Rock Climbing And A Child's Climbing Frame

Often we are told by experts to encourage our children to play but rarely gain an understanding of what play is and how skills learnt during play are applied to activities we may undertake when we become adults.  Playing outside is not just an easy way to get children from under our feet it is an opportunity for children to develop a wide range of skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.  When our children are young we need to show them how to play and how they can use different play equipment that may be present in the garden.  Many children have the desire to see the world from different perspectives and will climb up various objects in order to see what the world would look like if they were taller.  Once your child has exhausted the possibilities of the settee you may need to consider installing a child's climbing frame in your garden to enable them to explore the world outside.

Believe it or not, the skills your child uses to climb up a climbing frame are exactly the same as the skills an adult uses to scale a rock face.  Also the benefits gained are the same too, so when you see a child on a climbing frame they are actually scaling mini mountains.  The NHS Choices website outlines the benefits of rock climbing and the positive outcomes are more than just reaching the summit.  We are going to look at how a child's climbing frame is a wonderful piece of equipment that can develop your child in many different ways.

Muscles Used

Climbing uses a wide range of muscles in the upper and lower parts of the body.  Your back, fingers, shoulders, arms, abdominal and leg muscles are all exercised through climbing.  Frequent climbing improves stamina, flexibility, agility, balance and spacial awareness.  Imagine how using a child's climbing frame can benefit your child's physical development and may even improve their ability to play sports such as football and netball.

Skills Developed

Essentially any type of climbing is like a puzzle that has the potential to get more complicated as the climber gains confidence and experience.  Regular climbing develops concentration, determination and problem solving skills.  Therefore if your child finds it difficult to settle to do their homework maybe the best preparation is to give the the chance to play on a climbing frame before hand rather than forcing them to sit still and behave.

Goal Setting and Team Building

When anyone sets their own targets and achieves them, their self esteem and confidence soars through the ceiling.  Even the most cautious climber can feel elated when they reach the top of a climbing frame or rock face.  Rock climbers tend to work in teams and develop a great deal of trust within their group.  Similarly children can provide support for each other when they find part of the climbing frame particularly challenging.

Climbing And Dyspraxia

If your child has been diagnosed with dyspraxia or any special need that restricts movement or the ability to anticipate the world around them it is often instinct to protect them from activities that may exaggerate their condition or produce increased risk.  Studies have shown that you should encourage your child to challenge themselves and, with your close supervision, encourage them to use climbing frames and in the case of adults climbing walls to help them to develop skills that will help them to overcome the challenges they face.  As we have already mentioned climbing strengthens muscles, develops spacial awareness, encourages problem solving skills and develops social skills.  All of these are skills that someone with a condition such as dyspraxia needs to practice and develop.  

As you can see a child's climbing frame is more than just a way of entertaining your children, it has the potential to help your children face the challenges the world has to offer with confidence and strength.