Old Fashioned Tree Climbing

When was the last time you climbed a tree? Chances are it as when you were a child.  Or maybe you climb trees with your children? Or maybe you are one of those parents that does not allow tree climbing.

To me, there is not much that is more disappointing than seeing a large tree with a sign that says “no climbing.” As a child, a big tree was an invitation to climb. I grew up in the desert and large trees are not the norm here. When we saw one, we climbed it. Otherwise, we just climbed the little desert trees. We never worried about falling out, breaking bones, or scorpions…we just climbed. Those were the days.

 

The tree I climbed the most as a child was my grandma's bottle brush tree. It grew to a decent size and it could fit a few of us at a time. Sometimes we just relaxed up there and other times we climbed up and pulled the seeds off as they made great projectiles for our battles. I can still smell the familiar scent of those seeds on my hands.

Some children have never known the joys of climbing a tree. That is a shame. There are so many benefits to climbing trees. Here are just a few:

• It is fun!
• It provides good exercise.
• It improves balance.
• It gets kids outside.
• It provides a bird’s eye view of your surroundings.
• It builds confidence.
• It is a free activity.
• It is safer than you think.

If you do allow your children to climb trees, exercise some common sense. Be safe and supervise younger children. As with any activity, accidents can happen.

Do you have childhood memories of climbing trees? Feel free to leave a comment. Share and let’s talk about it.

Technorati Tags: benefits of tree climbing,outdoor play,climbing trees