Recently, a big huge Step2 box containing the brand new Panda Climber landed on our doorstep. My daughter saw the box and asked incredulously, “Is that a playground for us?” and then proceeded to jump in circles with her brother yelling woohoo! for nearly 20 minutes.
And, that was before we even put it together.
Once it was complete and we finally released the toddlers to play, they ran straight to the Panda Climber …and just stared at it in awe.
We showed them where the ladder was, how to climb up to the platform to play, and then how to slide down again. Then we put down a rubber pad at the bottom of the slide just in case, and let them free.
After they mastered the up and down {this took a bit longer for my youngest at 18 months}, they then showed us a few things. Like how wonderful it is to hide under the climber or stash prized possessions, and how the slide is perfectly sized for racing toy cars down it.
They also showed us that slides are more fun if you shout wheee! and that sliding and climbing lends itself to hours and hours of fun.
Even though we have a nice grassy area to play in our fenced back yard, we decided that since the Panda Climber has such a small footprint, it would be perfect on our enclosed back deck {AKA outdoor play yard} so that it could be right next to the Step2 Gather and Grille Playhouse that they spend all summer in. Since my “desk” overlooks the space nicely and the deck is in shade almost all day long, this makes it the perfect place to get outdoors safely and get fresh air for all of us.
And, even though I knew my kids were fans of the great outdoors, I didn’t realize that adding a climber toy to the mix would make them beg to go play – even during our wet and rainy spring days.
Ever since the Step2 Panda Climber has been put together, the kiddos have been out and playing every single day that it wasn't pouring and even some that it was. Since we've had a really damp spring here in the Pacific Northwest, sometimes they get a little wet if we don't get to the climber with towels before they start sliding, but it hasn't seemed to bother them a bit. If we can beat them to the climber, we simply pick it up and dump off the water that collects on the climber surface in the ridges and then towel dry the slide and you'd never know it was pouring a few hours earlier.
Watching them play on the climber and work on their dexterity, balance and coordination has been really quite amazing and they are both better at climbing in just a matter of weeks. While this might not be something to cheer about for all parents, for us this is a milestone that is definitely cause for celebration. To think that not that long ago neither of them were able to climb a ladder or slide down anything alone, this is an amazing feat.
To say that we love the Panda Climber would be an understatement, as you could easily tell if you were to stop by any afternoon at our house to listen to their jubilant cry of wheee! as they slide. Just hearing my daughter talk about her "playground" makes me so happy and I wonder why we didn't get something like this a whole lot earlier. While the Panda Climber is a toy recommended for younger kids up to age 5 and my daughter might outgrow it in the next year, I know all these great memories they are making out there are going to last all the way through childhood.
Are you shopping for any kids this spring? If so, you should definitely check out the newest Step2 spring products to see all their awesome new products. Seriously, how awesome is the big slide with the fort underneath? BRILLIANT, I tell you. While you are searching, you should also make sure you like them on Facebook so you can find out first about their weekend deal, which highlight some of the best Step2 deals, coupon codes, and shipping discounts that will get you all ready for the warmer weather. If you're on Pinterest, you can now follow them there, too!
Need a good laugh going into Mother's Day week? Check out this awesome post on the Step2 blog about a 6 year old who wants to be batman when he grows up. I can relate, can you?
I am a Step2 test drive mom and received the Panda Climber for my little ones to try out this past month. All opinions remain 100% mine and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.