Ladder Safety for Kids

It’s easy to forget how often kids encounter ladders in their day-to-day lives, but your child probably climbs ladders more often than you do! Whether they’re climbing monkey bars on the playground or bunk beds at home, teaching your children ladder safety at a young age will help to keep them safe in a variety of situations. Read on to learn our ladder safety tips for kids!

Which Ladders Can Children Climb?

You should avoid letting your child climb any ladder that will take them to unsafe heights. Construction ladders and DIY equipment are generally unsafe for children and they could end up injured if these risks are not taken seriously enough.

Children will likely need to climb bunk bed or playground ladders, which are usually quite short. You should check to see if the ground beneath the ladder is padded or soft, just in case they do fall, and always supervise in case of incident.

Of course, every child is different. There may be some ladders that your child struggles with, depending on a variety of factors like their age, motor skills and mobility. Using your best judgement and paying attention to how your child reacts when climbing is an important part of ladder safety for kids.

Teach Them How to Climb a Ladder Safely

Often, information that seems like common sense to an adult will be completely new to a child. Before letting your kid climb a ladder, you need to check and double-check that they know how. On instinct, some children may attempt to climb down the ladder backwards, as children are generally taught to look in the direction that they are going. This can be very unsafe.

Step one of ladder safety for kids is to make sure that they know the following:

Always face the ladder rungs while climbing or descending, and do not slide down the stiles.
Do not stand under or at the bottom of the ladder when somebody is climbing.
Don’t climb at the same time as somebody else.
Don’t climb while holding items, as you need both arms free for climbing.
Maintain three points of contact while climbing.
Don’t jump or attempt to move two limbs at once.

Playground Ladder Safety for Kids

You shouldn’t climb a ladder until you know that it’s safe, and neither should your child. Perform safety checks before your children play in order to prevent unfortunate incidents.

Check the surface of the floor beneath the ladder. There should be rubber, wood chips, sand, or another protective surface which extends in all directions, so that it covers any area where the child may fall.
Check the distance between ladder rungs. Use your best judgement to determine if it would be possible for your child to get stuck between rungs. They should either be too wide for the child to get stuck, or too close together for the child to go through.
Check for sharp points or rough surfaces. For example, there may be areas on the ladder than have become worn with time that could cause injury. Make sure the ladder isn’t wobbly, insecure or otherwise damaged.

These are just a couple of guidelines for checking ladders – there are other checks you can make on playground equipment to help keep your child safe. Even after making these checks, always supervise your child during play in case of incident.

Loft Ladder Safety for Kids

If you have a loft conversion, you may be wondering if the ladder will be safe for your child. The first thing to check would be the product details of the loft ladder you’re using. Is it compliant with any relevant safety standards? Does it specify that it’s safe for children?

The ladder may not be safe if it goes particularly high, or if it is on top of a hard surface. Check the surrounding area for hazards, and evaluate the climbing ability of your child. If your child is older, they may be able to climb a loft ladder, but younger children could be at risk. Consider your unique situation very carefully before allowing your kid to climb a loft ladder, and always supervise them closely.

If you have the space, and your kid is confident on stairs, a loft staircase might be a better option for you. We even have a staircase kit with no gaps between steps, which is likely safer for children because it prevents them from falling through.

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Shop Dolle Normandie Staircase Kit

Bunk Bed Ladder Safety for Kids

If you’ve just bought a bunk bed, or are thinking about buying one, you may be concerned about safety. Bunk beds are usually considered safe for children, but should only be used by children of six years old or more.

There are some extra checks and precautions you can put in place to make your bunk bed ladder safer. Firstly, make sure the bunk bed you buy is compliant with BS EN 747-1:2024 or a similar relevant standard. You should be able to find these details in the product description. Ensuring that the ladder is properly secured to the bunk bed and doesn’t wobble is also extremely important.

If the bed doesn’t come with safety guardrails, you should add these to prevent falls. You also need to check that there aren’t hazards around the ladder which might injure your child or cause them to trip. Consider adding a nightlight to the ladder for safety in case your kid needs to get up in the night.

Injuries may occur if your kid is playing on the bunk bed, as it should only really be used for sleep. Consider installing a ladder cover during the day to prevent play on the ladder. You could also add a soft rug or mat at the bottom of the ladder, in case of accidents.