What age can a child climb on monkey bars?

Playtime for children is important for healthy physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development. Outdoor playgrounds provide great social opportunities, and chances for children to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine,  as well as try their skills on a plethora of age-appropriate fitness equipment. Monkey bars are presented as a fun challenge that children can try after certain motor skills have been developed, or even before, if an adult is nearby and can hold them.  What age can a child do monkey bars?

My son climbed before he could walk, so he took to the monkey bars at a much earlier age than his sisters, but I always suspected he was a little monkey anyway, so it was no surprise. Since all children develop at slightly different rates, it is difficult to set an exact age when they are ready to do monkey bars, but there is an age range and some physical indications that can suggest that the time has come.

When can kids hang from monkey bars?

After learning a progression of developmental activities, such as running without falling and climbing up ladders, children are generally ready to learn how to hang from monkey bars, depending on the child, from age three and upward.

It is usual for children between the ages of three and four to fall more often than a child who has gained better coordination by age five, and, of course, a three or four-year-old is more likely to need close supervision and a steady helping hand at first.

When children fall into the spectrum of normal development, their strength and flexibility begin to develop along with their eye-to-hand coordination, general limb coordination, advanced locomotor patterns, depth perception, and, hopefully, confidence. According to Teaford (2010) at around ages four to five and a half, children are more likely to be able to hang from a bar using an overhand grip for 5 seconds or longer than younger children.

Children who are already in preschool or kindergarten are more likely to have used overhead ladders and slanted ones for practice before slowly taking on more complex swinging patterns such as those needed for monkey bars.

Find out what age can a child learn to swing!

How To Teach Your Child To Do Monkey Bars

In order to teach your wee one to climb onto and swing on monkey bars, you need to be able to reach the first bar yourself. Once you’ve made sure you can do that, instruct your child to climb up the ladder while you’re standing very nearby, and to grab the first bar. If you have a three-year-old, it might be a good idea to stand behind him or her as the ladder is climbed, and to help him or her grasp the bar while being supported.

A swinging motion will give the child the necessary momentum needed to move across the rungs. Therefore, it is a good idea to encourage them to swing their legs back and forth as they hold on. Again, if the child is particularly small or appears frightened, it can help for the parent to gently help them with the swinging motion while physically holding on to them.

Allow the child to just hang there for a minute to get the feel of the equipment and to gain courage. It is a good idea to support the child from the waist at this point as you help them coordinate their arm movements with the leg swinging motions. This will help them easily access the next rung. Encourage the child to use his or her dominant hand in the beginning to make it easier for them to grab the rung.

When the child has successfully grasped the following rung, they should be told to make their other arm go to the rung in the same way. This is a one-bar-at-a-time endeavor. Once they have mastered this, they can address the task of using alternate hands on the sequential rungs. After they get used to doing this, they may be able to skip a rung or two along the way.

Some children pick up on how to do this right away. Others take a few tries. My son got the idea immediately and sped his way across the rungs and back on his first attempt. However, it took subsequent trips to the playground before my elder daughter finally got the hang of it. My middle daughter was somewhere, well, in the middle. This is said to emphasize the fact that children learn and develop coordination at different rates.

Related post: How To Teach a Child To Climb a Ladder

What if your child is too afraid to try?

Be gentle if your child seems fearful of the height or of the monkey bars themselves. Encourage them to keep their eyes on the rungs and to avoid looking down at the ground. Giving the frightened child something to concentrate on other than falling will not only help overcome the fear. It will also cause him to concentrate more on the task itself. However, If the child seems particularly terrified, it might be a good idea to put the whole thing aside until he or she feels better about the whole thing.

You might also enjoy: The best apps for 3 year olds

Are monkey bars safe for toddlers?

Technically, the right time to introduce a child to the monkey bars is as soon as he or she begins to show a real interest in them, which is usually around three years old. Even if a child is only two or younger and wants to try, the parent can lift him or her up to the rungs and allow them to cling to them while being held. However, because a toddler lacks the upper body strength and coordination necessary to hold on for long, he or she should be supported during the entire experience.

Why are monkey bars good for children?

Monkey bars have many benefits for children.  They can help them build confidence and upper body strength.  When practiced with other children, they can be a catalyst for developing social skills. They stretch the child’s body and provide many other great benefits. 

Related post: How To Teach A Toddler To Ride A Tricycle