Rock Climbing with kids – An Ultimate guide for Bouldering with kids

Do you know who can become an enthusiast climber? A kid whose parents love rock climbing with kids.

Yes, you need not be bouldering parents to raise a kid who has a craze for bouldering. What you need to do is just support your kid.

The word “support” has two syllables, yet to practice it requires your best effort.

Your effort starts when you identify the climbing needs of your kid. Then you get him enrolled in the gym.

Stop!!! Here is a gap. Your struggle also includes that you take him for outdoor bouldering.

So, it’s the fruit of the hard work you put in your kid. To help you as a stranger, successful, and fighter kid, we have got you a complete guide about rock climbing with children.

Who’s meant to study the Guide for Rock Climbing with kids

In our guide, we’ve discussed the rules and tips for outdoor rock climbing with kids. Yet, is the guide only for the parents who want to plan a self-planed trip?

No, the guide will also help all the parents who are:

• New to rock climb but want to help their kid with the rock climbing training;
• The parents who have got an invitation to the outdoor climbing camp;
• The parents who are familiar with rock climbing can themselves climb.

So, if you have been looking for a proper way for outdoor bouldering with kids, the guide is for you… Want to see what is here? Let’s read further.

How to Start Rock Climbing with kids?

To begin the rock coming with kids, here is the detailed guide… You can move on step by step through brainstorming, preparation, and finally climbing.

Before you Start Rock Climbing with Children, know it.

To begin with outdoor climbing with your toddler or kid, let’s answer some questions first.

When should you start?

1. When should you start rock climbing with kids?

If you want your kid to climb the rocks, you can begin when he is a toddler. You can take your kid with you and climb before him.

Make sure you add fun to his presence because once tired or exhausted, your kid can refuse to go for the next time.

However, if you want to help your beginner climbing kid with his outdoor climbing, you can schedule a visit during good times. Thus, there is no limit when you can have rock climbing with kids. The only essential is following safety measures and arranging fun.

2. Do you need to be a climber as a parent of the climbing kid too?

Being a bouldering parent can be a plus. However, if you haven’t ever climbed rocks, you can still try.

For this purpose, you can join your kid’s outdoor climbing camps from the gym. Or you can consult the instructors for outdoor rock climbing and have an adventure. Hence, for your child’s motivation and exposure, you need to be only a responsible parent.

3. Who should go for outdoor climbing?

Climbing can be great fun. You can add the most to it. So, what to do?

If you are a toddler’s parent, you can invite one or two friends with their parents.

OR, if your kid is older, call his fellow climbers to make the day more memorable.

4. How much time should you dedicate to rock climbing with kids?

There is no hard and fast rule. When you have time, the weather is favorable, and you can plan an outdoor rock climbing tour. Make sure that the camp should be memorable. For this purpose, you can take your kids’ friends and family members also with you. They will cheer the climbers.

5. Where should you take your kids for the bouldering?

Selecting the climbing palace can be a big concern. You can choose any nearby rocky park. Or you can go to rock climbing places near you.

Your chosen area must have good availability of boulderers that your kid can try climbing. Besides, this makes sure the climbing walls have no hazards, shrubs, etc.

Self-questioning helps you to plan outdoor climbing with kids.

Tips for Outdoor Rock Climbing Trip

When you have planned where, how, and with whom you’ll go for outdoor rock climbing, now you can make the preparations. So, here are the tips to start outdoor rock climbing for kids.

1. Select the right gear

Kids’ rock climbing essentials have great significance. It’s highly recommended that your kid should start using all his equipment since the first experience. The reason is, almost every mishap results from a minor mistake.

You might overhear that a helmet, kids’ climbing harness, or a rope is enough. See what equipment your kid is regularly using. Take all the gears with you, including the gloves, chalk bag, kids climbing shoes, etc. take the crash pad as well for a safe landing.

Similarly, if you’re also a climber, take your climbing gears with you, or as a beginner, select the tools as well.

Besides these, if you boulders at a far distance, it’s better to have a child carrier.

2. Take your kid’s favorite toys, snacks, and other necessities.

Outdoor climbing with kids is a day-long trip. It can be tiresome even since the beginning—more disappointing. Therefore, you need to carry all the necessities with you. These can include:

• Snacks
• Diapers
• Towels
• Sanitizer
• Extra clothes for shorts or pants can wear away.
• Toys
• Water
• First Aid Kit

You can also carry the things keeping your past outdoor trips in view.

3. Revise and Follow the Rock Climbing Rules

Do you want to have a safe rock climbing experience? Don’t forget to revise the safety rules. These rules are the same as your kid has been practicing at home or his climbing gym. However, for outdoor climbing, it becomes inevitable to follow them.

