Walltopia, a world leader in the climbing and adventure & leisure industries, has explored the trend for tailoring experiences for younger climbers, looking at how this correlates with demand from the world’s most desirable generation of visitors.
The largest age group visiting active sports venues in recent years are Millennials, also known as Generation Y. Typically born in the 80s and 90s, a percentage of this group are beginning to create families of their own, with their children growing up to seek safe experiences away from home-based media.
A representative from Walltopia says “Millennials are parents who are busier yet spend more time with their children than parents did in the 1950s. They value togetherness, though not always at mealtime.”
Research shows that spending quality time with children is one of the most critical things parents can do to ensure the healthy emotional development and growth of their offspring. By spending time together, opportunities are created for parents to teach, children to learn, and for the family unit as a whole to develop loving, nurturing relationships.
Walltopia has developed hundreds of climbing gyms for clients around the world, expanding its range to accommodate these family experiences with the Fun Wall, an interactive kids climbing wall in 2010. The company has showcased some of its premier wall creations for children, located all around the world.
Climb Academy, Bulgaria
Tailored walls for children have become one of Walltopia’s areas of expertise, particularly in the last decade where it has been responsible for some of the industry’s most prominent installations.
A first-of-its-type venue, Walltopia’s first Climb Academy was created in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. Constructed in the same building as Eastern Europe’s biggest climbing gym, the site was designed thoroughly with children in mind, providing physical activity opportunities for younger climbers aged between 3 and 11 years in a safe environment.
High Point, US
With six venues in Tennessee and Alabama, US, High Point Climbing and Fitness is an active sports gym chain that also caters for children.
Each location features a sizable kids zone with a variety of age-appropriate fun walls and custom kids climbing walls, with the Huntsville site hosting a fun wall themed to the Saturn V rocket that flew the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
Its clientele generally consists of families looking for quality time, as well as young and soon-to-be parents.
Soul Climb, Spain
Kids areas are particularly well accepted in local communities with young families that are seeking opportunities to foster active lifestyles from an early age.
Formerly part of the Indoorwall climbing chain, Soul Climb strategically caters for the youngest possible clientele. The colourful walls at this venue are developed to tell a story through custom-designed kids climbing zones. Children can climb to the top of an enormous bear, or cling onto the wings of an eagle to develop their motor skills whilst engaging their imagination.
Last year, Walltopia opened the Adventure Hub at Ocean Flower Island, a comprehensive outdoor installation for The Evergrande Group in China.
