UKC

So my kid is a climber...

She's 18 months old and is pulling up anything. How soon should I start? We've taken her to McD's and anything in reach is easy. She's climbing book cases, making strides between furniture.

At what age do people start taking her to a wall?

In reply to Roadrunner5:

We started taking my daughter scrambling about on rocks with a full body harness and a bit of rope as a 'leash' straight away and she loved it. At the wall she's just not that bothered, so we don't push it.

Tbh a climbing wall isn't nearly as much fun for an 18 month old as a playground would be, but try it. I'd defo recommend going when it's nice and quiet though. The little one will probably have most fun playing around on the soft mats.

In reply to Roadrunner5:

I've taken my 17month old to the miniworks a couple of times - first time she loved it and as soon as she had worked out that she had to climb the walls to get to the slides we couldnt stop her climbing.

Second time she was completely uninterested and just watched my wife and I taking it in turns to climb. She ran around the mats and seemed happy with that.

She absolutely loves the big soft play centres and there is plenty of climbing type things at them to get them used to it!

In reply to deacondeacon:

Its too cold here most days, this weekend it will be back down at -15 C. The play grounds are just too cold in these temps.

It was why we caved and took her to a McD's last weekend.

Thanks I may try and find a local gym with a kids wall.

In reply to Roadrunner5:

My local wall (Eden Rock) have started a parent and child class aimed at toddlers. Not sure of the details (I don't need it), but I believe its to get likeminded parents together in the climbing environment at the centre so that the kids can play (In the kids room, not on the comp wall) and the parents can possibly climb as well. Seems a fantastic idea, especially for parents who maybe need to get together for some social interation as well.

Might be something a few other walls could consider elsewhere.

In reply to Roadrunner5:

we've got a Sunday morning informal really young kids session on at the moment, we just put loads of extra holds on the wall for the morning, it's been great for the wall and we've routinely got a really busy early Sunday crowd. Only challenge will be when they get to kids clubs age and are all capable of leading 8A...

What I've noticed from watching is that the kids who get into it are the ones who are just encouraged to have a sort of climbing themed play, maybe rescue the teddy type games and stuff. The kids who have been introduced to following specific coloured problems and routes have definitely not held interest as well, think that's held true till age 5 or 6.

In reply to Roadrunner5:

My daughter was 2 and a half when we first took her to a wall (at her request). She'd been before with us so knew what walls were, but that was the first time she wanted to climb properly. We've been going ever since, but sporadically at her request. It's fun!