Climbing and bouldering with kids: Actually a no-brainer. Climbing is in any kid’s DNA, as many a parent at home has been horrified to discover when the little ones have waved at you from the top of the wardrobe or the highest apple tree in the garden. Bouldering has its own special charm – especially for the little ones. Special children’s areas in the bouldering gyms are lovingly furnished with many adventure elements. Grab those holds and of you go. In the climbing gym, the whole thing is a bit more complex, because here, of course, the child is only allowed to climb whilst being belayed. Parents who want to introduce their children to the world of climbing – be it bouldering or roped climbing – normally have many questions. What gear does my child need? And where and how can they learn to climb?
We talked to the experts at the German Alpine Club, Björn Jockel, an education officer for sport climbing, competitive and popular sports, and route setting, and Doris Kordon, an education officer for family mountaineering.
Early birds: Climbing is in their Genes
Ich erinnere mich noch gut an meine Kindheit – nun beobachte ich es bei meinem Sohn: Kinder lieben das Klettern! Sie bekraxeln so ziemlich alles, was ihnen unter die Finger kommt. Woran liegt das?
Doris: Kinder wollen sich ausprobieren, Hindernisse überwinden und ihre Grenzen ausloten. Hinzu kommt natürlich der Bewegungsdrang und die natürliche Abenteuerlust. Klettern bedient all diese Bedürfnisse perfekt.
At what age can children start off in the gym?
Doris: That depends on the child and its physical and mental maturity. Seven years is often considered the recommended minimum age – but that is actually very individual.
Björn: I also think that you can’t pinpoint a certain age. It depends on the child, but also on the parents, to what extent they want to let their children do it.
Welche Fähigkeiten erlernen sie dabei?
Björn: Klettern ist super für das Gleichgewicht als zentrale koordinative Fähigkeit. Außerdem wird die räumliche Orientierungsfähigkeit geschult. Und Klettern ist für die Kinder ein spielerisches Krafttraining. Kinder machen die Kletterbewegungen automatisch, was bei Erwachsenen oft nicht von Natur aus so ist.
Doris: Klettern für Kinder ist super – es stärkt das Selbstbewusstsein, denn es geht darum, eigene Grenzen wahrzunehmen und zu überwinden. Darüber hinaus lernen Kinder dabei aber auch, Verantwortung zu übernehmen: Insbesondere die größeren, die schon sichern dürfen. Außerdem ist es super für die Konzentrationsfähigkeit.
Klettern stärkt das Selbstbewusstsein…
schult Koordinationsfähigkeit und Konzentration.
How do I deal with fear or lack of self-confidence? I often experience that parents literally “shouting” their children up the route. Will that rather lead to frustration?
Doris: Shouting is definitely not the method of choice and can rather lead to the children losing interest or becoming afraid. You should treat a child who is not progressing respectfully and praise them for what they have already achieved. Patience is the keyword here – let the child try things out without any pressure. If the child still wants to go down again, that should be accepted. It’s best to actively involve the child in the decision right from the start: Do you want to climb with me or go to the bouldering gym? Do you want to try the green or the yellow route? Etc.
Björn: It’s very important for children: they can simply climb using all the colours – without a predefined route. We always call it climbing Smarties and topping out by any means. And if the children want to come down, then by all means let them come down or even pick them up and climb towards them.
Gear and teaching offers
What climbing gear does my child need for a visit to the climbing or bouldering gym?
Doris: Here we should distinguish between bouldering and climbing. For bouldering, clean trainers are actually sufficient.
Björn: Exactly, comfortable trainers are enough at first and when the child enjoys bouldering, at some point their own climbing shoes – but please no shoes that are too tight for children. Add to that your own magnesium bag and that’s it. For rope climbing, the child needs a climbing harness: depending on age and physical development, either a complete harness (chest harness in combination with hip harness) for the smaller ones or a hip harness for older, more athletic children. Chalk and comfortable climbing shoes. Parents need a semi-automatic belay device (Grigri, Fish, etc.) with a suitable carabiner and harness.
