Route Setters for a Day: Design a Line for Another Group

Each group designs a low route on the wall bars or the school climbing wall, marking the allowed holds with tape, and another group climbs it. It trains movement planning and designing with others in mind.

How to play

1. What a route setter does: start, finish and allowed holds marked in one color, always below the height limit (4 min).
2. Groups of five design an eight- to ten-move route, mark it, and every member tests it (10 min).
3. Draw the route on the card, give it a name and a level from 1 to 3 (4 min).
4. Rotation: each group climbs another group's route following the card (10 min).
5. Each group writes a suggestion on the card of the route they tried and discusses it with the setters (4 min).
6. Take down the tape and collect the cards (3 min).

Rules

• No mark goes above the height limit.
• Everyone in the setting group must be able to climb the route.
• The teacher checks every route before the rotation.
• Suggestions are specific and respectful.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with low vision: thick raised tape or clothespins instead of flat tape.
• Limited mobility: is part of the design team and draws the card; also designs a hands-only stretch on the low rungs they can climb from a wheelchair.
• Hesitant students: the group designs a level 1 version of its own route.

Learning goals

• Plan a climbing sequence before doing it.
• Design challenges suited to other people's level.
• Give and receive suggestions constructively.

Equipment for a class of 25

• wall bars: 6
• colored tape: 6
• mats: 12
• paper cards: 6
• pencils: 6

Teacher tip

If the school has a climbing wall, put tape on the holds; if not, on the rungs. Use masking tape, which peels off clean. Common mistake: impossible routes; require the whole setting group to complete them.

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