UKC

Hi Guys,

What age is recommended for kids to start climbing indoor routes? what age range are the kids harnesses designed for?

Keen to get my little nephew started soonish!

Cheers

Simon

In reply to Simonj:

Started my godson climbing aged 6 (seconding)
Had he been mine, he'd have been playing on boulders from age 2-ish, and probably in a harness aged 4 if he wanted to.

In reply to Simonj:

I think indoors is the worst place to start children, there is very little they can do usually, due to the spacing of the holds, reachy is an understatement. Depends on the wall and the size of the child, obviously.

Mine were far, far happier starting off scrambling about real rock.

In reply to Simonj: I've definitely seen very young kids climbing. The youngest maybe 5 or less. Black diamond's whiz kid says: "*For kids from 35-110lb." Petzl simba (full body) says 5-10 years old. I'd go to a shop and have him try a few on to make sure of fit.

A friend of mine got his kids started of at the age of 5 and 6 (the youngest wanted started a year earlier)

His entire family climbs and has ever since - lucky bastard

In reply to Ivan Braun DK:

Thanks Guys, he`s only three at the minute and already climbing highball bookshelf problems!

In reply to Simonj: I take my daughter climbing & she's 4 & only 97cms tall bless her. Her harness is adjustable & will do till she's around 10 years old. When i go for a climb im always on the look out for micro routes for her (5 or 6 feet) with suitably spaced holds. she loves it. Hope this helps.

Joe

In reply to winhill:


Agree 100%. When little'uns climb, it's meant to be fun. They have a short attention span and need to be kept happy. Outdoors, where it's not "you are here, here is for climbing, you must climb" is far better. The first time I took T, we went to Windgather. He did 2 routes, then I said "that's it, enough for now" and we had a picnic. He then wanted to climb again, but again, I said no, and we flew kites from the top. Finally we did go back and climb more, and his interest was maintained.

I also take him scrambling. To him this is "fun scrambly bits" with which he associates days out and climbing. He loves mountains because of this now. And of course to a small person, even grade 1 scrambles are a climbing challenge (especially when he has rope and helmet on!)

Indoors, I know he'd feel trapped, feel that he had to do a certain thing, with no opportunity to do sthg else for a while. Of course, other peoples' kids may be different.

Mine have both enjoyed clambering around Font boulders at about a year. The bigger one's now 4 and a half, and was doing a good number of problems on the family white circuits this year; he also did a couple of pitches on the start of Ordinary route on Idwal slabs on holiday last week.

But that's the first "real" stuff - before that, stuff at an easier angle has been much better, even if it's been with ropes and harness. He also loved climbing scaffolding tower with ropes and harness, and abbing down, a couple of years back when we were painting the outside of the house!

Indoors, he likes hanging about in his harness, but as has already been said, the holds are often too far apart for much more.

In reply to Simonj:
I first got my daughter outdoors on a rope whilst she was still 2. I'd set up a top rope and climb on the rope with her on a bight in front of me with my wife belaying. That way I could help her up and steeper or reachy bits. Still easy ground though - moderate or diff at most.

She's now just turned 5 and will now climb on the rope on her own. A tip I got on here is to belay from above so they have a friendly face to look up to. It also makes lowering them easier as looking up at you gets them leaning back properly. I think she enjoys lowering more than the climb. When she first climbed on her own I also put her on a bight with enough trailing behind her to reach the ground from the top. That way a third person can control the descent and keep her from falling into the rock.

The most important thing as caralynr said is to make it fun and be prepared to do other things than just climb. There is also no point making them do anything - we have been when all she has felt like doing is one climb before deciding it's more fun to make daisy chains!

Andy.

In reply to Simonj:
My niece and nephew, are 5 and 7 and have been going to the climbing wall everytime they come to visit for well over a year now, and absolutely love it, Charlie wrote us a letter entirely off his own bat (he was actually round at a friends)when he was nearly 6 to "anty Jaky and uncle brain" asking to go to the "claming wall soon" I filled up!
They also love the 'boulders' that are in a couple of playgrounds near us, and love to have a rope set up in our stair well, so they can prussic up! #
It's great beinng favourite Aunt!

In reply to Simonj:

I take my 3 year old niece climbing indoors and out. She was happy to try ropes but now opts for bouldering with the odd tree climb.

As long as she is in full control of what and when she climbs, is climbing at her own pace (with me standing withing arms reach)she will always let me know when she needs help or wants to be lifted down. She has surprised me with her determination: even when she is clearly a bit scared she refuses to let me lift her off the wall.

In reply to Porridge the climber:

Thanks for the info Andy. My little 'un is just over two now and I was wondering when would be a good age to take her. Last week we were strolling past some granite boulders on the Brittany coast and she ran to them "like a child in a toy shop". It was a real 'proud dad' moment when I realised she loves bouldering. We spent a lot of time on those boulders with me spotting her on gentle stuff.

I note the Westway climbing wall in London has a notice up saying they've removed the minimum age requirement and they now have a designated pram park - so they are obviously expecting some really young ones - but I agree with the other posters, I think real rock is more fun for them (and me) and not just for the question of reach problems between holds but also because climbing centres tend to have a bit of a macho intimidating air in them which could easily put kids off.