“To climb a tree is for a child to discover a new world”. (Froebel, Education of Man 1826)
Children belong in trees!
Climbing trees fosters:
- Curiosity (What’s up there?)
- Creative thinking (how do I get there?)
- Social interaction with other climbers
- Coordination and strength
- Confidence and self-esteem
- Extended attention spans
- Different perspectives
- Problem solving skills
- Tactile experiences
- Spatial awareness
- Natural exploration
- Enjoyment, fun and freedom
- Helping each other reach the top.
- When children climb they become capable of assessing and taking risks.
- Climbing gives us a different perspective on our world.
- I need to use all my muscles to hold on as I climb our swinging ladder.
- “Look how high I can go. I did it myself.”
- We love to spend time together just hanging in the tree.
- Every day we use our tree in lots of different ways.
- We climb, imagine and collaborate.