The purpose of this investigation was to determine if horizontal wall climbing over a 15-minute period of time would produce elevated heart rates between 60% and 80% of maximum. Male and female subjects were selected from a group of children in a youth gymnastics program to participate in this experiment (n=18). These children had an average (M±SD): age (years) 8.5±2.6; height (in) 66.39±8.2; weight (lbs) 66.39±19.77. Subjects were outfitted with E30 polar heart rate monitors (Polar, Woodbury) and were instructed to climb up and navigate across a 40 foot climbing wall (Everlast, Eagan). At the end of the 40 ft. climb, children were instructed to walk back to the beginning and repeat the activity until the end of the 15-minute time period. Upon completion, end heart rates (EHR) and mean heart rates (AHR) were recorded from the heart rate monitors. Perceived exertion of respiratory stress and muscular fatigue were evaluated at the end of the exercise period. It was hypothesized that EHR and AHR would be significantly different than pre-exercise heart rates (PHR). Further, it was hypothesized that EHR and AHR would be within training heart rate zones. The final hypothesis was that perceived exertion levels for respiratory stress and muscle fatigue would be low and would not be significantly different from one another. The statistics showed that there was a small difference (Mean±SD) between EHR 162.89±11.29 and AHR 155±10.71. A single factor ANOVA was used to determine if there was a significant difference between the PHR and EHR as well as PHR and AHR. There was a significant difference between PHR and EHR, and also a significant difference between PHR and AHR (P< .05). The mean perceived exertion levels were 2.72±1.67 and 3.22±1.99, out of a possible score of 10, for muscle fatigue and respiratory stress respectively. Although the subjects' heart rate levels were elevated to an intensity between 60%-80% of maximal heart rates, the subjects did not perceive that they were having to breath excessively, nor was there a perception of muscle fatigue. The findings from this study suggest that climbing wall activities can provide sufficient intensity to elicit a target heart rate prescribed by most fitness experts. This finding also suggests that the inclusion of climbing walls into children's activity will provide an activity that engages the students enough that they are distracted from the fatigue factors such as respiratory discomfort and muscle fatigue even though the exercise is at a relatively high intensity level.Keyword(s): early childhood, exercise/fitness, physical activity