UKC

Anyone got any tips/ ideas/areas for getting out with young kids. Ive got a young toddler under 3 and another coming soon. At the moment we get out bouldering around matlock area, Can you get bouldering mats that have pockets storage etc? any ideas what to do to entertain them/ games to play? Anybody else in a similar situation around matlock or peak area trying to get out with kids?

In reply to Wilks38:

I have twin sons who have just turned 2 and hope to get out to my local wall to introduce them to bouldering in the near future. There are books out there such as climbing games that are aimed at youngsters. If it was me I would get them used to the rock by getting them on something slabby and climbing up to their favourite toy as a starter. As for carrying stuff, I would just use a man bag with a few bits in as a starter.

Hope that sort of helps.

In reply to Wilks38:

Get a full body harness and tie the child to a tree. Safe and entertained in one.

In reply to Wilks38:

Don't expect too much from them. Your idea of a good day out might not be theirs, at least for the next 16 years. Obviously kids have different ideas about what interests them, what is right for one may not work for another.

Make it fun, keep them safe, don't let them get cold and be prepared to call it a day long before you would prefer.

Used to take mine on a walk and took gear just in case they were showing signs of enthusiasm. One day they would be really enthusiastic and on others were less engaged. I tried really hard not to push them into stuff that I thought they should do. Now my 9 yr old is asking to go on multi pitch routes, so it seems to have worked.

Might be a different story when they hit 14, probably won't want to be seen in public with a parent.

In reply to Wilks38:

Join this group. Lots of great ideas and people with similar aged children to meet up with if you want to

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Climberswithlittleones

In reply to Wilks38:
I went to Harborough Rocks the other week with my 5 and 3 year olds. They loved it because the pocketed limestone was so easy to use. 3 yo got up her first mod and diff and loved it. However, three climbs was enough for them.

If using a rope, waiting around can be boring for them, so repeating a top-rope can save faff time. Sitting around eating snacks seems to be an important part of it all, so warm weather helps if you want to make a day of it all. When we last went to Burbage valley, finding and exploring caves and finding novel ways to get to the top of the crag were all important fun features.

I have usually not bothered with a pad because they don't want to jump off. If you have two adults, one could perhaps child -watch while the other can climb without worrying about kids underneath. Otherwise, i think that focusing on the kids having fun is the priority.

Also, cars to roll off slopes, dolls for which to make dens in cracks or caves.

Just a few thoughts

In reply to Wilks38:

I was walking in to Stanage via the plantation the other day and passed a family, two adults, two kids. They were taking their time on the walk in, getting the kids to clamber over every little boulder on the way up. That seemed to be keeping them happy.

Maybe think about 'odd' venues, like Brimham-lots of crevices and caves to explore.

In reply to Wilks38:
There seem to have been very few replies to this. Basically we have taken our wee man to the crag from (almost) day one ...I think the first outing was ten days after birth to Jetty crag Gruinard. In the early years (1-3/4 years) we usually had some other climber friend with us to climb, but the last 2-3 years we have had many (sport )climbing climbing trips on our own as a family to Gairloch / Perthshire / Northwest / Siurana /Costa Blanca /Kalymnos /Lakes / Frankenjura/Pfalz etc.
The important things are somewhere to sit ( we always take a bit of tarpaulin - very important to keep out of the bog/muck; next - lots of toys; then lots of bribery material when they get older including sweets; kids harness and boots if interested)
Our little boy has never complained (much), there is always loads to do and look at. He now climbs really well (without ever having forced him ever and he can easily walk up Munros/Corbetts at fair speed (actually starting to burn me off, downhill at least)- age 6. Games to play when bored and walking: I have always found the alphabet game fantastic and long lasting. You have to think of an animal starting from A and the next person has to do B etc, by the time you have discussed merits/dangers/ etc of the animals you are at the top, never managed more than K I think...

He loved hanging from the trees in a harness for a while spinning and swinging around. Now he just prefers to do a route or a couple of boulder problems - and than that's it. I would never force him to do more, whatever he wants.

In reply to Wilks38:
Took my 6 year old to the Dewerstone yesterday. As everyone mentioned, took it nice and slow, played lots of games and made sure he was warm. Also taken him to clip and climb and let him have a go on a auto belay at the local wall. Both worked really well and made it was fun.

Baby steps if you pardon the pun.

Hot chocolate afterwards also works a treat.

In reply to Wilks38:

Thanks for everyones feedback

In reply to Wilks38:

Saw a small boy in tears half way up a route on Tryfan Fach once. His dad was bellowing at him to stop being a baby because it was embarrassing him.

Don't do that.

In reply to Wilks38:

From our website we have had good feedback from families using quite a few venues where we have included kids boulder problems. The most obvious is Burbage South Boulders... at the start of these linked pages most problems are kid friendly, easy to find (right next to the path as you arrive) and unlisted elsewhere:

http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/burbages_boulders.html