18 mo. climber in a house with hardwood flooring. Help!

[nosce]

My DD is just shy of 18 mo. She's figured out that she can push chairs and stools around the house so she can climb higher and can open up drawers to use as steps. I wouldn't worry TOO much except that we have solid oak flooring and she's climbing on antiques which can't be babylocked.
She looses her footing at least three times a day and either scares herself to tears or totally falls and hits her head. Not that I'd want to anyway, but she resists constant spotting and actually gets angry if I stand by to catch her if need be. She doesn't seem to connect that what she's doing is dangerous or remember that she's hurt herself three times already today doing the same thing.
I know she does it most when I'm unavailable- looking at the computer, taking a shower, upstairs while she's downstairs. We have an open concept house- I can't just gate her off.
How do I handle this? I tend to fall into the category of those who believe "experience is the greatest teacher", but I don't want to the teaching to be done in the back of an ambulance after she cracks her skull open.
She's always been really high needs/high spirited- a simple distraction is not going to do it for this girl.
Help me out here, mamas!

[Dajemadger]

we zip tied our chairs to the table legs and all the stools are in the bathroom behind a closed door. Right now my 15mos old is a climber and we have to actually lay the chairs down at the table so he can't get up there anymore. Try to give your dc ample opportunities to climb in appropriate places until it is "mastered"

This too shall pass!

[nosce]

I love the idea of zip ties! A mama in another community suggested painter's tape for the antiques which can't have baby locks drilled into them. Thank you!

[Ravenlunatic]

My dd was a climber too. I never let her climb on furniture in the house (aside from the couch). It didn't take too long (half a year) for her to get that she was not allowed to climb on chairs/tables/countertops/dressers/etc...

My nephew by the way was allowed to do these things. I would always get so nervous watching him stand on a chair, lean over the table and teeter on tip toes while doing it. He still does all of these things at age 4 and I don't think it is appropriate for children to climb on things with dirty shoes and feet. Am I unreasonable?


I provided dd with several stools in the house so one was always available for reaching onto table and countertops, looking in mirror, washing hands etc.

I was always with her so she did not have the opportunity at 18 months to choose climbing without me being right there to remind her that we climb outside and not on furniture. Even in the face of an angry child (trust me this gets much worse so learn to say no and stick to it) you need to be persistant in letting your DC know that it is not okay to climb on furniture.

I would just tell her "that is not safe" instead of "no you can't do that"

Provide your child with many things to climb on that are appropriate.

Can the antiques be put away for the time being?

I may be erring on the side of caution here, but isn't 18 months a little young to be left alone while you shower, or are upstairs? Especially with all of this dangerous behavior going on?

I put my dd on a stool at the bathroom sink while I showered, or right inside the bedroom with the door closed so she couldn't go about the house.

Good Luck