Bouldering Project Brooklyn Debuts Revamped Space

Rock climbing is a great way to keep kids active and busy year-round. While we’ve long frequented these family-friendly rock climbing gyms in New York City, the Bouldering Project Brooklyn just opened a revamped climbing gym in the Gowanus neighborhood.

The Bouldering Project Brooklyn, previously known as Brooklyn Boulders, reopened at the beginning of the year following a substantial renovation and rebranding. The revamped facility merges bouldering with community-focused spaces and expanded youth programs.

I recently checked out the new climbing gym with two 13-year-olds in tow, and we had a blast. Read on for all the details of this new climbing gym and what you need to know to get started with bouldering with your kids.

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Climb walls up to 16-feet-tall in the massive Bouldering Project Brooklyn climbing gym.

Exploring the Bouldering Project Brooklyn

As the name suggests, the Bouldering Project Brooklyn is all about bouldering. What exactly is bouldering? Bouldering is a type of rock climbing that consists of short circuits or “problems” that are climbed without any equipment except for landing mats for protection. The climbs aren’t too high, ranging from 13 to 16 feet. Since you don’t need any equipment, bouldering is accessible and easy to learn.

When we first got to the gym, we signed waivers and changed into climbing shoes. That was all the preparation required. The gym is expansive with more than 16,000 square feet of space, and it’s all filled with natural light.

As a complete bouldering novice, my first thought was, where do I start? Fortunately, we had a climbing instructor to help us learn the basics. The first thing he showed us was how to fall properly, which is important to prevent injuries. I highly recommend signing up for a class or a coaching session if you’ve never bouldered before.

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Use the color-coded climbing blocks to determine the best route to climb for your level.

The climbing “problems” are colored-coded, with yellow being the easiest and white being the hardest. The grading system is posted so you can easily determine the best route to climb for your level. The beginning of each climb is marked with two teardrop shapes which indicate where you should place your hands.

My kids really enjoyed trying to figure out the “problems” and felt a great sense of satisfaction each time they finished a climb. Even within one color grade, the climbs vary in difficulty and are relatively short so no one gets too frustrated or stuck on just one circuit.

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There is a dedicated climbing room for kids to get comfortable on the climbing walls.

Programming at Bouldering Project Brooklyn

The Bouldering Project Brooklyn offers a robust youth program with after-school classes, summer and school break camps, parents’ night out events, birthday party rentals, and teams—both competitive and non-competitive. There is a dedicated climbing room just for kids, though they are encouraged to climb in the main areas. During our visit, I saw kids of all ages climbing on some of the more difficult circuits.

As a community-focused venue, there’s a lot more than just bouldering at the Bouldering Project Brooklyn. Families can also take advantage of state-of-the-art fitness equipment, fitness classes, a heated yoga studio, and co-working spaces.

We especially appreciated the effort the Bouldering Project Brooklyn put into ensuring everyone has a great climbing experience by creating a supportive and safe environment.

Things to Know Before You Go to the Bouldering Project Brooklyn

• Chalking up really helps with grip. Bring your own bag or buy a chalk box or sphere for $10.
• Stash coats and shoes in the cubbies or the locker room.
• The minimum age to climb is 4.
• The Bouldering Project Brooklyn offers flexible pricing on day passes, memberships, and multi-visit packages.
• Wear comfortable clothes for climbing.

All photos by author