Some rules are here:

• No running around.
• Check each gear after wearing it as well for its functionality.
• Don’t break the rocks using hands or feet.
• Don’t run under the climbing kid. Both you and your kids follow the rule.
• Don’t eat near the climbing wall.
• Avoid spending more time while hanging. For the rest purpose, climb down instead.
• Don’t climb under or over other climbers.
• Check for idle play with the harness or helmet.
• Don’t go high out of excitement.
• Let your kid follow his route only, not those of your age or yours.
• For the call of nature, get your way towards some proper place.

You can also go through some other safety rules you’ve got as a guide.

4. Select a Favorable Place

Once you have reached the bouldering place, you need to unload your essentials at the right place. For example, in summers, the site should have some shade.

A less crowded area can help you focus. Yet, it can be awful if you need some extra help in case of an emergency. So, avoid going too far away.

5. Be realistic and Help your kid with the complex moves.

When you go outdoor rock climbing with kids, it is necessary to finish the route. Completion of the route brings a sense of achievement.

In contrast, if your kid doesn’t complete the route, he’ll lose excitement. So, when you select the route, it should also be realistic.

Usually, the beginner or toddler needs parent help with their movement. The routes are also not much higher. So, you can aid your kid.

If your kid is already getting climbing training, you can belay. Thus, you can help your kid with this weight struggle. Your kid’s climbing friend can also help him if they nice training.

6. Be vigilant and helpful.

A sport like rock climbing demands vigilance. Contrary to alert is ignorance, and you know the outcome very well. So, when your kid is climbing, take it as if you were climbing. Don’t rest for a moment until the route ends.

Fall is unpredictable. Here, you can help with the fall and landing. For this purpose, tell your kid to land on the crash pad or demand a spot.

7. Become a part of the sport.

You are climbing, and your kiddo is also climbing. It’s not what we advise. Instead, you can bring motivation by shifting the role.

You can practice climbing with your kid if you are new to climbing. It will bring a sense of collaboration to your kid. The trip will be more memorable.

8. Play some kids-friendly rock climbing games.

Any outdoor rock climbing trip can be fun-oriented as well. What does it need? Only careful planning. There are several kids’ climbing games you can try.

The number of players varies according to the game. You can choose some easy-to-play games. Your kid’s friends, your family members can also be a part of the fun.

9. Take a rest and have lunch.

Rest is the most important because kids don’t admit they need rest. So, take care of it.

For this purpose, you can call for a break occasionally after every two hours. And invite your kid to enjoy the snacks.

You can also plan some other games at the spot. Yet, don’t allow the kid to run around because of unknown hazards.

What Skills should your Kid Practice in Outdoor Rock Climbing?

Do you visualize your kid like a monkey on the bouldering walls during rock climbing with kids? It’s not good.

Whether your kid is a beginner or an expert climber, be selective about the moves you’ll be practicing. The purpose of the trip should be clear: motivation and mild training.

So, despite having all the confidence, specific training will be more fruitful to gain mastery. Hence, here is the list:

• Footwork is of primary importance in climbing. You can choose the lower area of the walls with wider cracks and pockets to help the feet comfortably for beginner kids.

While for the trained kid, let decide mutually and take the safer side. Still, be vigilant to aid the climbing as a belayer, if you know belaying.

Or, your kid can partner with his friend. If you’re a first-time climbing parent, you can also practice learning some basic techniques of climbing.

• Hands and arm workout is the second skill to practice. Holding will just like holding a handle, a crack, or a jug as your kid does indoors. Likewise, the arms also need to follow the right bent.

No bent or too much bent can cause tiresome efforts. So, you can advise your kid when he awkwardly moves his arms being new to outdoor climbing walls.

• Weightlifting is the third skill that your kid needs to practice outdoors. Whether he is moving high or low, every hand and foot movement will cause the weight shift.

After the weight shift, the kid should balance when he is looking for the next move. Lack of balance will also result in fatigue.

• Point of contact is what your kid can miss at the beginning. Teach your kid to practice it for his protection.

Make sure that he keeps his hand, arm, and foot fixed in the wall. He shouldn’t leave his hands or feet freely relying on his rope or harness.

Some more Rules for Rock Climbing with Toddlers

Who is a toddler? A packet of energy who needs extra care during rock climbing with kids.

Rock climbing with your toddler can be a little different for his climbing expertise and needs. So, here is what you can do.

• Your kid might not walk with you. While carrying on your back can also be troubling. Therefore, get a child carrier with you.
• Toddlers usually want to sleep outdoors. So, take his blanket as well. You can let him sleep on the crash pad.
• Don’t insist on accomplishing the route because the younger kids don’t understand how necessary the goals are. They want fun.

Let the visit aim at fun rather than training if you have a self-sponsored trip. Your kiddo will come with you next time as well.

Final Thoughts

“The first step determines the way towards the last step.”

A happy experience of outdoor rock climbing with kids is a guarantee that you’ll see your kid defeat the hardships rock will put before him.

You can get him to enjoy and learn from his outdoor rock climbing the most. It’s you who can bring him the ultimate pleasure of climbing by supporting him the most. So, which rock climbing place are you going to visit?