Rock Climbing with Babies and Toddlers

Contents

• Introduction
• Embracing Family Adventures in Climbing
• Climbing with Babies
• Climbing with Toddlers: Navigating New Challenges
  • Tips for Climbing with Toddlers:
  • Family Climbing Adventures
    • Tips for a Successful Family Climbing Trip:
• Connecting with Like-Minded Families
• Tip Balancing Personal Time and Family Climbing
• Where to Buy Kids Climbing Gear
• Check Out Other Great Climbing With Kids Posts

Introduction

“How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.” ― Yvon Chouinard, Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman

Embracing Family Adventures in Climbing

My husband and I discovered our passion for climbing in our 20s and quickly fell in love with the sport. Over the years, we’ve built a close-knit community of friends who share our enthusiasm, whether they have kids or not. Climbing with young children presents unique challenges, but with the right support, it becomes a rewarding adventure. As the saying goes, “It takes a village”—and finding your climbing village can make all the difference.

Family climbing adventures

Climbing with Babies

We took a little break from climbing outdoors the last few years mostly due to pregnancies. We now have a 3 1/2 year old and a 1 1/2 year old, which is crazy fun but also slightly crazy feeling at times. Climbing with babies is arguably easier than climbing with toddlers since they don’t move. I tried bouldering on maternity leave, which worked out well as the babies chilled out in their bucket seats or on the mats. On my weekly night out climbing we regularly see mom’s with a group of friends and a baby in a bucket seat or on a lap. I love the family vibe and community feel of everyone supporting each other to get on the wall or rock.

Pop up tents are great for babies at a crag, they are protected by small rock fall by the covered tent / playpen. Food, diapers, toys and shade are all you really need for a baby when outside climbing. We have only had positive experiences climbing outdoors with kids, people stop to say hi and hang with the kids for a bit.

Bouldering with babies

Climbing with Toddlers: Navigating New Challenges

Initially, I questioned whether we were prioritizing our climbing passion over our kids’ interests. However, observing our children’s enjoyment during outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and climbing reassures us. Sharing our passions with them is incredibly rewarding.

Toddler rock climbing

Tips for Climbing with Toddlers:

• Safety First: Keep a close eye on toddlers as they explore. Ensure they are always supervised to prevent accidents.
• Engaging Activities: Bring snacks, water, and toys to keep them entertained.
• More People the Better: Having extra hands to help with childcare and safety is invaluable.

What the crag looks like with families, dogs, snacks, toys and plenty of rocks to play with

Family Climbing Adventures

Our first family climbing trip was a three-day camping adventure in British Columbia. We stayed at a free, beautiful campsite with a short hike to the crag. Camping with friends and young kids proved both challenging and delightful. We were amazed at the endurance of our 3-year-old, who hiked to the climbing site without complaint.

Tips for a Successful Family Climbing Trip:

• Pack Smart: Bring plenty of snacks, water, and appropriate gear for both climbing and camping.
• Be Prepared: Ensure the hiking trail to the crag is manageable for young children.
• Have Low Expectations: That’s right, I said it. If you think you will only get one climb in and you get one in you can’t be disappointed. It’s about getting out.

Toddlers hiking to the crag

All of our outdoor pursuits including climbing are for fun only. Our kids are encourage to try new things but we have no expectations - she is only 3! The first time our daughter went up a wall we were hauling her mostly she wasn’t really grabbing and pulling herself up. We did instruct her to keep her hands and feet on the rock but she liked to spin round, bounce a little and just hang out. The next day we went back to the same climbing area but found a easier ‘scramble’ we roped the two 3 year olds up too. They CLIMBED and loved it!

Happy climber

Is a three year old too young to start climbing? No, I don’t think so. Are they going to ‘climb’. Not really. But the point of getting kids into activities is for fun and experiences not to become a pro.

Connecting with Like-Minded Families

If you’re an avid climber with children and struggle to find others who share your interests, consider joining Facebook groups or reaching out to local climbing centers. Many families are eager to explore climbing together, and these connections can enhance your family’s climbing experience.

Tip Balancing Personal Time and Family Climbing

My husband and I each set aside a night during the week for personal interests and climbing sessions, which often turn into dedicated guys’ and ladies’ nights. Whether at a local climbing gym or outdoors in the Canadian Rockies, we cherish the social, physical, and mental aspects of climbing. Balancing our passions with family life is a learning curve, but we’ve found ways to make climbing enjoyable for everyone.

Where to Buy Kids Climbing Gear

You can find quality kids climbing gear both used from local use gear shops or Facebook Marketplace to new gear from places like REI in the USA and MEC in Canada.

Check Out Other Great Climbing With Kids Posts

Kids Climbing Gear - Off-Road Discovery

5 Tips for Climbing with Kids - Off-Road Discovery

Climbing with Preschoolers - Born to be Adventurous

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