Climb A Tree (A Mini-Adventure)
This week’s mini-adventure is a super fun and simple outdoor activity that everyone in the family can do:
Find a tree and climb it! I don’t mean a tree in your own backyard, of course, I mean somewhere ‘out there’ – it’s an adventure after all.
If you don’t know of any decent bush areas near your home, don’t worry, there are heaps of ways to make this mini-adventure happen. You could go for a walk around your suburb, climbing any trees which line the street and trying to find ‘the best one’. Many sporting fields have a pocket of trees nearby. Or you could go to a botanic garden or park in a city, we have a favourite tree at our local botanic garden which we’ve nicknamed The Faraway Tree (of course). You’ll be surprised at how many trees can actually be climbed, or even just swung on. Ordinary trees you’ve never really looked at before, will suddenly take on new dimensions. And isn’t that a beautiful thing, to start to notice more and more of the natural environment where we live.
If this adventure is too easy, which I suppose it might be particularly if you have older children, then set a better challenge: see which kid can climb the highest, or pick a tree in a more adventurous location (on a hike, or somewhere you’ve never been before). The basis is simple, ‘climb a tree’, but you can make it as big or little of an adventure as you like. It can also be a way to add more fun into a more familiar place, spice up something that is normal by adding in tree climbing along the way.
Some kids will take to trees quickly and easily, others will look awkward and won’t even see the point. That’s ok! Read below to see how I discovered my son wasn’t interested in tree-climbing!
Try to join in! The kids will love seeing mum and dad climbing trees, just remember you might not be as flexible or have as much balance as you used to! Start off slowly. (No offense!)
Climbing trees is an essential part of childhood in my opinion, and too many kids don’t get this opportunity anymore. There aren’t as many trees around, we are always in a hurry (“come on, get down, we have to go!”) and we’re scared of injuries (“be careful, don’t go higher!”). That’s why it’s worth making a deliberate effort to have fun climbing trees.
Finding trees to play on and climb in the bush near our home.
Our Adventure Story
This week we went in search of some trees to climb. My son and I were both excited. We started at a local coffee shop, and when everyone else was enjoying their comfy chairs and beach views, we snuck off into the bush nearby.
We trekked through the long grass, over hills, under bushes and around logs. As we came upon grassy areas, we stomped our feet, clapped our hands, and sang, “go away snakes, go away snakes, we are exploring, so go away snakes”. (Musical genius, I know.)
Soon we spotted a great tree, with lots of solid branches not very high up (obviously if you have older kids, you don’t need to find ‘safe’ trees). My son quickly jumped onto the tree, while I stood back, assessing different ‘climbing routes’ and options. He got one level up off the ground, then quickly realised that continuing would take a bit of balance, thoughtfulness, and effort, and gave up. I’m not sure why, but I couldn’t encourage him to try again, he just wasn’t interested.
That meant it was my turn. Remember, on these mini-adventures, the crucial element is that the parent joins in. I hoped if I climbed the tree, he might want to try again.
As a kid, I always loved climbing trees, wherever and whenever I could. I loved to pretend they were my secret hideouts. Trees felt like safe havens to me, as well as opportunities to play, imagine and create. Unfortunately I’d lost a bit of balance and courage since being an eight-year-old! I climbed out to the lowest long branch, feeling wobbly and cautious. The ground seemed a lot further away from up there. I realised if I fell, I would probably break a bone or two, and that wouldn’t make for a very fun day with my son. So I stayed safe, but off the ground at least.
Instead of climbing trees, my son decided he wanted to build a wooden cubby, so we started collecting sticks and building a shelter. I watched him heave and lift branches, carry them over the bumpy, at times slippery, ground, and then chuck them onto the frame I was making.
Maybe building a cubby in a tree should have been the mini-adventure, I thought. But then I realised it was, because we were doing it, and that it all stemmed from getting outside with the simple idea of ‘find a tree to climb’.
We trekked onwards through the bush and tried climbing a few more trees, though my son more enjoyed seeing them as an obstacle to go over/under/around, rather than ‘up’. Out of everything, my son mostly loved stomping on the bush track – let’s remember he’s only four. And that’s ok. We still spent the morning out together, ‘exploring’ and playing in the ‘wild’.
So our adventure didn’t go to plan, but we had fun anyway. Like on any good adventure, success is often about how you deal with changes and the unexpected, not just having everything go the way you hope it will. So what if my kid doesn’t like climbing trees? I wouldn’t have known if we didn’t try.
And next time he’ll be a bit older, a bit more experienced and maybe even a bit braver. I can’t wait to try again soon.
YOUR TURN for a FAMILY ADVENTURE
Pack your snacks and water (maybe a small first aid kit too), and go find a tree to climb.
Let me know how it goes in the comments below!