Thanksgiving Climbing Games

It is fun to celebrate the seasons and holidays with themed climbing wall activities. Here are some to try on your Traverse Wall® that will get everyone into the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Take the Turkey

Climbers are challenged to carefully take the “turkey” to the kitchen. This activity encourages smooth and controlled climbing.

Grade Level: 2 and up

Materials:

Beanbags, one per climber

Advance Set Up:

Place all bean bags on one side of the climbing wall.
Optional: Bean bags can be decorated with a turkey sticker or drawing of a turkey

Activity:

Let climbers know that their job is to take a turkey (bean bag) from one side of the climbing wall to the other by balancing it on their head! Before they climb, they pick up their turkey and place it on their head. They are “taking the turkey” to the kitchen. If it falls off while they are climbing, they must restart the climb. The goal is to make it across the entire length of the Traverse Wall® without having the “turkey” fall off.

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)

Climber searching for food groups on a climbing wall

MyPlate Scavenger Hunt

Traditionally, good food has a lot to do with celebrating Thanksgiving. Here’s a way to reinforce food groups and nutrition concepts while rock climbing!

Grade Level: 2-4

Materials:

Examples of foods to place on the climbing wall (choose one option):
- Names of foods written on index cards (tucked behind hand holds)
- Food magnets (to place directly on Dry-erase Wall or Magna® Wall or on Discovery ® Plates)
- Dry-erase markers or chalk (to write names of food on Discovery® Wall or Discovery® Plates)
- Note: Be sure to include foods from the MyPlate groups, as well as foods not in those groups (candy, cookies, soda, etc.)
MyPlate Climb Tally Sheet, one per partnership
Pencils, one per partnership

Advance Set Up:

Place food examples across the climbing wall, high and low. Make copies of the MyPlate Climb Tally Sheet, one per partnership.

Activity:

Divide participants into partners. One partner will climb first, while the other completes the tally sheet. Begin with as many climbers as possible starting at the same time, one per panel, and moving in the same direction. As participants climb, new climbers may begin once the first panel is empty. As climbers climb, they should touch various food examples and let their partner know the food groups. The partners follow along at the edge of the mats and place tally marks on the MyPlate Climb Tally Sheet. Partners can also offer assistance in locating foods and/or placing them in the correct category. Once the climber has climbed the wall twice, partners should switch roles. They should try to find several examples of food from each food group. When both climbers finish, they should fill in the favorite foods column with their favorites from each group. The foods they list do not need to be ones they found when they were climbing.

Teaching Tip: Be sure climbers know how to tally before conducting this activity.

Post-Activity Discussion:

As a whole group, discuss the examples that were found from each of the food groups. Also discuss examples not part of MyPlate. Discuss favorite foods from each group and which food group should be eaten the most.

National Standards: 1,2,3,4 & 5

Grade-Level Outcomes: