Created in collaboration with grOH! Playrooms, wall storage solutions brand Shelfology’s Randle Wall Climbing Handle is the sort of playroom design feature that could make anyone wish they were 5 years old all over again. The indoor climbing accessory is fashioned after the traditional monkey bar, inviting children to run wild – both physically, along with their imaginations –  turning walls and ceilings into a playground of purposeful play.

Three powder coated Randle Wall Climbing Handles in small vertical ladder configuration.

While it may seem a straightforward design solution, Jeff Ward, Director of Product Development Overlord at Shelfology, notes designing the Randle posed a great challenge related to safety. Engineering a bar capable of enduring the rowdy nature of kids’ play patterns, especially when unsupervised, required exemplary resistance and stability under stress.

Ward’s team’s original Randle handle design exhibited too much movement while grabbed, a problem solved by adding two additional anchor points on a vertical axis for a total of four lag screws, doubling the bar’s resistance when grabbed or hung from.

Five teal powder coated Randle Wall Climbing Handles in diagonal vertical ladder configuration.

The final 16″ and 24″ wide bar designs made from 1” round hollow steel tubing is capable of supporting up to 250 lbs. when correctly installed using the included lag screws into structural wall studs and ceiling joists (installation steps viewable here with powder coated sample swatches available for $5/each). With proper planning, the bars can be arranged vertically and across the ceiling, allowing kids to strengthen muscles, develop coordination, and of course, expand their imagination in activities with nary a screen in sight.

Kid's room decorated with giant Tom and Jerry Kubrick statues with Randle Wall Climbing Handles installed onto the left side of the wall near a small floating desk, tubular chair, floating shelves and decorative plant pattern wallpaper.

Colorfully decorated kid's room decorated with graphical tropical plant themed wallpaper, children's bed inset into the cross section profile of a yellow roof house, and a multicolor arrangement of Randle Wall Climbing Handles spanning the wall up across the ceiling.

Colorfully decorated kid's room decorated with graphical plant themed wallpaper, children sized teepee, and a multicolor arrangement of Randle Wall Climbing Handles spanning the wall up across the ceiling.

It had to be robust, but still look fun and simple. We figured, ‘If it will hold a Marketing Associate, it will hold a child.

– Jeff Ward, Director of Product Development Overlord at Shelfology

Colorfully decorated kid's room decorated with animal shaped cube seats, large stuffed animal elephant, hanging swing from the ceiling, and a multicolor arrangement of Randle Wall Climbing Handles spanning the walls.

Children's room with bean bags, circular colorful pattern rug, and floating platform loft connected to two sets of Randle Wall Climbing Handles attached to the walls and a third set climbing the slanted ceiling.

Randle Wall Climbing Handles installed onto the right side wall of a small children's bedroom decorated with abstract colorful wall art, floating shelf, modern abstract rug, slat covered walls, and a small blue-gray corner bed with a large teddy bear leaning against it.

For parents looking to allow their kids to monkey around, Shelfology offers over 30 powder coated hardware colors to further the playground look and feel. Randle is offered in a 16″ length for $38/bar or a longer 24″ wide option for $42, but parents can save by purchasing them in bulk, saving 15% off if bought in quantities beyond 10.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

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