Parental perceptions of an indoor bouldering programme for toddlers and pre-schoolers in England: an initial exploratory study.

Many sports programmes designed for children under five claim improvements in physical, social, and psychological outcomes. However, few have been subject to any form of inquiry. This paper reports an initial exploratory study of parental perceptions of an indoor bouldering programme designed for children younger than 6 when delivered in England. Six parents who accessed an average of four sessions took part in a telephone interview to gather initial perceptions, and to establish whether they felt that there had been changes in their children's and their own behaviour by attending the Rock Tots/Kids classes. Thematic analysis indicated that parents were generally positive about the programme, and could identify some changes in their children's intrapersonal, interpersonal, and climbing specific skills when participating in the sessions. Parents also reported changes in their own approaches to parenting. Suggestions for future research of sports programmes targeted at this age group are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]