Kid Friendly Climbing Gyms
Learn how to find a kid friendly climbing gym for your child to learn bouldering or just play around on the walls!
When you think of a climbing gym, you probably picture a bunch of muscular guys and girls getting a workout by scaling the walls with their fingertips. But most gyms are quite kid-friendly, and some even set aside areas specifically designed for the tiniest of climbers!
Signs of a Kid Friendly Climbing Gym
Check the Website First
Before you head out, check the gym’s website first. If they offer kids classes, camps or birthday parties online, that’s a great sign! My son’s gym has classes for kids as young as 3 years old with a dedicated area just for them.
Call Ahead
If there’s no information on their website, a quick phone call can save you from a disappointed child later on. Ask if they allow kids, and see if they have an area that’s scaled to their size.
Kid Sized Climbing Shoe Rental
You usually don’t need to buy special shoes if you’re just starting out. A kid friendly climbing gym will offer rentals in smaller sizes! You’ll save a lot of money renting shoes at first, but as your child’s skills grow, you may want to buy your own.
Keep in mind that you can’t just let your kid climb in their street shoes. Holds can be used for both hands and feet, and gyms don’t want outside shoes contaminating their walls. Plus, climbing shoes are meant for climbing!
Kids Play Area
Larger climbing gyms will offer a separate area just for little climbers. Some incorporate other elements like slides into the climbing walls to make it an indoor playground!
The holds will be easier for smaller hands to grip, with fun shapes that you won’t normally see in the rest of the gym. They’ll also be set closer together to accommodate a shorter reach.
I recommend calling ahead to check if there’s a birthday party or class going on at the time of your visit. You may not be able to use that area if it’s booked for private activities!
Look for Lots of Beginner Routes
You don’t need to stick to the kids room, especially if your child is over five years old. Many beginner routes for adults can also be climbed by a kid!
Be on the lookout for routes that are marked as V0 or V1, or check the color coding system that the gym uses. These beginner routes will have plenty of hand and foot holds that a kid can easily reach.
Rainbow Climbing
If your kid is just starting out and wants to climb without rules, just let them “rainbow climb!” Rainbow climbing is when you use any hold you want to get to the top, no matter what color it is.
Just make sure that they’re staying clear of other climbers, and not using holds that someone will need for the next move. Rainbow climbers are more unpredictable since they’re not following a set route, so you’ll need to keep a close eye on your kiddo!
Stick to Bouldering
Bouldering is the most beginner friendly type of climbing, and it’s great for kids! The walls are shorter, and if they fall, they land on a soft mat. There’s no ropes involved, so you don’t have to learn how to belay or fit your child for a harness.
The bigger the climbing gym’s bouldering area, the more fun your child will have! Plus, there’s more room to spread out, so you won’t be in the way of more serious climbers. Some gyms are bouldering only, so you can explore every wall!
Hopefully this guide helps you find a kid friendly climbing gym in your area! In my experience, most climbing gyms are really enthusiastic about getting kids into the sport. Our son has been climbing since he was seven, and we’ve taken him to gyms all over the country without a problem!