The challenges of climbing boosts young children's well-being, learning and language as well as physical strength, as Ruth Thomson hears.

Four-year-olds attending a Leeds children's centre have been building their confidence, concentration and motor skills through trips to a local climbing wall.

'Leeds has a big focus on movement and physical skills, so as part of that focus, I decided to provide more opportunities for climbing,' says Swarcliffe Children's Centre teacher, Christine Floyd-Smith. 'I think climbing can develop organisational and cognitive skills that other types of movement can't.

'It is a wonderful way of developing perseverance, confidence, concentration, physical agility and organisational skills. Climbing is basically a problem-solving activity. We have found that mastery of all these skills leads to enhanced well-being and cognitive development.

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