Fun Climbing Games for Your Summer Climbing Camp

If you are hosting a summer climbing camp, here are three Traverse Wall® games that are sure to be hits with your climbers.

UP DOWN RELAY RACE

Teams race up and back down the climbing wall in this fast-moving 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.

Children playing Twister on a Traverse Wall by Everlast Climbing

CLIMBING WALL TWISTER®

This classic children's game has been transformed into a fun partner activity on the climbing wall that requires great listening and problem-solving skills.

Grade Level: 2 and up

Grouping: Partners

Materials: Twister spinner or set of cards, one per partnership

Advance Prep: Make spinners or cards

Activity:

Each partnership will use one 4-foot-wide panel and mat section. If you have a 40-foot-long climbing wall, then 20 participants can play at one time, with partnerships spread out along the length of the wall. One person from each partnership will be on the climbing wall, using only one panel. The other will be on the safety mat spinning the spinner, or pulling a card, and letting the climber know what move to make. If the climber’s foot/hand is already on the color indicated by the command, s/he must find a new hold of that color. After 10 successful moves, partners switch roles.

Note: Unlike the original game, participants do not come in contact with one another.

Teaching Tip: Number each climbing wall panel and have participants try new panels. Each panel offers a unique experience because hand holds are different and in different locations on each panel. Try them all!

Variation: Instead of partners, this activity could be conducted with one person spinning/pulling cards for all climbers on the wall. Still keep climbers on one panel and then rotate them through other panels after 10 successful moves.

TARGET PRACTICE

A fun-for-all-ages climbing wall activity where climbers toss objects into or onto targets. This activity is easily modified for a variety of ages and ability levels.

Grade Level: K and up

Materials:

· Objects that can be tossed (bean bags, balls, Magna® Flags, discs, rings, etc.)

· Objects that can be targets (hoops, jump ropes made into shapes, tape made into shapes, buckets, stripes on gym floor, etc.)

Advance Prep:

Place objects on the climbing wall and targets on the floor.

Activity:

Have participants begin climbing, with one person on each panel. Remaining participants form a line and begin climbing when the first person has reached the second panel. As participants climb, they remove one object per climbing panel and toss into targets. When they reach the final panel, they climb down, step off mats and rejoin climbers and continue the activity. There should be a continuous flow of climbers on and off the Traverse Wall®. Note that someone (climbing wall facilitator or mature climbers) will periodically need to put objects back on the climbing wall once the number gets low.

Variations:

· Assign a point value to different targets and have participants keep track of their scores. This variation integrates math with climbing.

· Vary the objects and targets and their location from each other to increase or decrease the level of challenge.

Teaching Tip: Any targets placed on safety mats should be soft and not create a fall hazard. Hoops and tape make good targets on the mats. Buckets do not and should be placed off the mats.