Getting started: Indoor climbing with kids

Bad weather at the weekend? School holidays starting to drag? It's only a matter of time before you hear the dreaded: "I'm bored"!

Taking the kids indoor climbing is a great way to get them moving, thinking and having fun, but there's a bit more to it than just letting them loose at your local wall. We've put together some top tips for parents and carers - whether you're a seasoned climber yourself or simply just looking for something to keep your monsters amused.

Why climbing?

What's so great about climbing for kids? Well, a lot of things.

Get them moving

The more obvious physical benefits of this kind of exercise are strength, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness, but climbing also helps with coordination, spatial awareness, balance and fine motor skills.

Get them thinking

Climbing encourages problem-solving, risk perception and management skills, and can boost self-esteem as kids overcome challenges to reach the top! Climbing can also help with confidence, communication and social skills as children work together to understand a problem or route.

Know before you go

Supervision, sessions and types of climbing for kids

There are a few different options for getting your youngsters climbing the walls. What you and they opt for will depend on experience, age and what's on offer. If you've never climbed before (or you don't want to), you'll need to look into instructor-led sessions. Some centres offer supervised 'clip and climb', which are fun auto-belay sessions for small groups, as well as more skills-focused sessions if they're looking to develop as climbers. Hiring a qualified coach or instructor can be a really great way to introduce youngsters to climbing - it's crucial to create a positive experience with age-appropriate coaching from the word 'go'. A professional will know how to do this!

If you're a competent climber, you may be able to supervise your kids yourself subject to your wall's terms and conditions, without needing to book them onto an instructed session. This will depend on whether you are registered as either a roped climber, boulderer, or both.

The BMC offers a number of courses and workshops throughout the year that can help you and your kids get started on your climbing journey.

Age limits and restrictions

Different walls may have different lower age limits for children and areas of the wall that they are not permitted to enter. All walls have policies in place regarding adult supervision of juniors and the parent or carer present will usually need to undertake a short induction session in order to be 'signed off' as a competent supervisor if they are not already signed off to climb, belay or boulder themselves.

Most walls will have this information on their website, so you can check what you may need to do before you turn up. Find your nearest climbing wall below:

Kit them up

Clothing

Your kids don't need any fancy clothes to get climbing! They just need comfortable shorts, trousers or leggings that are easy to move in, a t-shirt and extra layers for when they're taking a break.

Shoes

No gear? No problem. Most climbing walls offer climbing shoe hire for kids and adults. Some climbing walls will allow kids to climb in their own shoes (though these should be well-fitting trainers) but kids will feel more confident in a pair of climbing shoes that provide good grip and dexterity on holds.

Harness

Likewise, most walls provide or hire harnesses for your child to use if they are rope climbing. Depending on their age or size, they may need to wear a full body harness rather than a sit harness for their safety. Climbing wall staff will be able to advise on this. If you are purchasing a harness for your child, ensure it comes from a reputable retailer and is the correct size and type to reduce the risk of accidents or injury.

Helmet

Some climbing walls require children to wear a helmet in certain areas or during certain activities. Generally these will be provided, but check with your wall beforehand to avoid any confusion when you arrive!

Chalk bag

Not an essential, but helpful! Chalk can improve grip on climbing holds and add friction. Some walls have a 'chalk ball only' policy to prevent excessive chalk dust in the air and messy spillages. Kids should be taught to use chalk properly, considerately and safely (no chalk fights, please)!

Warm them up

Own up, how many of you do a PROPER warm-up before you hop on a route or problem? Getting your kids to do a thorough warm-up before a climbing session will help to prevent injuries and is essential for growing bodies. Instructors should provide a warm-up as part of a session, but if you're supervising the kids yourself - it's time to set a good example!

Take the usual warm-up techniques you'd use yourself (we hope) and get creative! Engaging kids with warming up through games and challenges is a great way to make sure they're doing it thoroughly.

Go back to basics

Safety first

If you've been climbing a while, it can be easy to forget that there's a lot to take in when you first get started. Now imagine that with a brain that's still developing and in an environment that can be pretty distracting!

It's imperative that young people are made aware of the potential risks and dangers that climbing carries, but in a way that builds their confidence. It's not about scaring them, but raising their awareness and ability to understand how to reduce the risk of injury to themselves and others around them. Whether it's partner checks, not walking underneath other climbers, double-checking auto-belay clips or simply paying attention to their surroundings, kids need to be regularly talking about best practice to keep it fresh in their minds.

Risk perception

Even when safely secured with a rope or above a bouldering mat, climbing involves a degree of risk-taking such as moving dynamically towards a hold, balancing or trying something that feels different or uncertain. Empowering kids to know when and how to take those risks will help them build a solid foundation for their climbing, become more confident and better understand their abilities and limits.

Ready, steady, climb

Choosing routes

Ease them in with low grade routes or problems that you know are well within your child's capability. Help them build confidence gradually and get into the swing of things. 'Rainbowing' (using any colour holds) means they can experience the feeling of climbing and different holds without the pressure of sticking strictly to one route. Check your wall's grading systems or ask staff for recommendations if you're not sure where to start.

Make it fun

Kids aren't necessarily motivated to climb in the same way we are, so creating an element of fun rather than a focus on grade chasing or pulling off hard moves is a good way to keep them at it. Coach and author Ari Schneider has a great list of games to keep young kids engaged with climbing in this UKC article. Fossil hunting or top-rope racing, anyone?

The importance of communication

As with any climbing partnership, communicating clearly and constructively with your kids is imperative. Keeping your tone positive and kind will build confidence, and giving them the space to speak about their fears, concerns, accomplishments and goals will help you both to gauge when it's time to try hard and when it's time to take five, step back or go grab a snack!

Teaching young people the importance of communicating with one another while climbing will also help them build healthy 'belaytionships' and stand them in good stead for when they're ready to take to the wall without you.

If you're a coach looking to expand your skills in coaching young people, check out the BMC’s new Coaching Children workshop.

Whether you're heading to the wall as a seasoned climber or simply an observer, getting your kids climbing is rewarding for both you and them. With a sound understanding of the basics; safety, climbing wall etiquette and a solid skills foundation, your youngsters will be scaling new heights in no time.