Welcome to the Kids Climbing Club! All Kids Climb classes are lesson-based and designed to teach participants the basics of climbing including terminology, equipment, skills, and safety. Each class is one hour in length and taught as part of a series of 6 progressive classes. Three separate series are offered—Beginner Basics (two age groups) and Beyond the Basics—and repeated over the course of a year.  The participant limit is 10 per series. Each individual class will have two instructors.

Expectations:

Participants should arrive 10 minutes before their scheduled class to stretch and prepare for a full hour of learning and climbing.

All students must be accompanied by a responsible adult during the lesson time per our UWSP Climbing Wall policies. A seating area will be available for all who bring a participant to Kids Climb. Adults are encouraged to observe and cheer their students along!

Course and Curriculum Information (see kids climb series descriptions)

• Beginner Basics Series 5 – 7 teaches the basics of climbing for children ages 5 – 7.
• Beginner Basics Series 8 – 12 is for children ages 8 – 12 and teach the basics of climbing.
• Beyond the Basics Series is for participants, ages 6 – 12, who have successfully completed the Beginner Basics Series and teaches climbing techniques and skill improvement. Instructor approval is required for enrollment. Email fitness.recreation@uwsp.edu to inquire.  

Questions about the climbing series can be directed to fitness.recreation@uwsp.edu.

Beginner Basics Series 8 - 12

Students ages 8-12 who are first time or beginner climbers. Students of all learning styles and climbing backgrounds are welcome. The expectation of this course is to introduce students to the sport of climbing and to teach them how to safely climb. Students in this course will focus primarily on fun, engaging activities that will promote the following goals, 1) being able to climb to the top of the wall, 2) utilize climbing techniques and movements, and 3) begin to climb routes.

This group will be expected to follow more detailed instructions and learn more intricate moves. This group will have slightly higher expectations than the Basics 5 – 7 series. This group in general is very high energy and responds well to task-based games and learning.

Students should be able to safely boulder while following all bouldering rules, safely top rope, and safely come down. It is common in this age group for students to be somewhat hesitant and scared of heights initially. This class will help students become confident in their equipment and in themselves to overcome fear. 

By lesson 3-4 all students should be able to make it to the top of the wall, however, this may not be the case for all participants. After reaching the top, students will be encouraged to push themselves and do more than rainbow climb an easy wall. We will encourage students to get better and better, not just do the same thing over and over again. 

When students struggle with fear, and want to come down, we will ask them to just take a rest for a moment. Just sitting in their harness helps them get used to and trust their equipment. This helps them follow instructions in coming down safely. Sometimes resting gives them the confidence to keep climbing.