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10 Best Indoor Slides for a Toddler (2022 Reviews)

Slides don’t have to be limited to the playground. Indoor slides are great for kids to play with at home. Because kids are, well, kid-sized, indoor slides can often easily fit into a playroom, basement, garden and more. More than just fun, indoor slides are a great way to exercise while also helping to improve coordination. Plus, they’re great at letting kids burn off energy during a rainy day.

Here are the top indoor slides for 2022:

Top 10 Best Indoor Slides for Toddlers

Step2 Play Up Double Slide Kids Climber

Made from durable plastic designed to look like a cabin or treehouse, the Play Up Double Side Kids Climber has a climbing wall, ladder and two slides. Can hold a total of 180 pounds and has room for three kids to play at the same time.

Construction is durable enough to leave the playset outside even in harsh weather. Also works great inside. Fits on an 8×10 rug with about a foot of space to spare. The long slide is 45 inches and the shorter 36.

The “wooden” design is great for all ages and genders. Can be a cozy cabin in the woods, a pirate hideout and more. Great for moving muscles and sparking imaginations.

Little Tykes Rock Climber and Slide

At 24 inches tall, the Little Tykes Rock Climber and Slide has a platform, adjustable slide, two climbing walls and three crawl-through tunnels. An included (non-functional) telescope and steering wheel can be attached at different places on the set.

This is a larger gym which is best in the backyard or basement. Great for a wide-range of ages. One climbing wall is designed for kids between three and five while the other wall is more of a challenging climb built for kids ages five to seven. But all kids stay safe on the platform thanks to a high safety rail.

Lil Monkey Olympus Climber

Are your kids more active than a barrel of monkeys? The Lil Monkey Olympus Climber is a great way for kids to stay active indoors. This slide and climbing wall combo improves motor skill, strength and balance.

Unlike many indoor slides and climbers, the Olympus is easy to pack away and store. Folds down in less than a minute. Can easily slide under a bed and other out-of-the-way location when not in use.

Although it can be easily folded down, this is a very solid and safe structure. Made from UV resistant polypropylene. Strong enough to withstand wet and windy outdoor weather.

Little Tikes Wet & Dry First Slide with Slip Mat

Perfect for toddlers, this Little Tykes Wet & Dry Slide with Slip Mat is a fun first slide for both indoors and out. Inside, this small-but-sturdy first slide is made for kids two years and up. The slide has handrails which you can snap in place for extra safety.

Bring the slide outside for extra fun on warm days. A 10-foot vinyl slip mat can be attached which turns the slide into a toddler-safe waterslide! Spray water on the slip mat and your little one can slide across the slick surface.

ECR4Kids Climb and Slide Playset

Do rainy days have your child bouncing off the walls? The ECR4Kids Climb and Slide Playset is built for high-energy kids between the ages of three and seven. Features crawl tunnels, platforms, hand/footholds and a slide.

Durability is the top-of-the-line. The poly-constructed slide is reversible, turning into a set of stairs which leads to the platform (kids can still access the platforming other ways when the slide is in place.) Plus, the set’s colors will remain vibrant for years, even with outdoor use.

Step2 Play and Fold Jr. Kids Slide

While larger slides with tons of features are great, they’re not the only option. The Step2 Play and Fold Jr. Kids Slide doesn’t have a lot of frills. Instead, it’s a simple, solid slide for kids as young as 18 months – a great choice for a little one’s first experience with a slide.

The Play and Fold Jr is 2.5 feet long and 22 inches height. Both of the two steps are wide and sturdy. Also includes easy-to-grip handrails.

Adults love this slide, too. It folds up for easy transportation and storage. Plus, assembly is simple and requires no tools. A great choice to take on trips.

Step2 Play Ball Fun Climber With Slide

Toddlers who love to play with their toys in-between runs down the slide will enjoy this Step2 Play Ball Fun Climber and its slide.

When you have two toddlers jumping through the slide, one toddler can be waiting their turn while playing with the ball-dropping maze and the other can be climbing and sliding as many times as they please.

