EYFS activities - Birth to three… climbing

There is something about climbing that is irresistible to young children. The urge to go higher, push boundaries, feel strong and brave, experience freedom, achievement and elation are all hugely important experiences.

Like rolling and crawling, climbing is one of the whole-body, ‘big body’ movements that is particularly useful for supporting overall muscular strength and endurance, balance, co-ordination and agility. Unlike the first two, however, climbing is a skill that many children enjoy well into early adulthood and beyond.

The tricky part of climbing is not going up – it’s getting down again. How often have we seen a confident ascent, followed by a protracted and tearful descent!

Development

Children who are proficient and enthusiastic crawlers will often be first onto a chair or sofa, and then zoom up the stairs. As they get more competent and confident, they will begin to walk up the stairs, using the same foot at first, then eventually using alternate feet and descending without holding on to the banister.

Most children will enjoy climbing if the opportunities to do so are manageable and appropriate. Inside, these are usually over furniture and upstairs; outside, the possibilities are more varied. As children develop, they extend the possibilities to climb that involve a further element of risk and challenge.

Importance

Climbing is important for two main reasons:

Physically – the mature version demands a high degree of upper body strength for a successful ascent; a safe descent requires significant balance and co-ordination.

Emotionally – children can make independent decisions about when and how to tackle a new risk or challenge that supports their confidence, problem-solving abilities and feeling of achievement. Being up high gives them a new perspective on their environment.

Supporting climbing

Any climbing activity must be properly supervised at all times, so ensure clothing and footwear are appropriate for the activity and that gloves cannot hinder grip.

Very young children

• Because climbing is such an effective way of supporting overall strength, balance and co-ordination, it should be encouraged whenever and wherever possible.
• Children can practise the vertical climbing action by horizontal crawling along a line or plank on the floor, or a ladder placed on the ground – this will support the upper body strength needed for later.
• It is vital that children are given lots of opportunities to get in a muddle, make mistakes, and work out solutions for themselves without being told to ‘be careful’ all the time!

Older children

• At around four years old, there is a significant increase in a child’s lower body strength. Some children can be a bit reckless at this stage, so it is even more important to maintain the upper body strength that supports their safety.
• Prepare activities that support this – for example, get the children to pull along a bench with their hands; do pulling and pushing tasks; and hang by arms from monkey bars.
• Allow children to make their own structures to climb on using large loose parts.
• Indoors, construct a short obstacle course – for example, get the children to pull along a bench, climb onto a table, slide off and climb over the back of a sofa and roll off.
• Outdoors, have a good selection of big wooden blocks, beams and ladders that children can link together – often more interesting challenges are created from these materials than with large fixed apparatus.

Rules

Set climbing rules and make sure children are clear what they are:

• No climbing with toys in their hands – or anything in mouths.
• No pushing or pulling friends.
• No wearing of role-play clothes or shoes when climbing.

How we may also benefit

To develop our upper body strength and stretch:

• Stand with your feet together facing a door frame and place your hands in the corners.
• Push your chest gently forwards and feel the stretch in your shoulders.
• Now stand on tiptoes with your feet together a bit further away.
• Move your hands to shoulder height on the door frame.
• Push your body towards and away from the door frame – do as many push-ups as is comfortable.
• Now repeat the first stretch – and breathe.
  
  

ABOUT THIS SERIES

This is the third in a series on essential physical skills and how to support them in children from birth to three. Dr Lala Manners is a physical development trainer and director of Active Matters