Went for a walk over the Roaches yesterday, and had great fun with the kids messing around on the boulders. Got me thinking whether it would be worth buying us each some decathlon climbing shoes, plus a mat and trying out some beginners bouldering problems.

I’ve never done any proper climbing or bouldering so know nowt about it, what are the realities of bouldering with a 6 and 9 yo kid? Wondering if it’s best to just keep it at an arsing around level on a family hillwalk, or if a proper bouldering session will really engage them.
Both of them are very enthused about the whole thing atm, but if even beginner problems need moderate strength, strong hands etc, then that might soon dissipate.

Most climbing walls will have a bouldering wall as well. Not sure about where you are, but there are some dedicated bouldering-only centres here in Brizzle.

Bouldering walls will have multiple holds so they can arse around if they fancy, but there will be set problems for them if they want a challenge. I wouldn’t worry about difficulty. There will be plenty of easy ones there for them.

Our local climbing centre (Climb Newcastle) is all bouldering and runs kids sessions. They take kids from 3 years and up. They have kids walls and get them playing climbing games.

https://www.climbnewcastle.com/coaching/rock-stars-kids-climbing.html

Both my kids have been and they always have a great time. Worth checking what your local centre has.

Mine are that age and have been going to an indoor climbing/bouldering club for over a year. The reality is that they will be a lot better at it than you! Our club provides shoes too, so no outlay unless they get into it and want their own. Mine find indoors a lot easier on their hands that real rock, but happily mess around outside too on walks. It teaches them puzzling things out, thinking about safety/risk and not just diving in, plus the way their strength grows so quickly is really impressive. Mine went from struggling to climb for 30min to being dragged out after 90min. Do it! A good club should play enough games to keep them interested.

The trick is finding venues with lots of very easy, short stuff above flat landings for the mat. The problems you’re looking for probably haven’t even been documented, so it’s a question of being able to spot the little features and traverses that will be fun for kids – might just be the first few moves of a roped route and then jumping/climbing down rather than looking for stuff you can top out on.

I’d say a pair of cheap shoes each and a second hand mat is a decent investment.

Whereabouts are you?

Thks all – I’m in Stockport, which I know has quite a big indoor centre (although I’ve never been). So I’ll make some enquiries there.

I’d absolutely recommend starting with an indoor wall. Most if not all climbing centres will have a bouldering section. Aside from the fact that bouldering has gained popularity in the last few years, seasoned climbers still use a bouldering wall to warm up before tackling big routes.

It’s a (relatively) safe environment with experts around to (sorry) show you the ropes. Most will have classes and training sessions, and you should be able to rent shoes rather than have a large initial outlay on something you might use twice and decide it’s not for you. Also, buying shoes when you’ve never climbed before, you’ll almost certainly have bought the climbing equivalent of a BSO.

You need a degree of strength sure, but I’m as wimpy as they come and I climbed regularly for years. Your legs are there for power, move those first then your arms. If you try to do it all with upper-body (as a lot of new climbers do, it feels intuitive), you’ll be rinsed after five yards.

Note also, there will be a range of difficulties and centres want to get kids / families in. The easiest routes are practically ladders, I’ve had competitions with mates to see who can get the farthest no-handed on those.

I’m in Stockport, which I know has quite a big indoor centre

Ah – that will be Awesome Walls then. They definitely have a bouldering section, it’s in a separate room down the back. I don’t offhand remember it being particularly beginner-friendly, though I haven’t been climbing for a few years now.

Manchester Climbing Centre isn’t a million miles away from you, either.

Go along to that local wall and have a chat with the guys there, there will be something suitable for youngsters and many walls run kid’s clubs which are excellent training.

Oh, and anyone recommending bouldering as a ‘warm up’ for rope climbing is a right sausage.

Yeah kids love it. Mine rarely climb indoors, but when they do they love it. I do a week on the grit with them once a year and that’s good too, but then they usually want to second routes, taking gear out and trying to do it clean. But they love bouldering too. I bought some shoes from go-outdoors. Not expensive, but good enough to get going with. Remember kids are less precise with their footwork, so the shoes get a right hammering! I sized them with socks on, so they can grow and then remove the socks to get a bit more life out of them.

Climbing Depot near the Trafford Centre is a good place if you fancy starting indoors. TBH given the current weather you could probably head out for an evening pissing around at the foot of Burbage, Stanage Plantation or Windgather. Pick a breezy evening to keep the midges off!

I’d also say local indoor boulder wall as well.
My godson did an indoor climbing course at 7 but it quickly became obvious that he wasn’t up for the height on roped climbs. In between the course sessions I went into the bouldering area with him and set him short problems which he clearly really enjoyed. It might take you a few sessions to get to grips of what they can/can’t do, but setting short problems for kids is fairly easy for someone with some nounce. Ignore colours and just give them hand moves (feet anything) or feet moves (hands anything), mostly bigger holds, but odd smallish holds, give them easy moves but then one odd move that test them, then start limiting hand/foot holds, still ignoring colours. As above, putting them into a bouldering class/course is even better as the person running the course will know exactly what problems to have them solve in a structured progression and give them advice on technique.

I would recommend the Burbage South boulders. Not too far from you and lots of easy kid-sized problems to go at, mostly with good landings. Park at the Fox House.

The Depot in Manchester – runs lots of kids sessions (from tots upwards). Definitely worth a few sessions indoors, where you can hire shoes and figure out if the kids are going to stick with it (and develop some technique)

Oh, and anyone recommending bouldering as a ‘warm up’ for rope climbing is a right sausage.

I wasn’t recommending anything, I was stating a fact. Back when I was going regularly I was climbing a minimum of three times a week for several years, my group always started on a bouldering wall and we were far from unusual.