Our Favourite Subject

“What’s your favourite subject?” inquiring minds at the grocery store asked of my four year old.

While I usually don’t mind when strangers find our homeschooling life intriguing, I always hold my breath when they decide to ask my children about our daily activities.

“Rock Climbing!” said my brave, confident little girl.

The kind stranger smiled and said, “Sounds like fun, lucky girl!” and continued on her way.

The interaction was brief, but I couldn’t help but wonder what this kind lady thought of me if my child’s favourite homeschooling activity was rock climbing! However, Hope (my daughter!) was more right about rock climbing being a subject than she knew.

Rock climbing has definitely been our newest and most favourite activity this year. It started as a climbing outlet for Hope, who we haven’t been able to keep on the ground since she was three years old. The moment we entered the bouldering gym for the first time her eyes lit up. “I’m going to climb THAT and THAT and THAT!” She exclaimed! She listened to the safety instructions and passed her fall-test easily. Then she was up the rockface faster than I could say “Careful, Hope!”

After a few successful climbs she came across an obstacle that was slightly more challenging. I had taken her to The Hub, a climbing gym in Mississauga that has an adventure portion just for kids. The obstacle was a giant beanstalk straight out of a storybook. Hope eagerly donned her climbing harness and got about halfway up when she stalled on a bit of an overhang. Since she’s only four she’s hindered by the length of her little legs, and couldn’t get up over the bump on the beanstalk. She jumped off, the auto-harness slowly lowering her down, and said “I can’t do that part, mom.”

But before I could ask her what she wanted to do next, she was trying the beanstalk again. And again. And again. And again. She tried that climb 7 times! And just as I was about to suggest a new activity, she tried the climb again, and this time, on her eighth try, she was just able to get her fingertips on the upper hold which enabled her to adjust her weight and make it up and past the overhang! She hurriedly climbed to the very top of the beanstalk and looked down-and with the BIGGEST grin she announced “I DID IT MAMA!” I was honestly the most proud of her I had ever been before.

Rock climbing as a sport is becoming much more popular. Not only does it challenge a person’s physical abilities, but it stimulates a problem solving aspect in the brain that develops critical thinking, adaptability, analytical reasoning, and remediation. While Hope climbs, she must think about what is hindering her making it further up the rockface and how to change the approach, and then she must execute it in a physical process of trial and error. Not to mention the benefits of determination, self-achievement, and pure fun!

So yes, rock climbing is our favourite subject! And Hope would love for you to join us at the gym to build all of these brain-boosting skills!

By: Bethany Collins