Competitive Fun on the Climbing Wall with Races

A little friendly competition can bring a lot of fun to Traverse Wall® climbing. Here are three races you will want to try with your climbers.

Relay Race

A horizontal climbing variation of the traditional relay race.

Grade Level: 3 and up

Grouping: 2 teams

Materials: Tape (preferably Gaffers’ tape)

Advance Prep: Divide the climbing wall in half (vertically) using tape.

Activity: Have each team line up at the start of their half of the Traverse Wall. Each team will traverse the wall from one end to the center tape line (tapping it) and back to their start. They will then climb down from the wall and tag the next person in the relay line. The first team to have all its members complete three traverses is the winner. Have teams switch sides of the wall and complete the race again since one side may be easier than another based on hand hold type and placement. 

Variations:

• Have teams line up farther from their sides of the Traverse Wall, requiring them to run to tag the next person in line to race on the wall.
• Have teams compete more or less than three traverses.

Teaching Tip: When forming teams, consider balancing ability level, size, motivation and personality.

National Standards: 1,2,3,4 & 5

Grade-Level Outcomes:

• Nonlocomotor (S1.E7, S1.E8, S1.E10)
• Movement concepts (S2.E1, S2.E2)
• Engages in physical activity (S3.E2, S3.M3, S3.M4, S3.M5)
• Personal responsibility (S4.E1, S4.E2, S4.M1, S4.M2)
• Working with others (S4.E4, S4.M4, S4.M5)
• Rules & etiquette (S4.E5, S4.M5, S4.M6)
• Safety (S4.E6, S4.M7)
• Challenge (S5.E2, S5.M3)

Up Down Relay Race

Teams race up and back down the climbing wall in this variation of the horizontal climbing relay race.

Grade Level: 3 and up

Grouping: Teams of 2 or 3 people, ideally one team per 4-foot-wide climbing wall panel section

Materials: Tape (preferably Gaffers’ tape)

Advance Prep: Place a tape mark at the exact same height on each climbing wall panel. Be sure to select a high location that participants will be able to reach while still keeping their feet in the climbing zone.

Activity: To begin, teams line up at the edge of the mats across from their designated panel section. At the same time, one person from each team runs to the climbing wall, gets on their climbing wall panel, climbs to and touches the tape mark and then climbs back down to the mat, runs to and taps their teammate who will then run and climb to and touch the tape mark. Repeat for all team members. Each person should climb the panel three times. The first team to complete these climbs wins the race. 

Note: Be sure climbers climb down and don't jump off the climbing wall. Institute a 10-second pause on any team that can't follow that safety rule, if needed.

Variations:

• Increase or decrease the number of people on each team.
• Repeat the activity with teams rotating through other climbing wall panels. Since the location of hand holds vary, each panel is different and poses novel challenges.

• Have teams line up farther away from the wall, requiring them to run farther to tag the next person in line to race on the wall.

Teaching Tip: When forming teams, consider balancing ability level, size, motivation and personality.

National Standards: 1,2,3,4 & 5

Grade-Level Outcomes:

• Nonlocomotor (S1.E7, S1.E8, S1.E10)
• Movement concepts (S2.E1, S2.E2)
• Engages in physical activity (S3.E2, S3.M3, S3.M4, S3.M5)
• Personal responsibility (S4.E1, S4.E2, S4.M1, S4.M2)
• Working with others (S4.E4, S4.M4, S4.M5)
• Rules & etiquette (S4.E5, S4.M5, S4.M6)
• Safety (S4.E6, S4.M7)
• Challenge (S5.E2, S5.M3)

Climb for Time

A race against the clock.

Materials needed: Stopwatch or other timing device

Prep: None

Grouping: Partners

Grade Levels: 3 & up

Activity: One person climbs while the other times the climber going across the climbing wall. Switch roles. Fastest time wins. Keep a record of all climbing times and award medals to the winner.

Variations: 

• Have climbers traverse the wall more than once.
• Create/mark one climbing route that all climbers must follow to make it more like the professional speed climbing competitions.

National Standards: 1,2,3,4 & 5

Grade-Level Outcomes:

• Nonlocomotor (S1.E7, S1.E8, S1.E10)
• Movement concepts (S2.E1, S2.E2)
• Engages in physical activity (S3.E2, S3.M3, S3.M4, S3.M5)
• Personal responsibility (S4.E1, S4.E2, S4.M1, S4.M2)
• Working with others (S4.E4, S4.M4, S4.M5)
• Rules & etiquette (S4.E5, S4.M5, S4.M6)
• Safety (S4.E6, S4.M7)
• Challenge (S5.E2, S5.M3)