How on Earth do you get a 2 year old to stop climbing on everything she can put her feet on?

Question

My daughter is 2 years old and climbs EVERYTHING. The baby gates I bought are quickly becoming useless. I am at my wits end and have no idea what to do next.

Answer 1

Sorry I can't do more than commiserate with you, my little girl turned 2 Sept 9, and even before then, she would drag a kitchen chair to the counter, and I'd come out of the bathroom (30seconds to pee) and she'd be on the counter, trying to climb up into the cabinets!! She gets the sm trash can, turns it over (usually with trash in it) and uses it for a stepping stone to reach door knobs and light switches. This is my third child, I don't think you can stop her without directly supervising her 24/7. Have to take her into the bathroom with you, or make her get into the shower with you so you don't leave her on her own for more than a minute, UUGGHH!!! This time too, shall pass, and maybe in 10 years, we will be able to laugh and tell our children what a hand full they were, until then, I'm with you sister! Wish I had something better to tell you and myself, just keep her safe, maybe if it's not too cold where you are you could make sure to take her to the park everyday, let her run herself out, and then maybe you both can go home after an hour or two of play and take a nap. I remember telling my mom when I was 5 "I don't wanna take a nap, I'm too old for naps!" She responded "You'll know you're a big girl when you want to take your afternoon nap!" Oh, how well I do understand now what she meant!! Good luck hang in there and I'll do the same!! : )

Answer 2

For what it's worth we scared the holy heck out of our son when he started that lovely phase. Telling him no, punishment, time out, saying please none of those things worked for us. I had his dad go into his military mode and we snuck up on him from behind when I heard him climbing again and his dad used the drill sargent voice "What do you think you are doing?" at full blast. Let me tell you he fell backwards off the gate and bonked his head (I had a blanket down since I figured thats what would happen) and he hasn't done it again. We also took him to the local park quite a bit to show him where it was okay to climb over things.
Unfortunately it is a stage they have to work through. Keep a tight eye on her and don't turn your back on her for one second.
For the rooms where you can't lock the door do your best to baby proof it even though it isn't a room she's allowed in. a couple of cabinet locks and placing chemicals up high can give you those extra few seconds it takes to keep her safe if she climbs over a gate and you didn't hear it immediately.

Answer 3

my little one is a monkey too. I think it is so funny. but as far as the gate goes you can put 2 one above the other. for the crib you can get a crib tent http://www.securebaby.com/crib_tents_all.html
and the rest you have to block off and push chairs under the table and make sure you don't leave anything around that she can get on. i use doorknob covers and to keep him out of my bedroom and the bathroom and there is a gate for the playroom for when i need to get some privacy for a few minutes and for the stairs I use a step gate they are taller than regular gates and you step on the foot pedal to open it so it is hands free when coming in the house with bags of groceries and a toddler in your arms it is very nice to have a hands free gate at the top of the stairs. also make sure you are consistent when you tell her no climbing on that and take her down put her in a time out for (1 min per year of age so for your little one 2 minutes) she will decide she doesn't like having to sit for 2 minutes very quickly.
good luck
Tara

Answer 4

Well this is a tough one that I am sure most parents have had to deal with. I know I did with my son.

What made him eventually stop was falling or bonking his head and he realized that he didn't like that so much and it was a direct result of trying to be monkey boy.

In most cases it is a phase and the child will grow out of it. You have to realize that at that age you are just discovering what kind of neat stuff you can do with your body. Running, skipping, climbing - and in some more negative cases, biting, hitting, etc.

Answer 5

Give her opportunities to climb safely, like at the park, every day. Be gentle and consistent, removing her from things she can't climb on. This will not eliminate the behavior (which is developmentally normal and necessary), but it will help keep it in check and help her move through this phase a little faster.

While she goes through this stage, you need to supervise her directly ALL THE TIME. If you need to pee, take her with you. Wait for your shower until Dad gets home.

It will pass.

Answer 6

First try to limit the space that she can get around in with gates. That way you can try to make it as safe as possible. The rest just takes time and you telling her not to do it. Let her fall a couple of times on to a mat when you know she will be OK. I know it is hard but children at that age need to figure things out themselves in may cases.

Answer 7

For the times when your back is turned, your little one needs to be confined to a safe place. Even if that means closing the bedroom door, or strapping her into her car seat in the middle of the Living Room floor. (When you shower, run out to get the mail, tend to the dog in the backyard, bring in the groceries from the car, or open the oven door...)

Until your child learns to respond to your verbal command, when in public, it may be necessary to either hold your child's hand or to wear one of the harnesses with a leash keeps them from running into the street unpredictably -- (Target has a cute puppy dog one that looks like a backpack.)

Some children are especially impulsive and too full of energy to contain their feet to the ground, too inquisitive to sit contentedly. They are not going to keep themselves safe - that's why you're the Mom. Your job is to try to think 2 steps ahead of them, preventing what you reasonably can. Then training them to use self control, to respond to verbal commands and family rules, learning the difference between inside play and outside play and to stand at mommy's side when shopping in a store. Learning to ask permission to step away or to touch something that does not belong to them.

As a parent you will learn patience by practicing it.
Children are trainable.
We do all we can to protect their safety.
They will have a few tumbles.
Keep the kisses and box of bandaids ready.

Be a mom who loves to laugh, not the drill Sargent.
And your child will grow up all too soon.

Answer 8

HM....when you get the answer to that one let me know. Short of removing the things that she is climbing on you probably have no luck. You just have to re enforce the fact that it is not good for her to climb on those things. Let her make a tiny mistake (not one that will really hurt her) and she will learn.

Answer 9

It's all about consistency at this age. Let her do it once, and it's all done. My brother had trouble with his daughter at 2 years old...and still has trouble now cause he wasn't consistent with her and didn't set boundaries early with her.

Answer 10

punish them for it/ smack the butt and pull them down and tell them every time you climb i will spank you unless we are at the park. i had a climber the habit broke as fast as it started