Being a mom to seven children, four of whom still live at home comes with much joy but also playtime trouble. The fact of the matter is that all outdoor playsets are not created alike. What might be perfect for my seven-year is completely incompatible with my soon to be 2-year-old. So I have come to the realization that my backyard will contain two separate structures for the time being to help maintain happiness as well as safety.
In my search for greatness to make outdoor playtime the best that it can be, we recently added the Step2 Naturally Playful Woodland Climber to the mix. It took me a long time to select a product that I felt fit best with our age groups and lifestyle.
I knew that I wanted a unit that didn’t take up too much space since it was to be placed on our deck for the time being. The Woodland Climber was ideal in this way sitting at 54” tall from top to bottom, 45” long from side to side and 31” wide (not including the slide and ladder). The sizing was also important for safety reasons since this was mainly for use of my two-year old son to play on. I wanted to ensure that in the slight chance he would take a tumble, it would be the least harmful. As of today I am happy to say no accidents have occurred and after watching the boys play on this playset day after day, I have a good feeling it will stay that way.
This outdoor playset was abnormally easy to put together. My husband has it from box to ready for play in less than 35 minutes and managed to take photos along the way. He was surprised as well saying that he wished Christmas had been so simple to deal with. Big thumbs up from Daddy D!
Being a picky parent about the way things look (example I cringe every time I see the metal swingset we have for our older children and promise to be rid of it this summer), I am in love with the natural colors and overall look of the Woodland Climber. The dark brown upper sides carry the look of wood and have a promising sun design in the center circle with attached deep red steering wheels with the same four seasons design. Not to mention the climbing wall sides carry a stone like appearance. However my favorite attention to detail is in the wood looking stairs created in a calm orange and the underside of the teal slide also carrying the same wood like look. Overall it flows nicely with our deck surroundings.
The openings where you come in from the ladder and out down the slide are 17” wide and 23” tall. The openings are lined on all sides with the typical heavy-duty Step2 plastic structuring. In my opinion having the openings fully lined on the top makes for a safer environment – keeping my children from walking or falling off. Even though they look a little small both of my boys get through them with ease.
The slide is the most popular of all the useful options on the Step2 Naturally Playful Woodland Climber. The kids go head first, feet first, backwards, ect. The wide base and high sides make it an ideal slide solution for all four of my younger children (ages 23 months to 7). I also like that the slide is about 39” from where they start to where the slide ends. The shorter length is not only great for my younger son but also make them take turns more often. No slide hogging allowed.
My older son whom is five also uses the Naturally Playful Woodland Climber often. His favorite as you can see in our playtime video below is the climbing wall. It scales 46” from the ground and provides that extra playtime fun that keeps him entertained even though he is almost too big for this unit all together. Note – my five-year old is a bit larger than some at 58 pounds. Most of his kindergarten classmates are still the perfect size to play on all aspects of the woodland climber and probably could continue to do so for at least another year or so.
My children also adore the clubhouse at the bottom. Now while this is the one feature I never gave thought to when selecting the Naturally Playful Woodland Climber; it has become one of my favorites. My girls play dolls under the playyard while the boys climb and slide. It has been used as a hiding spot for hide and seek and even a picnic place during a lunch date with friends.
I am very happy with the Step2 Naturally Playful Woodland Climber and think that it is the best outdoor toddler playset for us. It is one piece that for the time being all four of my younger children can play on at the same time and one that is the perfect size for smaller spaces (indoor and out). Even more so, it has true Step2 quality – tough stuff that can stand up to even my rowdy crew.
Step2 Naturally Playful Woodland Climber
This sturdy climber provides fun that stands out by blending in. It features natural colors and realistic textures that look great in any residential setting. Made in USA.
- 27″(68.6 cm) high platform
- Chute-like slide and ladder with realistic wood grain
- Climbing foot holds which lead to 2nd floor on both sides
- Rotating steering wheel with four seasons design
- Bottom area can be filled with sand for added fun
- Maximum weight 240 lbs. (108.9 kg)
- Minimal adult assembly
- Intended for family and domestic use only
BUY IT: Purchase the Naturally Playful Woodland Climber online from Step2 and in select stores where Step2 products are sold.
