DIY: Kids Rock Climbing Wall in Playroom

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When I first started thinking about playroom design ideas, I wanted to create a space that the kids would actually want to hang out in and that they wouldn’t outgrow too quickly. I also loved the idea of having a kids rock climbing wall for them to get energy out on.

I share many ideas for how to design amazing playrooms for all ages, but below you’ll find my detailed recap of how I created the playroom space in my house.

Our house had an extra bedroom that never really got used for anything other than storage. There’s no bathroom on that side of the house, so it wasn’t the most functional guestroom or kids room, plus we don’t get a ton of guests a year (I know, surprising. Who doesn’t want to stay with our crazy kids?).

We used it as a workout room for a bit. I tried making it a gymnastics room. But we never found a real good use for it. Until Covid happened. All of us stuck inside during the pandemic made for a lot of noise and a lot of fighting over space. That’s when we decided to do the ultimate playroom transformation to what we now call the rockwall room.

The Kids Rock Climbing Wall

I can’t take credit for the idea of this room–like many, most of my ideas come from Pinterest. There are a ton of playroom ideas out there that I kind of pieced together to create a space my kids would love.

I am super happy with my husband’s handiness and very thankful for a family who was tearing down their rockwall and listing it on OfferUp. It saved us the hassle of having to completely build the kids rock climbing wall ourselves, however there are many rockwall kits you can purchase to help you get started.

To create the monkey bars, my husband used plywood and pipes. Click here to see his exact (detailed) process for anyone who would like more information about how he did this.

We put tumbling mats underneath the climbing area so the kids can jump down without getting hurt. We also added a climbing rope at the end, giving them another option to get down (or get up!).

I bought a yellow TV stand and smart TV for the space, and set up our Nintendo Switch in there. The TV stand is pretty low to the ground, but that’s fine because I wasn’t planning on having large furniture.

Seating in the Playroom

This room is pretty small, so I didn’t want to get a lot of furniture that would take up all the space. I figured some bean bag chairs or a kids futon-style couch would be sufficient. I did end up giving into the Nugget craze eventually and bought a Nugget couch. It was actually the perfect size for what we needed. Now there are so many similar styles that are much cheaper and have even more design options.

It’s all furniture that won’e be destroyed or cause injuries when the kids jump from their rock climbing wall as well.

Wall Decor

If you look on Amazon for decorating playroom ideas, you’ll find some cute wall art options. I chose one I liked for one wall, and then made 3 of my own picture posters–one of each child. I learned how to turn existing pictures on my phone black and white, and then sent them off to Walmart to get printed. Then I just bought some cheap poster frames, and wah-lah. This quickly became the kids’ favorite hangout space, and they love showing their friends when anyone new comes over.

Note: As an Amazon associate, I may earn a commission for purchases made through the links in this blog.

Interested in more? Check out:

• Building Our In-ground Trampoline
• How to Install Interior Monkey Bars
• Backyard Activities for Kids: A Dream Backyard
• Awesome Trampoline Accessories