climbing frame

A modern rope climbing frame

A climbing frame is often part of the playground equipment, which can consist of various materials. Metal pipe, plastic, wood or rope constructions in various sizes are common, on which children can climb, hang and sit.

In the past, large, metal, cuboid climbing frames were common in playgrounds, but now more and more rope constructions with a similar function or wooden platforms with ladders, grids, slides and boulder walls . Plastic scaffolding is often found indoors.

Climbing poles

Climbing pole without angled poles in Splügen

In Switzerland, between around 1943 and the mid-2000s, there were 5 meter high climbing poles in gyms and on playgrounds in every village. Vertical and sloping poles led to a crossbeam on which one could sit. Since 1943, pole climbing has been one of five sports disciplines in military excavation. Climbing poles were set up across the country so that the young men could learn to climb. It was a test of courage among schoolboys to climb straight up and sit on top of the crossbar. The climbing test took place for the last time in 2002; then it was abolished.

After Switzerland adopted the European standard EN 1176/1177 “Safety in playgrounds” in 1997, in which the climbing pole was classified as too dangerous for generally accessible places, the climbing poles gradually disappeared from the playgrounds. Today only a few are left.

Safety rules

In Germany there are strict safety regulations for climbing devices that are used in public playgrounds and in children's facilities. B. regulate the requirements for the subsurface and foundations, for height, distances between bars and regular inspection. Above all, it is intended to prevent serious injuries in the event of a fall or children from strangling themselves because cords on clothing get caught in crevices.

Since 1998, climbing equipment has been allowed to have a fall height of up to 3 m; before that, up to 4 m was allowed. The so-called rope circuses or rope spiders can be significantly higher, as the height of the fall is only calculated up to the next rope layer.