Bouldering is a great sport for kids! Young climbers can learn confidence, athleticism, problem solving skills, how to manage success & failure, and more while having a great time.

As fun as bouldering is, the gym can be a very dangerous place for a young climber. The bouldering gym is not a playground, and a simple lapse in awareness could lead to injury for you, your child, or another climber. This is why we require direct, proactive adult supervision at all times for children under 14.

To help ensure that you and your child make the most out of your time with us, please be sure to review the information below prior to visiting.

• You can buy day passes to just try out climbing for the first time. We’ve got rental gear at the gym, so it’s a-ok if you don’t have your own shoes yet. We charge Day Passes for anyone who wants to climb - direct, pro-active supervisors are free of charge.

• If you'd like to climb along side your child but don't know where to start, you can take our Intro to Bouldering with Kids Clinic! You and your child can learn the basics of practicing awareness in a bouldering gym, climbing movement, falling technique, gym etiquette, and climbing lingo, giving you the tools you need to supervise and climb alongside your child.

• If you’d like to make bouldering a regular part of your family time, consider signing up for a membership! With our Kids Climb Free Program, your membership covers all your children under 14.

• During school breaks, our Kids Climbing Camps are a great option for getting your kid some more gym time.

• If your child is taking a real interest in the sport, we recommend signing up for Team Bridges, our youth competitive climbing program.

• If your child is interested in climbing, but you're unable to join them on the floor, you can arrange for a Private Climbing Lesson for them!

• Children under 14 require direct, proactive adult supervision at all times in our facility.

  • We require a 1:2 Adult:Child ratio in the gym for kids 5+.

  • We require a 1:1 Adult:Child ratio in the gym for kids under 5.

  • It is your responsibility as a parent to keep your kids safe on the floor!

  • For kids under 12, this means you are within arm’s reach of your child at all times, ready and willing to intervene in order to prevent injury.

  • For kids 12-13, who are more aware of their surroundings, this means you are climbing together in the same section of the gym, and you are ready and willing to intervene in order to prevent injury.

• Although the gym is a very exciting place, it can be a very dangerous place if your child ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Among other things, you need to ensure your child does not:

  • Walk, run, or jump underneath another climber.

  • Walk, run, or jump underneath blind corners.

• No running, horseplay, or bare feet. Climbing shoes are required on the bouldering floor.

  • We have kid-sized climbing shoes available from $50 or so.

  • We also have a limited selection of rental shoes available in kids sizes.

• Make sure your child is falling correctly:

  • Fall on your feet with bent knees

  • Roll back onto your butt, then your back

  • Cross your arms and tuck your chin

  • Avoid landing with outstretched arms or locked knees.

• The following areas are off-limits to children under 14:​

  • Weight Room

  • Cardio Area 

  • Fitness Room

  • Showers + Saunas

• What's the best way to support my young climber?

  • With kids under 5, you're mostly just getting them comfortable in the gym - don't expect to tick off a bunch of boulders.

  • The very best climbers fall the most, because they're trying the most. While it's not always fun to fail, the important thing is to remember to have fun. The next most important thing is learn what you can from the fall, and use that info to do better next time.

  • One of the best things you can do to support your young climber is to climb alongside them! Kids, love to emulate their parents, and modeling a healthy approach to climbing yourself is one of the best ways to support a young climber.

• Can I do work on my laptop upstairs, or use the cardio machines while my kids climb?

  • Unfortunately, that doesn’t count as direct, pro-active supervision. The gym is not a playground where kids can just run around: unsupervised children may endanger themselves as well as other climbers.

• Can I host my kid's Birthday Party at the gym?

  • Yes! We offer Kids Birthday Parties for groups of 4-16 climbers. Check out our Groups page for more info!

• Can I bring in a friend’s kids?

  • Sure! We require a 1:2 adult:child ratio in the gym, so make sure you have enough adults to provide direct, pro-active supervision. If the kid’s parents will not be in attendance, be sure they’ve already completed a liability waiver for their child on our website at bridgesrockgym.com/waivers.

• Can Grandparents take my kids to the gym?

  • Sure, as long as Grandparents are willing & able to physically intervene in order to prevent injury. Supervising kids at the bouldering gym is physically demanding activity, so some older or less active Grandparents may not be able to keep up with the zoomies.

• Can I drop my kids off at the gym while I go run errands?

  • We do not offer on-demand childcare, and the gym is not a playground for unsupervised kids to run around.

  • Private Climbing Lessons are available by reservation.

• I have a teenager aged 14-17. Can they climb on their own?

  • Teens aged 14+ are welcome to climb with us on their own, as long as they're able to do so safely + respectfully. You'll still need to complete a liability waiver ahead of time for them at bridgesrockgym.com/waivers.