When thinking about summer activities to keep my son busy, rock climbing wasn't on my list. But after visiting Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge location, I highly recommend parents explore kids rock climbing.

Note: I received a complimentary BKB Summer Adventure class for review purpose. However any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.

While Brooklyn Boulders offers different youth programs, I wanted to learn more about their BKB Adventure program, which added a STEAM component to compliment the rock climbing curriculum.


The BKB Summer Adventure started with a group activity. Two groups were tasked with building a structure using provided supplies as fast as they can. Each kid in the team took turns helping to build.



At the end, both teams explained their building process and what they think worked about their structure. It was good to see the kids learn team work and problem solving.


Next activity was climbing the rock walls. They were different walls with different difficultly levels. The kids went through different climbing activity including solo climbing and assisted team climbing.


Since this was my son's first time learning to climb, the other kids were very helpful. They took the time to help him learn how to setup certain areas, explain how to climb in certain areas and offered encouragement.


Of course the instructor was there for everything but rock climbing really teaches how to work as a team. So he wanted to let the kids help each other and provided support and guidance as needed.

After the morning activities, the group took a break for lunch. Sadly we couldn't stay and missed out on the afternoon fun. But the Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge team was nice enough to send us photos so we can see what they did.


As you can see the BKB Summer Adventure offers lots to keep kids active in a fun and educational way during summer and even after-school!

After experiencing the BKB Adventure, I know families will enjoy visiting Brooklyn Boulders. So here's a special promo code: SUMMERSTEAM16 that will give a 10% discount on all of their summer programming, including the Youth Route Setting Intensive for ages 10-15.


Also I wanted to share the mini Q&A session I had with he Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge Youth Programs and Team Manager. As a parent I know we have lots of questions. They were happy to provide answers.


What are the benefits to having kids learn rock climbing?

Rock climbing is a unique sport in that it teaches kids not only the benefits of hard work and success, but also the importance of learning to fail, get back up, and try again. Climbing also increases confidence, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving, among many other skill sets. At BKB, one of our main goals is to incorporate experiential learning into our curriculums, so kids will be able to make connections between what they learn in school and what they learn on the wall.

What's a good age to intro kids to rock climbing?

Our drop-off programming begins at age 5, as we feel this is the age at which kids are emotionally and physically ready to handle the challenges of the sport in a fun, supportive environment. However, children as young as age 3 can come into our facility with their families and start getting familiar with the space. If parents take our Learn the Ropes class and become belay-certified, climbing on ropes is a great way to introduce younger children to the sport!



Why did Brooklyn Boulders start offering these classes/programs for kids?

BKB started offering youth programming in response to the needs of our community. In their earliest days, our kids programs were run by volunteers at our original location in Brooklyn, and as the demand for more structured and robust youth programming grew, managing youth programs became a full-time position. We now have dedicated youth staff at every facility, all of whom are passionate about climbing, experiential education, and creating life-changing experiences for kids.

What can families expect when visiting Brooklyn Boulders locations?

Families can expect a tailored experience that goes beyond the boundaries of a traditional climbing gym. We are a space infused with magic, where *all* kids have the opportunity to climb higher - both literally and metaphorically - than they ever thought possible. They can expect to discover new things about themselves and each other, to climb in a space where art and aesthetics are just as important as the difficulty of the problems on the wall, and interact with staff who live to share their love of climbing

The Brooklyn Boulders team values every member of the community – especially the kids. Brooklyn Boulders pride themselves on giving kids a fun, interactive experience while helping them build community, spatial awareness, mental focus and more!

To learn more about Brooklyn Boulders Youth Programs, visit www.brooklynboulders.com/youth