Learning the Ropes

Knowing how to give those around you six feet of social distancing can be hard when you’re a kindergartener. How do you conceptualize six feet when you are barely half that size?

But thanks to a local climbing gym, kindergarteners at Regal are "learning the ropes" of social distancing. 

Before kindergarteners started transitioning to in-person learning, Regal principal Trish Kannberg got a call from Wild Walls climbing gym in downtown Spokane. 

“They wanted to donate some ‘retired’ climbing ropes to a local school and they wanted to know if any of our classrooms would want to use them,” she said.

Climbing ropes are retired when the rope is worn to the point that it’s no longer recommended to be used for climbing. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be used for other things, like helping kindergarteners understand social distancing.

“The ropes are really strong and durable,” Kannberg said, “which is great for kindergarteners.”

Wild Walls donated three climbing ropes to Regal, which are being split up among the kinder classrooms. Teachers place tape along the rope at six-foot increments for the kids to grab on to. Now, whenever the classes line up or walk down the hall, they can easily keep six feet away from the classmate in front of them. 

After each use, the students take turns washing their hands while the rope gets sanitized by a disinfectant wipe.

“It’s such a great tool for these little learners and helps them visualize how far away they should be from other people,” Kannberg said.

Getting these great tools from a local business was a huge bonus for Regal. 

“To know our community wants to chip in and help our schools is really special,” she said.