My kids adore being outside in the fresh air, but the weather has been so miserable of late that I have been desperately searching for things for them to do. Exercise is brilliant for keeping the kids calm and happy, so anything that can bring the outdoors inside sounds good to me.
Rock Up, Whiteley, is an indoor climbing centre which has been developed to entertain the whole family, no matter what age or ability and we headed there on Saturday to try our hand at climbing some pretty challenging walls.
The best bit about Rock Up is that it really does cater for all ages, as Sebastian (2) and Eliza (4) could charge around the soft play area whilst Hubby, Isaac and Kian got to attempt 26 climbing walls.
Eliza, Sebastian and I hit the Play Area as soon as we arrived whilst the boys headed up stairs for a safety briefing. The play frame is arranged over four levels with lots for children to explore, including slides, swings, a ball pool and obstacles to climb over and crawl under. I loved that they had included climbing holds by the steps so older children could emulate their older siblings who were doing the walls. There was even a baby section for even the tiniest of visitors.
Rock Up is an indoor climbing adventure centre that uses auto belay devices which take up the slack as you climb. There are moving parts on the walls, speed climbs, inflatable climbs and a leap of faith to challenge even the most experienced climbers and the boys could not wait to get stuck in.
When I first saw the walls, although they are high they are in a deceptively small space and I didn’t think there were many of them, however they are carefully arranged to squeeze 26 different climbs into the space and the boys favourite was the clear wall where they could see each other as they raced up opposite each other.
You are allocated 90 minutes for each session which includes the safety talk and is plenty of time – all the boys complained they were tired after they had finished!
Prices for climbing start from a very reasonable £8 and soft play starts from £4, plus they offer birthday parties too, which seemed to be a big hit as there were a couple there when we were watching. There is also a small onsite cafe serving beverages and snacks.
If you are visiting Hampshire and the weather isn’t playing ball, Rock Up is certainly worth a visit and because it is situated in Whiteley Shopping Centre you can indulge in some retail therapy at the same time!
