Getting outside and enjoying God’s creation is good for both your brain and body. Climbing trees is a fun way to exercise your muscles and your mind!
Tree-climbing . . .
- Requires moving your whole body.
- Improves your coordination as you balance and climb.
- Enhances your working memory (the way your brain processes information), which is connected to how you move your body.
- Boosts your mood and reduces stress.
- Helps you become more flexible as you bend, reach, and stretch.
- Increases creativity and improves problem-solving skills as you work out different ways to climb the tree.
Safety Tips
- Always have a parent or adult nearby when you’re climbing trees.
- Inspect the tree for rotten roots and branches before you climb it.
- Don’t climb too high.
- Follow the “three on the tree” rule. Always keep either two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand on the tree while climbing.
- Wear proper shoes. Flip-flops and sandals won’t support you as well as sneakers.
No Trees? No Problem! If you don’t have a good tree to climb, try scaling the jungle gym at your local playground.