In this blog we look at the choice of climbing frames under the £1,000 mark. You might be looking here because you’re looking to replace a smaller climbing frame as the children have grown, or you could be considering your first purchase, and haven’t been impressed by what you can get a a lower price point. As in other comparisons, I have looked at the prices of equipment on offer at the time of writing.
First up is the Fatmoose FunnyFortress Free XXL, currently on offer at £970. This has twin towers and a balance beam, with two wobbly bridges, two swings and a slide. For less energetic play it also features a sandpit and a picnic table. There’s a lot of kit for your money and that means that this definitely isn’t one for smaller gardens – the equipment occupies a space of 5.25m by 6.35m, and of course you will need to allow another 2m or so to allow safe access. All of this space will need to be smooth and level. It’s also worth noting that the price doesn’t include such essentials as ground anchors, safety mats or fabric for the bottom of the sand pit. When all these are included it will break my price ceiling The all-up weight is 383kg, so that’s another indication that there’s a lot there – it’s important not to under-estimate the amount of work involved in assembling something like this.
At £900 the Plum Tower with swings and monkey bar comes in at well under my price limit, and targets the same users (3 – 12 years) as the Fatmoose. You get what it says in the name, so there’s a lot less equipment – the potential upside of that for many people is that with a width of 2.75m and a length of 3.64m it also takes up far less space than the Fatmoose above, and will be less demanding to assemble.
The Dunster House MaxiFort appers to have a very similar specification, at a current price of £910, but it is a little larger in all its dimensions, which could make a big difference as children grow larger.
if you fancy something completely different and your children are less keen on physical activity than exercising their imagination, they might enjoy the Dunster House Spiel Child’s Shepherds Hut. This is an imaginative take on the playhouse theme. The price is currently £860.
On their website climbingframes.co.uk Selwood offers a range of options in the £900 – £1,000 range. These are mostly variations on the theme of single tower, swings and monkey bars with different shapes and layouts. This could be a good site to visit if you’re trying to find just the right equipment for your particular space.
I hope this article offers a good starting point in your search for play equipment. There is a wide range of options available in this price range, and it’s worth taking the time to make sure that you select something that will work well for your children, your garden and you.
