Touchstone Climbing

A dozen rowdy 2nd grade boys had a blast at my son's climbing birthday party. The Berkeley Ironworks staff were fantastic: courteous during reservations, understanding with changes, relaxed about boy-rowdiness, and supportive of each climber.

The setup is pretty straightforward. Each child has to have an adult fill out and sign the climbing authorization forms for the kids to climb. Everyone meets at the back wall where the easier climbs are located. I took the initiative to review rules of the climbing gym -- no running, no climbing without an adult, stay out of the gym and weights area, bathrooms are over there, etc -- before the staff took over. The staff have the kids don their harnesses and they go through some basic safety rules. Then they start tying in the kids and away they climb.

I was surprised at how many wild and rowdy boys were suddenly timid after they climbed a little way up. But the staff are very relaxed about the kids coming down and trying again later. Some kids headed all the way to the top; some went barely above their own height until the end of the party was looming near. Some aggressive soccer players weren't so aggressive with the rock wall; some timid soccer players climbed up high and fast like firecrackers. Some kids gravitated toward the Foosball table for alternative fun. Just shows the diversity of skills and comfort levels.