The only drawback of this slide is that the balls included with the play table are of very low quality. They may be easy to dent and difficult to fix.

Little Tikes Hide and Seek Climber

For a household which needs a no-nonsense indoor slide that’s great for kids and tolerable for adults to help out with, the Little Tikes Hide and Seek Climber is a leading option.

With this slide’s 19.75 inches of height, your toddlers will feel like they’re practically on Space Mountain. If they feel a bit skittish when they’re at the top, they can hang out in the treehouse-like area.

Or, they can hang their legs over the ladder on the back for a different play experience. You should be careful when storing this slide, however. The white plastic parts which make up the majority of the slide’s stand can be scuffed very easily.

Simplay 3 Young Explorers Adventure Climber

The Simplay 3 Young Explorers Adventure Climber won the 2019 Parent’s Choice Award. It stands about 49 inches high and is appropriate for children 18 months to 6 years. The slide is extra wide and features easy-grip side rails for safety.

The climber is high quality plastic that contains no BPA, phthalates, or flame retardants, so you don’t need to worry about dangerous chemicals that are common in lower quality plastics. It features a sturdy design and is easy to assemble.

The Young Explorers Adventure Climber is more than a slide. It also features two wide, tiered climbing platforms and a hideaway fort underneath that has a steering wheel and dashboard so your toddler will stay entertained for a while.

The only downside to this slide is that it could use a second safety rail on the upper-level climbing tier as the space is large enough for a small child to slip through and fall. If you have a younger toddler, make sure they are well supervised when they’re climbing.

Eezy Peezy TM300 – 3 in 1 Gym Set With Slide, Ball Pit, and Target

If a slide is great, a slide with a ball pit and target is even better. Tire your kids out while keeping them entertained with the 3 in 1 Gym Set with slide, ball pit, and target, plus 50 colored balls for the pit.

Made of durable, sturdy plastic, the slide, and pit interlock via plastic tubes and connectors with self-locking springs.

The slide platform has two easily navigated steps. The ball pit allows small kids to climb over the side safely. The target is on the side of the ball storage framework.

Kids ages 1 through 3 are perfect for the 3 in 1 Gym Set. Its (56 x 62 x 29 inches) size does not take up much space.

Its construction is suitable for occasional use outside. National Sporting Goods makes the 3 in 1 Gym Set.

Best Indoor Slides for Kids 2022 FAQ

Not all indoor slides are the same. Before buying, you want to make sure the slide is safe, durable and the correct size for your needs. Follow the age guidelines. Never buy a slide with an age range older than the age of the youngest child who will be using it.

Once you’ve found a safe indoor slide for your child, you’ll next want to consider the materials, features, colors, ease-of-assembly and more. Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about selecting the best indoor slides:

How Do I Know an Indoor Slide is Safe?

Safety is always the number one consideration when selecting an indoor slide. The National Program for Playground Safety divides playground equipment into three age-appropriate categories:

• 6 months to 23 months: Play areas should have places to crawl, stand and walk
• 2 to 5 years old: Plays areas can have low platforms, ramps, ladders and slides under four feet
• 5 to 12 years old: Bigger slides, more advanced climbing, sliding poles and ropes

Almost all indoor slides are made for kids over the age of two. Regardless of age, all indoor play equipment should have curved edges, secure handles and barriers to prevent falling.

What Features Should an Indoor Slide Have?

Indoor slides can be pretty basic – nothing more than a slide and a ladder – or they can be packed with features. At the very least, you’ll probably want an indoor slide with a small platform. This creates an indoor fort which most kids will love.

Indoor slides can be just one part of a larger indoor jungle gym. You can find equipment with climbing areas, tunnels and more.

Generally, playsets with many different features are the best option for kids with a lot of energy and interest in physical activity. Multiple different ways to climb and explore keep active kids engaged and busy. Also, a lot of different features are usually best when many kids will typically be playing together. The more there is to do, the less kids will feel left out when playing with their friends.

