SALT LAKE CITY — Kira Seliger has been climbing on and off since she was a kid. "I personally think all kids should have exposure to climbing it's a really fantastic community," she said.
She's now the adult program manager at THE FRONT Climbing Club, one of nine climbing gyms across the state participating in the Utah Rocks! Challenge.
On Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Kids across Utah have the opportunity to try bouldering and get shoe rentals for free at participating gyms as part of the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation's Every Kid Outdoor Adventure Challenge. "Climbing as a kid helps with confidence immensely because you have all of these challenges that you face, and you realize you can overcome them," Selinger said.
The Every Kid Outdoor Adventure Challenge encourages kids to spend time outside and find new recreational activities. Program sports specialist Ashley Brown says the initiative has two parts: free monthly events scattered across Utah and a choose-your-own-adventure challenge for families. "All of the research indicates that spending time outside is critical for mental health, physical health, social and emotional wellbeing," Brown said. "Then plus it's also a place we get to come together as a community."
The program previously hosted free cross-country skiing. This month, it's Utah Rocks!, and next month, families can look forward to a starry skies challenge in Kanab. "It's especially rewarding to see children participate in an outdoor activity for the first time and especially when it clicks," Brown said.
Seliger is excited to see who bouldering "clicks" for during Friday's event. "You can see how excited someone is and then you watch them learn different skills and get super proud of themselves," she said.
To register your kids for the Utah Rocks! Challenge or to learn more about upcoming events you can visit the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation's website.
