The Head Start Program in Mid Cumberland commissioned the design and construction of a 64-inch by 64-inch climbing wall to provide a safe and structured alternative to children climbing on furniture and fences.
The Head Start preschool expressed a need for an engaging play structure that supports development and active learning for pre-school aged children. To address this, the team was tasked to design and construct a 64-inch by 64-inch gross motor play area that the children can use to improve balance, coordination, and strength through play.
The primary feature of the structure is a child-scaled climbing wall intended to help spatial awareness, body control, and confidence in the children. In addition to the climbing component, the structure will include a puzzle and color-matching area designed to support color recognition and promote problem solving skills through interactive, game based learning. The climbing wall will not exceed 64 inches in height, based on the project specifications established by the client due to space constraints and to maintain an appropriate scale for the children. To comply with the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, the play area will have ground-level components, like the interactive game area, so that children of varying abilities can engage with the play area. Edges and corners will be rounded to eliminate sharp surfaces, and padded flooring will be installed beneath the structure to absorb impact and minimize injuries for the children.
Overall Structure
Basic Climbing Rung
Rock Climbing Wall
Floor
Interactive Games and Panels
Rock climbing wall, rung climbing wall, hanging bar, and interactive game-based learning area.
The client also mentioned the inclusion of a swinging bar. This is included in design 1. However, due to the layout of the room this design could be unsafe. It could lead to kids swinging far enough to hit a table, light fixture, or other children. The swinging bar would also increase the amount of space required to be covered by the mat, greatly increasing the cost of the project
Rock climbing wall and rung climbing wall.
Design 2 is closer to what clients ask for originally. It is a good option with the cheapest price. It does not include interactive games.
Rock climbing wall, rung climbing wall, and interactive game-based learning area.
Design 3 includes both games and the climbing walls. It is closer to the vision of what our clients described. The rung wall has a top rung allowing the child to hang from mimicking the swinging bar without need for more padding and located in a spot which prevents the child from swinging onto other things.
After evaluating all concept designs using a decision matrix, based on cost, safety, and our clients preference we believe Design 3 is the best option. We have decided to focus on the third design. It includes both sensory play through movement and interactive puzzles.
The selected design is Concept 3. It includes both the rung climbing wall and rock climbing wall, along with the interactive games.
The rung wall will be on one side and will be made of cedar posts, with the rungs material being steel. The rock-climbing wall will comprise the other half of the 64 inch wide space, with its frame also being made of cedar. The rock climbing wall incline will be 3/4 inch thick Birch plywood. It is a standard rock-climbing wall, and will be the same height as the rung wall. On the side of the structures, interactive interactive games like puzzles, colors, and shape recognition will be included.
Analysis of Climbing Rung Wall
Multiple Load Analysis
The calculated stress due to the children’s weight is a lot less than the yield strength of galvanized steel.
The fabrication process was significantly longer than initially anticipated and required multiple adjustments, iterations, and refinements throughout the construction. The project was divided into two primary components: the rock climbing wall and the rung wall.
Rock Climbing Wall
The rock climbing wall started with the construction of the frame using standard 2×4 wood. The wood was measured and cut into the required lengths to form the base structure, wherein horizontal and vertical wood were assembled to create the frame. Additional support blocks were added to increase structural integrity and provide a way for the climbing wall to be mounted to the concrete wall of the daycare during installation.
All joints were first secured with wood glue to improve bonding. The joints were then reinforced using #10 2.5 inch wood screws. In some cases, the standard screws were insufficient to fully penetrate joints wherein the wood was too thick. In these events, long screws were used.
After the frame was assembled, plywood was cut to size and mounted onto the frame at an angle to form the climbing surface. The sides of the frame were left untouched until final assembly, though the plywood for the sides were cut and prepared alongside the main climbing wall.
Rock climbing holds, sourced from Amazon, were installed onto the plywood surface. These were fastened securely using appropriate hardware to ensure stability.
