4 Reasons Climbing Summer Camps Rock!
Rock climbing summer camps, a unique and thrilling experience, are gaining popularity across the United States. Most camps operate outside of climbing gyms and include exciting outdoor field trips. For those seeking a more adventurous experience, there are outdoor-only climbing camps in stunning climbing destinations nationwide. However, as these might be less accessible, this article will primarily focus on the rock climbing summer camps offered through commercial climbing gyms, each with unique benefits.
The most exciting aspect of climbing summer camps is that they provide the perfect platform for new friendships and passions to blossom, both for the campers and their parents. Kids attending camp will embark on the ultimate adventure and an unplugged experience. Doors to new friendships and passions will open wide, making climbing summer camp a worthwhile and easy investment. Continue reading to delve deeper into the details of the awaiting adventures, tech-free camp experience, and how campers end the summer with newfound friends and passions.
4 Reasons Climbing Summer Camps Rock
1. Ultimate Adventure Camp
Climbing is in kids' DNA. From scaling crib rails to furniture, parents are all too familiar with the experience of nervously watching their kids defy gravity. Many parents sign their kids up for energy-zapping yet fun activities as soon as possible, hoping they’ll be too tired to continue testing their mortality's limits against new heights.
Daredevils can embrace their natural desire to climb and adventure through life at climbing summer camps. In addition to supervised indoor and outdoor climbing opportunities, climbing summer camps incorporate other physical activities such as ball sports, swimming, or classic kid games like hide-and-seek. What kid doesn’t want to say they got to play hide-and-seek in a rock climbing gym?
Because climbing summer camps center around adventure, staff understand the importance of teaching safety measures to the kids and overseeing an injury-free experience. This ensures that campers will have an adventure-filled summer and come home with greater safety awareness during their explorations, providing parents with peace of mind.
2. New Friends (For Kids and Parents)
Summer camp is the perfect place to make new best friends. In climbing summer camps, this is especially true. Rock climbing is an individual activity, but the encouragement and support of others elevate the experience. As each kid pushes their mental and physical limits, the other campers cheer on them and use each other for motivation. Older kids attending climbing summer camp will learn how to belay each other, providing the foundation for climbing partner friendships (belaytionships). This social aspect of climbing summer camps is a significant draw for many parents.
Belaytionships that start with two kids at camp can carry over to the parents. The odds are that your kid will still want to climb once summer camp ends. You may find yourself back at the climbing wall and reconnecting with a parent you saw every morning and afternoon at drop-off and pick-up.
3. Discover a New Passion (For Kids and Parents)
The whole family can fall in love with rock climbing. When the kids talk nonstop about how much fun they had and how much they want to keep climbing once camp ends, the pull for parents to pick up a harness and pair of climbing shoes is strong. What may start as your kids asking you to belay them on their favorite climbs could turn into exploring the bouldering area, hoping on auto-belays, or forming climbing groups with fellow parents.'
There is a strong pipeline of climbing summer camps to kids' classes or youth climbing teams. Whether or not you and your kid(s) develop a passion for climbing, you'll have found a year-round extracurricular activity.
4. Unplugged
Rock climbing camps prioritize physical well-being and an active lifestyle, particularly in an age where it is all too easy to spend more time staring at a screen than not. Even on rainy days that disrupt outdoor climbing trips or activities, campers can climb or engage in other indoor games. There won't be a time when counselors resort to TV shows or YouTube for entertainment. Kids can form positive relationships with others their age instead of connecting with friends via video games and headsets, ensuring a healthy and tech-free summer.
Don’t sleep on climbing summer camp! Spots fill up quickly, and you don’t want to miss out on an opportunity for your kid(s) to experience the ultimate, unplugged adventure camp. They’ll make new friends and potentially discover a new passion that’s good for their mental and physical well-being. The friendships they form may snowball into parental friendships and climbing groups for the adults, too. Check your local climbing gym’s website and social media for the latest information about summer camps for a rock-tastic summer!
