OK... so I'm an early education teacher and my interest in climbing "somehow" leaked out to my class room :) A couple of weeks ago one of the girls invited me to a "rock climb" up our loft in the class room. We of course made harnessess and ropes out of scarves and string and used our fire fighting helmets for safety. This was great fun for a couple of days but soon the kids asked about "real rock" . At this point my heart is singing... right? How am I going to make this work? ... So last night I went with a four of my school kids along with one set of parent who happen to climb to the gym!!!! It was incredible to see these guys climb. and interesting to see the different styles between the girl and the two boys (one didn't want to climb "with a rope"). I must say that I also learned a bunch from the girl. She was such a natural and used her legs better than any grownup I ever saw climbing. So... this morning we showed pictures of our adventure to our friends at school and I now I have plenty of climbing dates with 3-4 year olds :) We talked about how this was again not "real rock" but that there was "real rock" out there that we could practice on... if there was a word for heaven in an atheist world... I would be using it right now ... ahhhh! :)
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Oregon
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Re: young kids and climbin
Thu, August 31, 2006 - 12:35 PMWay to go! It really is wonderful seeing young kids enjoying climbing. There's such opportunity for learning - decision-making, cause/effect, even geometry, if you think about it! It's so good for self-esteem too, for some people. I know that mine improved dramatically in the beginning of it all. -
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Re: young kids and climbin
Thu, August 31, 2006 - 7:36 PMYeah... I think problem solving is what I get most out of climbing... I tried climbing a chimney once... and it was boring for me, I think because there wasn't much problem solving involved... just scooting my big butt up... As a teacher I really enjoyed watching all of the kids problem solve... try a hold... change their minds... try another... go.... mmmm mmm mmm
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Re: young kids and climbin
Thu, August 31, 2006 - 7:47 PM<<and interesting to see the different styles between the girl and the two boys (one didn't want to climb "with a rope"). I must say that I also learned a bunch from the girl. She was such a natural and used her legs better than any grownup I ever saw climbing.>>
My daughter is good at that, her legs are stronger than her arms and she naturally uses them.
<<So... this morning we showed pictures of our adventure to our friends at school and I now I have plenty of climbing dates with 3-4 year olds :) We talked about how this was again not "real rock" but that there was "real rock" out there that we could practice on...>>
Nice going!
<<if there was a word for heaven in an atheist world... I would be using it right now ... ahhhh! :) >>
Chocolate shop? :) -
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Re: young kids and climbin
Fri, September 1, 2006 - 11:16 AMI was talking to a friend about how the girl was using her legs so well when both the boys tried pulling them selves up on their arms more... she is a sports medicine professor and climbs once in a while... She suggested that women in general are better at using our legs because we tend to have weaker arm muscles and need our legs more than men... I guess that makes somewhat sense... I might be the exception to the rule though... as weak as my arms are I use them way too much. -
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Re: young kids and climbin
Fri, September 1, 2006 - 12:10 PMI use my arms too, and especially did so when I first stared climbing. I developed really nice looking muscles.... and liked the way it looked.
But I do have to admit that it feels much more graceful to just be touching the rock, twist the torso just so, back-stepping up onto one foot and then bringing up the other and....simply standing up.
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Re: young kids and climbin
Thu, August 9, 2007 - 12:04 PMyo heida,
this is sky from uprising adventure guides(serving joshua tree, idyllwild, & big bear)
we guide kids and school groups outside all the time and if you want any tips for climbing with little ones , then let me know(safety questions or climbing questions).
i have observed that girls are born climbers(more flexible, lower center of gravity, and the thing that alot of boys never get; intuition;to intuitively know how to move and where to go).
if you ever want to take them to real rock, let us know.......
www.uprising.com
1-888-climb on
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Re: young kids and climbin
Mon, August 13, 2007 - 10:22 AMThat is great that you are able to do that. Kids need more people who will take them out into the world.
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Re: young kids and climbin
Sat, September 15, 2007 - 9:36 PMYay! such cool stories!
