Little Tikes Castle Climb n Slide Review

When my son turned 18 months, his grandparents decided it was time for him to have a play set. Of course, not just any play set could do. No, it had to be from Little Tikes. Little Tikes has been around since the 1970s, meaning that my parents used it with my sister and I when we were growing up. They knew they could trust it.

What is It?

In short, it's a small, compact little slide play set that can be used in the corner of a room or in a yard. It's put together with plastic bolts, which are screwed together with its own wrench. On one end you have a green rock wall while on the other you have a blue slide. Kids can go under the tunnel below the platform, or they can stand on the platform and steer a pirate wheel.

How Does it Do?

Generally, I'm impressed with this play set. My son has put it through a true test during the last three years, and it is still as sturdy as ever. Although the recommended age is 12 months - 4 years, I do agree with Toys R Us in that it should be used for kids ages 2-6. Most one-year olds that I know wouldn't be able to make it up the rock wall.

What does impress me is that it's compact and relatively lightweight. It's heavy enough that it won't blow away (except for hurricane-force winds) and is small enough to fit in even a small area of your yard. We have it in an area about 5 ft by 20 ft. Not very large at all, but it fits beautifully.

Some people have complained that it's not sturdy enough. We have not run into this issue, but then again we make sure to tighten the bolts every few weeks just to be sure. Call it overprotective, but it's what we do!

Overall

This play set is going to take your toddler all the way to kindergarten. It's fun for your child and will delight even the most stubborn of children (like my daughter). Whether they like the tunnel or the slide, there's something here for everyone.