Climbing with a Toddler

Does anyone have any advise on climbing with a toddler? Best thing I can figure is letting her play in the dirt while I stick to single pitch routes that can be belayed from the ground.

Depending on the approach I have seen people bring a small crib. And once I saw some one set up one of those bounce seats on a over hang

Backpack the little one and climb easy multi-pitch. And if you have them ride on the back of your motorcycle use the chest harness with the leash.

Ryan Kempf wrote:Backpack the little one and climb easy multi-pitch. And if you have them ride on the back of your motorcycle use the chest harness with the leash.

Getting her on multi-pitch early may turn her into this....

climbing.com/news/whats-nex…

Wow..... What an impressive feat for a young person!

someone turned us on to this here years ago and has become the most used piece of gear in the house-

kidco.com/products-page/pea…

Depends on the toddler; my daughter walked at 10 months and never napped or sat still for a moment, so that Peapod thing would be wasted money. This also made having a third person to watch her a necessity; even in areas without big drop-offs she could always find something to scramble up high enough to worry me.

And avoid choss.

Yeah, the main thing you really need is a third person that likes both climbing AND your kid. A third person on the ground to interact with them is crucial. The adults can rotate out climbing/belaying/parenting. Kids get bored and someone cant belay and keep an eye on them at the same time. We've got two little ones and three adults works well. 4 is better cause they also like to climb. Thats usually of more interest to them than toys or stuff we bring We usually try to set up a TR on an access gully or something and let them climb 10 or 15 ft or so. 4th adult can watch the other kid. Rotating out cuts climbing time in half, but better than nothing! And it can be a lot of fun to have them along. Other helpful thing: try to find somewhere thats not busy! Might mean less stellar climbs- but if you can find somewhere where you've got the pool to yourself it makes a great day.

You may want to leave the SW and find some more solid stone.

SeanPeter2 wrote:Yeah, the main thing you really need is a third person that likes both climbing AND your kid. A third person on the ground to interact with them is crucial. The adults can rotate out climbing/belaying/parenting. Kids get bored and someone cant belay and keep an eye on them at the same time. We've got two little ones and three adults works well. 4 is better cause they also like to climb. Thats usually of more interest to them than toys or stuff we bring We usually try to set up a TR on an access gully or something and let them climb 10 or 15 ft or so. 4th adult can watch the other kid. Rotating out cuts climbing time in half, but better than nothing! And it can be a lot of fun to have them along. Other helpful thing: try to find somewhere thats not busy! Might mean less stellar climbs- but if you can find somewhere where you've got the pool to yourself it makes a great day.

Best answer so far.
Thats exactly what my wife and I do, We take a party of three or 4 to climb/belay/watch the kid.

SeanPeter2 wrote:We usually try to set up a TR on an access gully or something and let them climb 10 or 15 ft or so.

How are you harnessing them?

Keithb00ne wrote: How are you harnessing them?

probably a swiss seat and a dog collar...

Climbing at 22 months don't look unreasonable.....

dailymail.co.uk/news/articl…

Keithb00ne wrote: How are you harnessing them?

This works well for little guys.

backwoods.com/petzl-ouistit…

SeanPeter2 wrote:Yeah, the main thing you really need is a third person that likes both climbing AND your kid. A third person on the ground to interact with them is crucial. The adults can rotate out climbing/belaying/parenting. Kids get bored and someone cant belay and keep an eye on them at the same time. We've got two little ones and three adults works well. 4 is better cause they also like to climb. Thats usually of more interest to them than toys or stuff we bring We usually try to set up a TR on an access gully or something and let them climb 10 or 15 ft or so. 4th adult can watch the other kid. Rotating out cuts climbing time in half, but better than nothing! And it can be a lot of fun to have them along. Other helpful thing: try to find somewhere thats not busy! Might mean less stellar climbs- but if you can find somewhere where you've got the pool to yourself it makes a great day.

+1 for all this.

Also essential to approach this with the understanding that if you are creating a situation where climbers outside your party need to be watching out for your kid, it's YOU that is effing up. Some poor guy doing his first trad lead does not need to add your little Einstein to his list of worries. And yes, I do have a kid.

We've done well getting out with other couples that also have kids, then the little ones can amuse each other. The kids (3-4 ish) just scramble on little boulders and are perfectly content. Best is an area where the kids can play well away from the base of the cliff to avoid falling rock/gear/climbers.

Keithb00ne wrote: How are you harnessing them?

Yeah we use the same one Ryan Kempf linked to. I've read that kids really should be in full body harnesses till about 10 yrs! Seems a little old. But I have no idea how to parent anything over a 6yo at this point....
But that petzl kids harness is great and keeps them upright. Bike helmets if you can't swing for climbing specific ones. They aren't good for rock fall but at least protect for impacts. Obviously your choice of areas gets limited with kids, and minimizing rockfall potential certainly plays into that choice.

Be careful where you put the kid down. Rockfall happens (climbers, goats, hikers...). Gunks are generally safe, make a trip here sometime!

Optimistic wrote:Also essential to approach this with the understanding that if you are creating a situation where climbers outside your party need to be watching out for your kid, it's YOU that is effing up.

Once upon a time there was a couple back in Texas that was known for this. They would even berate other people for not watching their kid. It was pretty hilarious. The guy was just so into micromanaging his wife's climbing he couldn't also watch his toddler.

Inviting a third person is the best policy and ideally, you can go with other climbing friends who have kids so they can play together, which is what they will end up doing instead of climbing much once they are old enough.

Ben Beckerich wrote:Leave 'em home with the wife....? Always works great for me

My wife would kill me if I went climbing without her. She is my dedicated belay partner and a better climber than most guys.

from my experience a third erson who climbs is great Or a babysitter that doesnt mind hanging out in the wilderness with your kids, or just a babysitter at your home!

Yes, please bring your crying proginy to the crowded crag.

Nice, David. You're a real charmer.