Don’t forget about the look and style of the slide. Many slides have different designs. Plastic molded to look like wood is often popular, but you can also find many other options. Other slides don’t have a particular theme but instead use a variety of bright colors. There is no “best” design – simply choose a slide style which your kids think looks cool. Generally, younger kids prefer bright colors while older ones prefer more of theme.

How Important is Outdoor Use for an Indoor Slide?

The ability for an indoor slide to be used outdoors certainly isn’t necessary, but it can be a fun bonus. How useful outdoor-readiness is to you will mainly depend on your location. If you have a backyard and live in an area with nice weather, you might want to consider the Little Tykes Wet n Dry Slide, the Rock Climber Slide and similar.

Note that almost no indoor slide can be left outdoors year round. While the toughest indoor slides can survive an occasional rainstorm or other harsh weather, they’ll typically fade and warp if left under a pile of snow all winter long.

What Materials Make the Best Indoor Slide?

Avoid metal parts. They can easily cut or otherwise injure a small child. Instead, you want all-plastic construction. Heavy-duty poly-construction plastic is durable enough to support a child but still flexible enough to provide a cushion against injuries. Fortunately, all of the slides on our list, and basically all indoor slides in general, are made from child-safe plastic compounds.

Another consideration is build time. Most indoor slides will have a few pieces you’ll need to assemble. But other indoor slides can be much more extensive to build. The ECR4Kids is an example of an indoor slide with a fair number of individual parts. But don’t worry – no indoor slide even comes close to the assembly required for a permanent outdoor jungle gym.

What Benefits Do Indoor Slides Provide?

Keeping your kids busy and active on days when they can’t go play outside is certainly a great benefit of an indoor slide/jungle gym. But aside from keeping parents sane, indoor slides actually have a ton of benefits for kids.

Playground equipment helps build strength in both arms and legs. While all kids benefit from regular exercise, regular play on slides and stairs is especially helpful for toddlers learning to control their extremities.

Slides also help kids develop their spatial relationship and visual motor coordination. Platforms, climbing areas and slides let kids experience movement on various vertical levels. The learn how to connect what they see with physical action.

Sliding also teaches kids about causal relationships. Once you start going down the slide, you can’t stop until you reach the bottom. This helps introduce the relationship between actions and consequences.

At what age is it safe to introduce slides into my child’s play?

Before children can slide down a slide, they need to have enough balance and control of their bodies to stay upright as they slide down. Typically, by 18 to 24 months, you can safely introduce slides into play.

Start with a smaller slide with a smaller incline, and as they get older, you can introduce them to higher slides with slightly steeper slopes. Introduce your child to slides at home first, before allowing them to use the slides typically found in public parks and playgrounds. Most public slides are designed to be used by children ages two and up and even then make sure to stay close to them.

Is it alright to allow my child to climb up the slide instead of the ladder?

Allowing children to climb up the toddler slide itself rather than up the ladder is a source of debate amongst parents everywhere. There are certain developmental benefits to allowing children to climb up a toddler slide. Besides the physical benefits, it also results in improved cognitive performance and higher self-esteem.

However, climbing up the toddler slide is more dangerous than going up the ladder and is considered taboo according to playground etiquette. On the playground, stick to the rule of “up the ladder down the toddler slide.” Reinforce the importance of taking turns with other children who want to go down the toddler slide too.

Is it okay to let my big kid play on a toddler slide?

If your toddler has an older sibling, they may want to play too. Most of the time this is perfectly fine. Check the product information for weight capacity or age range to be sure, but most slides will accommodate older children as well.

Big kids can also be great teachers for little ones and help them figure out how to climb up and slide down safely. As a bonus, little ones can start to learn how to take turns by watching older ones.

Final Thoughts

An indoor slide isn’t meant to replace a day at the park or the playground. Instead, indoor slides are a great way for a child to stay physically active in the home or backyard. They help kids burn off energy while also building muscles and motor skills.

Remember, safety is always the number one priority. Avoid metal construction and always consult the listed age recommendations. You also want to choose the appropriate extra features for your child’s interests and abilities.

Indoor slides provide healthy fun, and usually easily fit into a playroom, backyard or elsewhere around the home.