Today we are going to feature the two add-on pieces that work as links between our main indoor pieces, but also as extra climbing and sliding pieces; I am talking about the reversible ramp and the rock-climbing board: the ramps.
We call the ramps “add-ons” because they are designed to complement our indoor pieces, the climbing Pikler arch, the climbing Pikler triangle, and the rockers. However, with a little bit of creativity, we’ve seen that some families also use them on their own. We’ll talk more about that bellow.
They are add-ons also because you can purchase a climber or rocker without a ramp and later on order a ramp, they are sold separately, or you can just purchase your Wiwiurka piece with the ramp of your choice from the very start, it’s up to you.
Okay, let’s talk about the ramps’ purpose and get into the details of each one.
In a nutshell, the purpose of our ramps is to offer an adjustable slide and an extra climbing platform that can be used across our indoor climbers and rockers, and that can also serve to link them together into a playset. The ramps can be placed at different levels on our Pikler triangle and our climbing Pikler arch, so the slope for climbing or sliding can be adjusted according to the challenge your child is ready to take.
A climbing Pikler arch and a baby that’s just beginning to feel the “climbing wiggles”, for example: placing a ramp on its climbing side at the second or third rod will offer a very mild slope for the baby to start climbing and become more familiar with the piece. As the baby grows and strengthens, the slope can be made a little steeper by raising the ramp and placing it one rod higher.
Now flip the board and you have a slide! Both our ramps have a smooth side meant for your child to use it as a slide. When using the ramps as slides, we recommend you give it a steeper angle by placing it on a higher rod. In the case of using the climbing Pikler triangle, you have more rods to fasten the ramp that on the arch.
Smooth surfaces
Because of the smooth sliding side in both ramps, children soon figure out that they can also slide their dolls, teddy bears or even better, their toys with wheels! And then a whole new window of imaginative play opens. Kids will want to take their favorite little car through a whole obstacle course that ends the adventure with a big slide. Or get their stuffed animals to climb along to the top of a mountain to then take the waterfall slide all the way back down. And… did you know that dinosaurs love slides?
If you have a triangle and an arch, or a rocker and a triangle, you can connect them by placing the ramp as a bridge between the two, it can we at the same height on both sides so your child can cross it easily or even play shop using it as a counter-top.
For big families too!
Using a ramp between two other pieces opens a new imaginative play dimension: the ramp becomes the best way to get from one to the other across the molten lava beneath. It also can become a table to prepare or serve delicious tea and cookies, or sell them to all those customers that keep the shop so busy.
This lovely photo is by @ashleymoore.photo
What about the rockers?
You can definitely use the ramps with our rockers, however, we recommend that you take a look at our article about them, as there are some design details to take into account.
A ramp enhances the playing scope of our single rocker as it offers a climbing option for a piece that is climbable but is more about rocking. So with either of our ramps, the playing possibilities for a small rocker are considerably broadened, and because the ramp is easy to store, it’s perfect for families that choose the single rocker due to having a small living space.
Please bear in mind that the ramps can only be placed at one height in our XXL rocker because its slats are placed much closer to each other than the rods used in the climbers, so there is only one gap large enough for a ramp to be fastened.
Versatile is their middle name
Our ramps have an extra benefit: they expand the playing options and allow more children to play on the same climber or rocker, so it’s ideal if you have two children with a short age-gap, the youngest will play more with the ramp while the eldest can climb on the other side, or vice versa.
Okay, now let us dive into the differences between our two types of ramps.
The reversible ramp.
The reversible ramp is ideal to use on any of our climbers or rockers. On this ramp, a child can slide on its very smooth side and climb on the other side that has wooden strips as steps.
The reversible ramp is all in natural wood finish, it isn’t painted in any palette. It’s 110 cm long and 30 cm wide. Its weight limit is 45 kg.
Here we see a reversible ramp being used on a natural wood finish triangle and that tiny foot hard at work. This beautiful photo is courtesy of @dr.organicmommy
It’s made to last!
It has 5 sturdy strips of wood that are for your child to climb from, but also to click it in place to your climber or rocker. On its sliding side, it has one strip at one end, it’s for clicking it into place when being used on the climber side. Please note that the side to be leaned on the climber or rocker is the one with the wooden strips at both ends, these wooden strips make sure the ramp will be fastened to the other piece and it won’t slide off.
The rock climbing board.
The rock climbing board has seven wooden beans painted in the palette of your choice or natural; they’re like the bits rock-climbers use to practice, hence the name. The rock-climbing board is a little longer and wider than the reversible ramp: it’s 122cm long and 40cm wide. Its weight limit is 55 kg.
This is how a child coordinates hands and feet while climbing with this board.
As shown, the rock-climbing board is a bit wider and longer than the reversible ramp, a benefit of this feature is that babies have more space to practice their upward crawling on the one hand, while on the other, older kids have more space for their tushie when sliding.
Don’t hang it up!
It is important to clarify that the rock-climbing board is not a climbing wall. It is not designed to be hung on the wall to create a rock-climbing practice wall and would not work safely as such, it’s meant to be an add-on for our indoor climbers and rockers. We do not recommend to hang it on a wall at all.
This delightful capture is by @pluswonderland
The playing options for both our ramps are really very open: you can place one end on a chair and the other on a couch or bed, you can place it on a heavy chair or sofa (such that it will not wobble) and use it as a climber, you can make it a bridge to use outside, but before you do, be sure to read through our “Wiwiurka outdoors” article so you know the necessary measures to take when using our toys outside, –remember, these toys are designed for indoor use.
Check out how some families use our ramps!
This cute photo is by @ourplayfuldwelling.
This fun photo is by @carmenshalene
I hope this article has answered any questions you’ve had about our reversible ramps and rock-climbing boards. See you next week!
