UKC

My niece and nephew are super keen and I'd like to take them to a wall.

Thoughts please (i.e. tips and advice?!)

One thing I am struggling with is that none of the walls seem to put age restrictions on their websites.

They are 3 and 4, and if a suitable full body harness exists (I don't know yet) perfectly capable of climbing up a rainbow slab.....

Thank you

In reply to ClimberEd:

When my two were really young I started them off playing in the house with ropes and harnesses, belayed them up stairs,lowered them off beams and even rigged a Tyrolean all to get them comfortable with the ropes and kids full body harnesses. At the wall I took some of their favourite little cuddly toys which they had to climb up and retrieve from pockets and holds. Also don't forget that climbing outdoors is what it's all about lots of kid friendly crags and superb junior circuits in great kid friendly destinations like Font. Just make it fun and avoid the trap of being a pushy parent when they get good, lots of pushy parents around so learn from their mistakes. Hope that helps.

In reply to Sl@te Head:

Thanks Ian,

Lots of good advice.

Easy to avoid the pushy parent thing, it is entirely at their request (having seen videos on the tv)

In reply to ClimberEd:

But its v difficult not to start feeling ambitious for them - and thats where the problems start.

My lad likes to get out climbing now and then - but not just with me. There should preferably be another keen kid of his age but failing that, someone of any age with a similar (or lower!) experience level. Taking your two out together may work in this respect.

In reply to ClimberEd:

Tom kitten harness fits small ones.

My advice is to take extra adults so you can have both kids climbing at once, you can't safely supervice one whilst belaying the other.

In reply to ClimberEd:

Check the age ristriction at your wall, my local (Creation, Brum) does have age limit of 4 and over.

I would say get them comfortable with letting go of the wall and being lowered as it's harder to convince them when they've got to the top and clung on like a cat!

Climbing walls will have full body harnesses for kids so get the best advice from them before you go out and buy one. I find it way cheaper to just pay for the kids and belay then to put them in a kids club which is usually £15/kid per session.

Anyway, it's all great fun to see the kids get up on tiny crimpy holds that would make my eyes water!

In reply to ClimberEd:

At this age we used to take them up descent gullies at crags which they loved - actual routes even Moderate/Diff can be a bit reachy for 3 and 4 years

Never really did the indoor wall thing, but you do need a full body harness definitely. We used Petzl Ouistiti

In reply to ClimberEd:

Where you based? I think outdoors often Bette for themthan indoors at that age. They can sramble up mods, or even bits that aren't routes much better than they will a wall.
Definitely full body harness at that age - little ones are top heavy and have no hips to keep a sit harness on.
Our wall lets them in at any age, and is free for under 5s as they get bored quickly.
The teddy rescue that someone else mentioned is always a favourite. If the wall is quiet they may enjoy just swinging, so put them on a rope at the bottom of an overhang and lift them up and swing them (if the wall staff don't mind!).
Have fun, and as others said, don't be pushy!!

In reply to ClimberEd:

Not sure where you are but Climb Newcastle have a small 'rock stars' room and run classes for young ones around that age, they play lots of games and learn the basics bouldering, its a good intro and maybe something other walls do near you.

In reply to ClimberEd:

I take an iPad with games for those times when one of them is bored.

Keeps him/her in the same place & discourages wandering off

In reply to ClimberEd:

I took my friends five year old daughter to my local wall at the weekend. We'd built up to it having spoken about it a while ago and it was her decision to go (with parental support of course).
I took her dad and her. From the outset there was no pressure to do anything, I got Dad to have a go first to show how it works and then when lowering off I asked him to place a beany baby type toy dog on a hold having already set it up that she would then rescue puppy from the wall.
She was allowed to stop and lower off whenever she wanted, it was only on the last climb becuase she was near the top for the first time that we suggested one more move to touch the top. There was a lot of praise for both her and her dad and I tried to explain how it was all working as we went; Dad learnt the figure of eight and stopper and she got to untie the knots. We also tested whether she could hold her dad's weight with the belay device attached to my harness and this showed how strong she was. I always had her holding the dead rope to help when belaying.

With twoyoung uns it might be a challenge to hold the attention when they're not tied on.

I hope that helps.

In reply to ClimberEd:

Thanks for the further advice everyone!

Mother will be well and truly in tow for dealing with wayward rug rats

I have a climbing 6 yr old that first went at 4. She loved it from the outset but has had ups and downs along the way. She froze at the top once but weeks after she first went and had been lowering off without a problem. She remembers it as something she overcame and gets busy talking other nervous kids down if she sees any! We did a bit of climbing for treats but TBH I think she climbs better just for fun. I do get really proud of her, I'm human, I get proud of most stuff she does and I love seeing her try really hard at anything. I'm the same Mum, she's tried swimming, dancing, riding and skating 4 out of 5 were very 'passing phases'climbing, as yet, has endured. She wants to go outside more now and I'd love to take her but don't have the outdoor skills/gear.

The only thing I see at the wall that worries me is seeing kids bouldering to the top regardless of size or ability, kids running behind climbers bouldering or kids that so clearly don't want to be on the rope any higher being either winched up or endlessly persuaded to keep going. Somehow I doubt that needs saying on here though.

Oh - and she has a full body harness Wild Country which fitted when she was a very tidgey 4yr old. As she's the only kid having to wear one in the kids club I toyed with softening recently - then managed to fall upside down myself and thought, nope, she'll wear it for as damn long as I can get away with it!! (18 too ambitious?? :p )

In reply to ClimberEd:

All went really well, thank you.

Best advice (in this case) was just to let them decide what they want to and not push them into anything. They seemed very happy although as they got tired just want to be clipped into the harness, look at the wall and wait for the other to say 'my turn'