Throughout the process, the wall was primed and painted. The design chosen was a stylized, cartoony, mountain landscape featuring hills and flower fields. The aesthetic assembly required multiple stages of painting and touch-ups, as some areas needed to be sanded, cut, or repainted, due to later modifications or surface imperfections.
Rung Wall
The rung wall was constructed using two 64 inch 4×4 wooden posts as the primary supports. Eight holes were drilled into each post using a spade bit, with each hole measuring approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and 2 inches in depth.
1.25 inch diameter metal conduits that were 28 inches in length were used as the rungs. These were inserted into the holes such that approximately 2 inches of each end was embedded into the wooden posts, with each exposed rung length being 24 inches.
To stabilize the rung wall, 2×4 wood were installed as supports on each end. A plywood backing was attached to the rear of the structure to minimize lateral movement and to provide a way to support the concrete screws used to mount the structure during installation.
Aesthetic and Finish
Many components were painted prior to the assembly to allow for detailed artwork. However, this introduced a few problems. Several pieces required re-cutting after painting due to dimensional inaccuracies. In addition, multiple rounds of sanding, repainting, and touch-ups were required across the two structures.
Wood filler was applied extensively to gaps and surface imperfections due to mistakes and wood splitting. In some cases, it was applied more than necessary, but it ultimately contributed to a stabilized structure with a more finished appearance.
Design Adjustments
During planning, the team intended to incorporate game elements on the side panels of the rock climbing wall. However, during fabrication, it became clear that the plywood used for the climbing wall panels did not provide sufficient thickness to accommodate these additions. In addition, the available space had been slightly overestimated during the design phase, which limited the feasibility of these extra components.
To evaluate structural integrity and safety, load testing was conducted. Two members within the group who were near the expected upper weight limit were selected to test both structures.
Each structure was climbed multiple times to observe stability and any sign of structural stress. The structure remained stable under these conditions with no observable deformation or instability.
In addition, an adult staff member from the Head Start facility voluntarily tested the rung wall after installation. While the system was designed specifically for 3 to 4 year old children, the structure withstood the stress and was durable enough to hold their weight.
While the climbing wall was designed to withstand significant force, the following guidelines are recommended:
Working on this project ended up being very meaningful to all of us. The climbing walls turned out great, and we learned a lot of lessons along the way. At first, it just felt like a fun project with deadlines, but throughout the process we started realizing that what we were creating would genuinely impact children in our community. Our final rung wall and rock climbing wall became something we are truly proud of, not only because the structure was engaging and aesthetically cohesive, but because it was thoughtfully designed with safety and functionality in mind. Knowing that children at the Head Start Program will actively use something we designed and built made the entire experience feel far more rewarding and significant than we ever anticipated.
One of the biggest things this project taught us was real-world experience. There were many unexpected issues during fabrication that forced us to constantly adjust our plans. Some measurements were slightly incorrect, pieces had to be re-cut, paint had to be redone several times, and certain design ideas that looked good on paper did not work as well once we started physically building everything.
If we could do the project again, there are several things we would approach differently. We would spend more time double-checking dimensions before cutting or painting materials because several mistakes came from rushing through measurements. We also learned that it would have been smarter to fully finish the structural assembly before focusing heavily on aesthetics and painting. Some pieces had to be sanded, adjusted, or re-cut after already being painted, which created extra work that could have been avoided with better planning. We also underestimated how long fabrication would take overall. Small tasks like sanding, waiting for paint to dry, fixing alignment issues, and making adjustments added much more time than expected.
Another important lesson we learned was the value of teamwork and adaptability. Throughout the project, everyone had to step in and help wherever they were needed. There were stressful moments during construction, especially when unexpected problems came up, but working through those situations together helped us improve our communication and problem-solving skills. Engineering projects rarely go perfectly, and being able to adapt to problems calmly was very important.
Furthermore, seeing the final structure installed and knowing it will benefit children in our community made all the hard work feel worthwhile. Even though the project came with challenges and setbacks, those moments taught us the most.
