure the straps.  It involves climbing upwards and no bouldering - it is too high - so need to belay from above, but it was a great idea I thought.  My DD climbed up well out of reach for me to help her and then abseiled down - I thought a great effort for her first attempt (and first ever sight of any climbing equipment).  So at least that is somewhere we can visit locally.  But I also thought if any of you have a big tree in your garden and no other options then it is a possibility.  But you would need a harness and to be familiar with safety for setting up a belay etc, so probably only one for the very keen climbers!

[Kerileanne99]

Izp11-
Just another thought for those rainy days...proper climbing centers sometimes have rules about how old a child must be, but in my experience if you can demonstrate proficiency for belaying and safety, they will often waive that- the gym itself just doesn't do it!
another thing- many gymnastics studios are putting up paneled bouldering walls because climbing is so beneficial for strength, balance, and coordination. These places typically have programs designed for tiny tots so age would be less of a problem...we took Alex to one near York and one in Scotland during their 'free-play' times....
You can always come play here

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