There were plenty of kids sad to learn that SkyZone Miranda was closing down. Mums and dads who’d enjoyed the quiet break that watching on afforded them while their children bounced, played and climbed were equally upset.

Unfortunately, while the trampoline zone remains closed, we do have some good news- SkyClimb is re-opening!

If you’re unfamiliar with SkyClimb, let’s get you acquainted…

SkyClimb is air-conditioned and located inside the old Sky Zone site at Westfield Miranda, on the same level as the trampolines. So whether it’s scorching hot or windy and rainy, it’s a perfect all-weather activity for the school holidays.

Sky Climb is similar to a regular indoor climbing centre, but tailored for kids, hence safer and more fun.

The Sky Climb course has 17 different climbing walls with obstacles and challenges. Instead of the standard rock grips, it has a variety of unusual grips (squares, pipes etc), that are somewhat easier for kids to use, yet challenging enough to keep older kids interested.

The kids’ safety harnesses and auto-belay braking system uses magnetic braking to ensure kids are safe from falling. Better yet, it gives them the ability to climb independently and means you don’t have to worry about having anyone spot or catch them as they come down. As an added precaution, and for your peace of mind, there are even experienced guards on duty, who can help at a moment’s notice if your child should need it.

But beyond being safe and fun, there’s a list of other great reasons that climbing is a positive and productive pastime for your kids.

Allow us to break them down for you…

7 skills that kids learn by climbing

Let’s start with the physical benefits.

Spatial awareness, balance and coordination

Climbing requires kids to get to know their bodies and explore the most effective ways to use them. The repetitive act of moving upward from one grip to the next and navigating the precise placement of your hands and feet helps kids develop both their balance and coordination, all while learning how much space their body occupies.

Strength AND cardio

Climbing is a sport that requires the use of every muscle in your body and it is especially known for boosting your core strength. Naturally the more climbing you do, the greater your muscle memory will be and this produces stronger muscles and better heart-health.

Climbing also acts as great cardio as your heart-rate increases while you climb, and improves your stamina and endurance. In other words, it’s one of the best all-around body workouts you’ll find!

Speed and agility

Once you’ve mastered the basics of reaching the top, your goals can shift to reaching the top FASTER. This motivation pushes climbers to teach themselves how to move their bodies more quickly and nimbly through a course, which is naturally better for their overall health and fitness.

But there’s more to be gained from climbing than increased fitness and physicality. Climbing also brings with it vast mental advancements like…

Improved focus

Climbing is not the kind of activity you can do while checking your phone. To climb successfully, kids need to give all their focus to the task-at-hand, which in our modern world is something that we see less and less of.

Tasks of this nature, which are both physically and psychologically engaging help children (and teens) improve their concentration span by encouraging them to filter out distraction, pay attention to one object at a time and explore available angles to solve the problems associated with the task in front of them.

Focusing on a single task rather than trying to multi-task has also been proven to induce less stress and improve mental health.

Problem-solving and decision making

Which is the most stable path to climb? Which is the fastest path to climb? Is that handle too great of a reach and risk?

In contrast to more passive activities, like watching TV or reading, climbing requires the participant to make decisions faster than they’re even realising they’re making them.

Every time you move a limb you are instantly assessing the physicality and energy transfer, velocity and safety of a movement. Kids will very quickly learn that there are good and bad choices open to them and how to recognise these. Moreover, they’ll recognise what constitutes a good or bad decision and how to apply critical thinking to avoid repeating past mistakes- A valuable life-lesson in any setting!

Setting/achieving goals

While you can choose to climb for fun or purely meditative and therapeutic purposes if you want to, most climbers have a summit to reach. The simple goal of getting to the top (or beating their mates in a race to the top) teaches even young children about the principles of setting a goal and working toward it.

As in any goal-driven setting, climbers are gratified by achieving their goal and this dopamine rush acts as a mood-elevator and propels climbers to pursue success again. When children learn these lessons at a young age, through activities that excite them, then they’re more likely to carry them into all aspects of their lives.

Perseverance

In life, more often than not, we don’t achieve our goals on the first attempt and learning to persevere in spite of our failures is one of the most important lessons our kids need to learn.

This is a lesson kids are bound to learn while climbing. Through climbing, they’ll inevitably make poor foot placements, they’ll misstep, they’ll fall (safely in this case!) And then they’ll see that the only way to get to the top is to get back up and keep on going!

More details, please!

SkyClimb will re-open on 3rd December and will trade every Thursday – Sunday throughout the school holidays. Sky Climb is suitable for anyone over 110cm.

Each climbing session begins with a 15-minute safety briefing, followed by one hour of climbing and costs just $18 per person.

Every session is COVID-safe and can accommodate only 20 kids at a time, so use the online booking system to secure your child’s spot.

There is plenty of seating and you’re free to bring in your own food and drinks to enjoy as you watch on.

So whether you’re simply seeking an activity to entertain the kids on a rainy day, a sweltering day, or a random day in the school holidays when everyone is starting to tire of their Christmas toys, Sky Climb is the perfect option.

Your kids will have a ton of fun while gaining important life-skills without even realising it, and all you have to do is sit down!

Visit SkyClimb now for more information and or to book online now.