Course or teach yourself – what does the expert recommend?
- Björn: First of all, you can take your child to the bouldering gym and just let them try it out. However, the parents should carefully read the rules of the gym and introduce them to their kids. Climbing and bouldering gyms are not a playground! Here too, despite mats, do not let them jump off from the exit jugs/top out. Do not climb all the way up and, if possible, always try to get them to downclimb. With children, it is very important to make sure that they do not climb too high. Always consider body height in relation to the height of the gym. Children can easily have two meters under their feet. When falling from these heights, great forces occur which children cannot compensate with their muscles. When rope climbing, either take the child with you to a guided session or attend a course if you are a newbie yourself or if there are no climbers in your circle of friends. Because belaying techniques need to be taught right from the get-go.
Doris: A course with children of the same age is always a good idea because it is fun for the children and they often learn more from each other than from their parents.
What do I have to bear in mind if I want to take my children to the crag after their first successful climbing attempts in the gym?
Björn: If a parent has to climb ahead to set up a top rope on a belay, he or she needs a belay partner because children are usually not yet able to do this on their own. Depending on the type of rock and the child’s climbing experience, it makes sense to put a helmet on the child. Because the climbing tours outside are usually somewhat longer than in the gym, the child should approach gaining height slowly. Therefore, start with climbs that are suitable for children and not too high, and let them climb. Being outdoors can also inspire children to have a loving and sensible attitude towards nature.
Thank you for the illuminating chat
Learning to climb – in a playful way
If the slide and pirate ship in the bouldering gym has become boring and your child wants to improve their climbing skills, there are various climbing games that can be used to let them learn new techniques in the coolest way possible. Here are a few examples:
Fire, Water, Storm
All the players run around on the mats. When the game leader shouts “Fire!”, everyone has to save themselves on the wall as quickly as possible. You are only allowed to hold on to red handles – for at least five (or ten, or fifteen) seconds. If the game leader shouts “Water!”, everyone must hold on to blue holds. If “Storm!” is called, everyone must lie flat on the mat. The last person to do comply needs to wait for the next game.
Bouldering games are a fun way to learn various climbing techniques. | Photo: Bergzeit
Team Climbing
Two bouldering children are “chained” together with toilet paper. Now they have to climb to a predefined target without the paper tearing between them.
Blind Climbing
A great experience: simply climb blindfolded. In addition, a seeing partner can announce the position of the next hold or step from below.
Caving
A pool noodle is attached to the wall so that it forms a “U”. It marks the fictitious cave entrance through which the children have to climb into the cave and out again. The U can be positioned vertically, horizontally, or diagonally to train 3-dimensional climbing skills.
Learning to climb with kids: The Lowdown
- From what age? There is no general rule of thumb here. Even two-year-olds can get their money’s worth in the bouldering hall. With rope climbing, it depends on the child. As a rule, hall operators offer taster courses for children from the age of six or seven. However, depending on the child, playful climbing with an experienced belayer is also possible at an earlier age.
- What do I need? For bouldering, your child only needs climbing shoes and a chalk bag, for rope climbing an additional hip or chest harness. The belayer needs a belay device, harness, and of course a rope.
- Where? Have a look on the internet to see if there is a bouldering gym in your area and what it offers for children.
- How does it work on-site? It’s best to find out about the rules of the gym in advance: in some gyms, children are only allowed in the adult area from a certain age and/or only under supervision. In addition, a “bouldering” or “climbing license” may be required for certain activities, which you can take on-site.
- Please note: Climbing and bouldering gyms are not a playground (with the exception of the children’s play area of course, but even here children should be taught to be mindful). Children should never run around unsupervised on the bouldering mats or below the base of climbs. In the event of a fall or spontaneous jump-off, this can be quite unpleasant for all parties involved. Toys, drinking bottles, and the like also have no place in the fall and impact zone.