Top 5 Tips for Climbing with Kids
Cami Nicoll
Scaling New Heights, With Kids
Introducing children to the amazing world of rock climbing can be an incredibly rewarding experience, creating a love for adventure and helping them learn valuable life skills from an early age. Whether you're a seasoned climber or new to the sport, climbing with kids requires careful planning and consideration to ensure the safety and enjoyment for the whole family. Here are my five essential tips to help you navigate the vertical terrain with your little ones.
1. Start Small and Build Confidence:
When introducing children to climbing, start with beginner-friendly routes that are well within their abilities. Choose climbing areas with ample opportunities for easy climbs and gentle slopes, allowing kids to build confidence and familiarity with the sport without feeling overwhelmed. Celebrate their successes and encourage them to progress at their own pace.
Try to remember that they are small and heights are a lot scarier to them than they are to you. Remember to be patient. Let them swing around and get comfortable trusting the rope and keeping their feet against the wall.
2. Emphasize Safety:
Prioritize safety above all else when climbing with kids. Make sure that they can follow basic safety measures like staying away from the ledge when not clipped in, keeping out from under climbers, and being aware of their surroundings. If they aren't to this point yet, make sure you have another adult (besides a climber and belayer) that can help supervise.
When the kids are ready to climb make sure their harness fits correctly and supports their back and legs. If climbing outside, make sure they are also wearing a helmet to help protect against any rocks that might fall or them bouncing around and bonking their head on the rocks. Help them tie into the ropes, and have them practice communicating with the belayer before starting their climb.
3. Make it Fun and Engaging:
Keep kids motivated and engaged by making climbing sessions fun and interactive. Incorporate games, challenges, and creative activities into your climbing sessions to maintain their interest and enthusiasm. Have them be a money, swing on the rope, or pretend to be spiderman.
If you climb up first, you can hide special rocks or treats on the wall for them to find as they climb!
4. Foster a Positive Mindset:
Encourage a positive mindset and cultivate resilience in young climbers by emphasizing the importance of perseverance and problem-solving. Teach them to approach challenges with a growth mindset, viewing setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth rather than obstacles to overcome. Praise their efforts and offer constructive feedback to help them develop confidence and resilience on and off the wall.
5. Lead by Example:
As a parent, lead by example and show them good climbing practices and etiquette for your children to follow. Show them the importance of proper technique, communication, and respect for the climbing environment. Be patient, supportive, and encouraging as they navigate their climbing journey, and celebrate their achievements along the way.
Bonus tip:
Bring lot's of snacks! Climbing is a slow sport and kids are always hungry. Bringing lots of snacks to the crag will help keep moral up for everyone.
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