Rock Climbing And Bouldering Games

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Shawna

Over spring break we are taking the kids to City Of Rocks National Reserve in Idaho. We’re eager to get some rock climbing in and explore the far from ordinary landscape.

This is a picture of our first visit to City Of Rocks, April of 2002. It was Doober’s’ first camping/climbing trip. He’s 9 now!

Here’s Ole at the top of one of our favorite climbs.

If you’re not a fan of heights or don’t have all the ropes, harnesses and carrabiner dodads no worries, you can still have fun on the rocks. Bouldering is a great alternative to rock climbing. You stay lower to the ground and use what’s called a crash-pad under you to give you a cushy landing. You can go horizontal or vertical working on multiple problems, eliminating specific holds to make it harder. This is a short video of the kids playing bouldering games at the park.

Another fun bouldering activity is the add on game. You start out with four moves on a route and then each person takes a turn adding the next move to it. But you only get to add on if you successfully finish the existing route.

If you’re eager to learn more check out these other climbing games that can entertain for hours.

I hope you have a great day today! I’m off to clean house and then it’s outside for a bike ride with the kiddos.

nature for kids, rock climbing, rock climb, bouldering, games, City Of Rocks, National Reserve

The Beginning Of A Playscape

Posted on February 12, 2011 by Shawna

Mile by mile it’s a trial, yard by yard it’s hard but inch by inch it’s a cinch. I’m not sure who to give credit for this saying but I first heard it at a Special Olympics event. I think about this saying each time I start a rather large project, like removing wallpaper (a recent project), running a race or organizing our junk drawer. Like I mentioned in an earlier post I’d like to make our backyard an extension of our living and playing area.

We started to create our playscape. This is the first inch…and really it was a cinch.

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This past spring we had to remove a pine tree out of our yard that was leaning over our house. We had lots and lots of stumps left over so we decided to create stepping stumps to our trampoline along with a rock climbing wall. We buried the base of the stumps in the dirt about 6 inches.

The climbing wall was made from a leftover sheet of wood from an earlier project. I spray painted it with some leftover paint as well. We ordered some climbing holds like these.

I laid the board flat and arranged the holds how i wanted them and then marked it with a pencil. Then I drilled some holes and attached the holds with bolts. The kids love it, especially the little ones. My oldest doesn’t find it challenging, now that his legs are almost as long as mine (*sob*), but it suites the little ones and every once in a while I rearrange the holds to give them a different challenge.

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Well that’s the beginning of our playscape backyard makeover. Here are some other key features I’ve been thinking about adding.

A water feature with possible movement
A Dirt/Digging Station.
A slackline
A firepit
Raised garden boxes
Herb containers
Outdoor chalkboard
A natural slide
Hammock
Bird House

What ideas do you have for your playscape? Please share! Sherry at Living and Learning seems to be going through the same process as us! Head over there to take a look at some of her ideas. Have a great weekend all!

nature for kids, outdoors, trees, playscapes, outdoor spaces, playground, nature, playtime, tree stump, rock climb

Fall Rock Climbing

Posted on October 19, 2009 by Shawna

To me fall seems to be the best time of year to rock climb. Perfect temperatures mixed with the colors that the season brings makes for a wonderful day spent outside.

I’d like to share with you here at Nature For Kids what we did this past weekend. We decided to take the kids out for a hike up our local canyon. While roaming around we found a set of chains on a huge boulder. It had some great holds and a nice easy incline that was perfect for the kids. So we raced home and got the climbing gear. We spent a good three hours enjoying the sunny but crisp day while the kids climbed up, down and all around.

What did you do outside this past weekend? Share with us!

Other posts at Nature For Kids related to fall:

nature for kids, fall, rock climbing, rock climb, outside

Take It Outside In 2009

Posted on December 31, 2008 by Shawna

Nature For Kids would like to share our outdoor adventures of 2008 with you. Take a look at the video we created below…

As you prepare for the New Year, we here at Nature For Kids hope you have a new found desire to take it outside in 2009. Resolve to take a family outing each week. As always, Nature For Kids will be here throughout 2009 to give you encouragement and ideas for wholesome outdoor recreation with your family! Enjoy!
nature for kids, family outing, outside, 2009, outdoor recreation, kids, family, new year, outdoor adventure

Rainy Day Activity

Posted on September 12, 2008 by Shawna

Nature For Kids has a rainy day activity to share!

So today was one of those overcast, cool, rainy days where you just want to curl up in a blanket and watch a movie. At least that ‘s what I felt like doing. My son had a different thought.

After spending the morning inside he got restless and found a way to morph his outdoor rock climbing fun into an indoor rainy day activity.

He came into the laundry room and said, “Mom, come watch my new trick. It’s so cool. I can get so high.” As I followed him to the top of the stairs I was trying to think to myself what the tallest area in our house is and how in the world he could get there. This is what he showed me…

Yikes, not the most kosher of activities but nothing a little disinfectant can’t cure. I let him have all the fun he wanted with this rainy day activity. Unfortunately I can’t put the sweet treats on top of the refrigerator any longer!

I took this as a sign that I need to get him out more. With fall quickly approaching our perfect days are growing more rare. I already find myself thinking it’s too cold or too rainy to go outside. Note To Self: It’s only going to get worse so take advantage of the beautiful weather by going out to play, even if raingear is needed!

nature, kids, outside, outdoors, fall, activities for kids, rock climbing, rainy day activity

Nature For Kids

Encouragement and ideas concerning wholesome outdoor recreation

Category Archives: Rock climbing

Rock Climbing And Bouldering Games

The Beginning Of A Playscape

Fall Rock Climbing

Take It Outside In 2009

Rainy Day Activity