Beyond the Borough: Why City Bouldering White City Should Be on Your Summer List

Written by Alana

If you’re looking for a summer activity that your kids will actually get excited about, this is it.

City Bouldering (yes, it’s my husband’s gym, so we’re a little biased - but also genuinely obsessed) is one of our favourite spots to take the boys. It’s just 45 minutes by car or an hour on the train from Kingston, and totally worth the trip.

Whether your kids are climbing-curious or full-blown monkey mode, the summer drop-in sessions are the perfect mix of fun, challenge, and proper movement.

And bonus: there’s a discount code for Hello Kingston Kids readers at the bottom.

What’s on:

Harnessed Climbing (Ages 4–9) Perfect for younger climbers who want to scale the walls with a bit of extra support. Fully supervised, fully fun. One-hour sessions with qualified instructors, harness included. £25 per session (includes climbing shoes)

Bouldering Sessions (Ages 7–15) No ropes, just shorter walls, big mats, and loads of opportunities to climb, scramble, and test their problem-solving skills.Also one-hour instructor-led sessions, also £25 with shoes included.

You can book in for a one-off, or make it a summer tradition. Spaces are limited so check availability in advance.

The parent situation:

You’ve got options. Stay and watch with a coffee (the café’s got plenty of chill space). Or... and this is the game-changer... you can climb too.

If you’ve ever wanted to try bouldering yourself (or you already do), you can hop into your own session while the kids are being looked after by instructors. No need to tag-team or stand around bored on the sidelines.

Why we keep going back:

Because it’s fun, obviously - but also because climbing does so much for kids. It builds confidence, resilience, and coordination. It’s one of the few activities that engages their bodies and minds at the same time. And it’s indoors, which on hot or rainy days is a total win.

Plus, our two boys are completely obsessed. They call it “Daddy’s gym” and love climbing the same walls they’ve watched grown-ups on. If that’s not a solid kid endorsement, I don’t know what is.

The Hello Kingston Kids perk:

We’ve got a little treat for you - use code HelloKids20 when you book online to get 20% off your session.

Booking link here: White City Bouldering Summer Drop-Ins (Just make sure you’re booking at the White City location - they also have centres in Stratford and Aldgate.)

Make a morning of it, grab coffee, climb a little (or not), and watch your kids tackle something new. It’s a guaranteed summer highlight, and just far enough from home to feel like a mini adventure.

Let us know if you go. We’ll probably be there too.

Image: @tomalprice