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THANK YOU We are beyond THRILLED to share with you that we COMPLETED our 2.5 month long project of building TWO BRAND NEW CLIMBING WALLS at both of our Preschool playgrounds. This project was possible thanks to Nadácia Volkswagen Slovakia and their Grant Program “S nadáciou v pohybe” under Projekty Zamestnancov.
Our Goal for this Project
A climbing wall for the students and guests of Benjamin Preschool. What is a climbing wall? A climbing wall is a wall fitted with hold attachments to simulate a rock face for climbing practice.
Our Ask
Support from Volkswagen Foundation to help with the cost of a new climbing wall.
Video of the construction of our school's Rock Climbing Wall
Benefit to children?
The connection between children and climbing involves more than curiosity or build up energy. It involves using our primal senses of movement and motor functionality. Children use skills like climbing to explore the world and to understand their environments as they grow (they climb everything in a household or in the world including trees, playgrounds, rocks, etc….). To provide a climbing playground allows children to conduct this important exploring in a safe AND stimulating way!
Climbing offers multiple benefits (source link):
Physical
Increased muscle tone and strength as kids pull up their body weight.
Improved fine motor movements as children use hand-eye coordination to grasp handholds and wrap their fingers around them.
Improved gross motor movements as kids scale climbing structures and engage their entire body.
Sharpened visual perception as kids scout areas to place their hands and feet while climbing.
Refined speed, coordination, agility, and balance as children climb and continually improve.
Mental
Completing an activity that requires a specific sequence
Solving low-risk problems
Visualizing solutions to a challenge
Practicing decision-making skills
Social
Gaining confidence in their ability to face challenges
Learning to cope with fear and stress when working through difficult tasks
Developing self-reliance as they work to scale a climber on their own
Space to develop creativity and imagination
An opportunity to express emotions
Perspective that allows them to consider the way other people act, think, and feel
A chance to communicate with both words and actions
Sensory awareness
Pushing against rungs or footholds to climb
Stretching to reach the next handhold
Swinging from one handhold to the next
Pulling on a handhold to climb
Proprioception
Vestibular
Health improvement
Increased cardiovascular flow
Increased flexibility
Improved strength
Improved coordination
Construction Plan & Details
Inspiration
We were inspired by the following wall designs. Our wall is shorter and wider to 1. Provide greater safety and 2. To provide more lateral movement for children.
Selected Location
This is the location (highlighted in red) and space within Benjamin Preschool Trnavska we pre-determined for this project.
Metal Frame Component
We designed the following frame ourselves 😊 and have tested it already.
This frame will first be attached to the wall serving as a permanent fixture for the wooden climbing boards. The metal frames will be treated for outdoor use so that it can withstand weather elements.
Plywood Frame Component
The metal frame will be attached to the wall as a permanent fixture and then the next step will be to attach PLYWOOD to the metal frame. Here are our plans for the plywood attachment of which we will again need. The plywood will be treated for outdoor use so that it can withstand weather elements.
Climbing Holds
The climbing holds were purchased from a local Slovak Retailer: https://www.anatomic.sk/en/.
Climbing holds are specific holds manufactured so that children can leverage them to climb up, down or sideways. The holds will be treated for outdoor use so that it can withstand weather elements.
Thanks again to Nadácia Volkswagen Slovakia As you can see the students are in love 🥰 with their new playground addition.