Add-On: A Memory Traverse Where Everyone Adds a Move

A classic climbing-gym game: the first climber does two moves, the next repeats them and adds one, and so on until someone forgets or falls. It trains sequence memory and reading what others do.

How to play

1. Groups of 5 per section; agree on the start rung and explain that a "move" is moving one hand or one foot (2 min).
2. First game: each climber repeats the sequence and adds a move; whoever slips up becomes the group's out-loud memory keeper (7 min).
3. Second game with a hold rule: you can only add rungs that haven't been used yet (6 min).
4. Group record: log the longest sequence, and each group explains the trick they used to remember it (5 min).

Rules

• Feet under 1 m off the floor.
• While one person climbs, the rest watch the wall quietly.
• Climb down when the sequence ends.
• Don't add a move you couldn't do yourself.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with visual impairments: the group calls each move with a rung number and the climber memorizes by ear.
• Arm injury: play as the group's memory and catch sequence errors.
• Nervous students: may add foot moves only.

Learning goals

• Memorize and reproduce movement sequences.
• Watch other people's movement closely.
• Set challenges that fit the group.

Equipment for a class of 25

• wall bars: 10
• gym mats: 8

Teacher tip

Works the same on wall bars or a climbing wall. The usual mistake is adding impossible moves to knock out the next person; the "you must be able to do it" rule shuts that down.

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