For her latest school assignment, my 9-year-old daughter Izzy created a climbing wall model. Her week at PGL pgl.co.uk inspired the project. After an amazing adventure week packed with activities, the children were asked to build a model of something they enjoyed most. Izzy immediately chose the climbing wall.
To bring her idea to life, Izzy started with simple craft materials. Using lollipop sticks from a local craft shop, she carefully glued them onto a cardboard box to form the main structure and even added a roof. This part of the project gave her the chance to practice measuring, planning, and hands-on building.
I helped with the more technical side—3D printing the climbing holds. We found several STL models online (websites like Thingiverse are great for this) and scaled them down in slicing software before printing on our Creality CR-10. We printed the holds in a variety of bright colours, giving the wall a realistic and playful finish.
The final result was a fantastic mix of traditional crafting and modern technology. Izzy not only thought about her PGL climbing experience but also learned how digital designs can be turned into physical objects with a 3D printer. Projects like this help children build confidence, explore STEM skills, and discover how creativity and problem-solving go hand in hand.
As you can see from the photos, Izzy was delighted with her climbing wall model. It was wonderful to watch her imagination come to life—and a proud parent moment to see her so happy with what she created.
