I know that tree climbing can be a controversial practice. I know this mostly because of the dirty looks I receive when I’m sitting at the park and I allow my boys to climb the trees (well, my 6-year-old actually climbs high into trees; the 2-year-old generally hugs the trunk from the ground and yells, “Climb tree! Climb tree!”).

When I receive these looks, sometimes I smile and wave – pretending the other mothers are not giving me the evil eye, most of the time I ignore them, and every once in a rare while, I rehearse what I might say if they asked me about why I let my boys climb trees.

No one has ever asked me, and they probably never will, but in case you’re curious, here are nine reasons I think parents should allow kids to climb trees:

1. Climbing trees allows children to look at the world from a new vantage point. Kids generally view things from a lower angle than everyone else (try looking around from a small child’s height some time – it’s rather enlightening). Climbing up in a tree so they literally get to look down on the world around them is new and interesting. It provides them with a new and different perspective.
2. Tree climbing is good exercise. We have a society full of kids who aren’t moving their bodies enough. Tree climbing develops strength, coordination, and manual dexterity in addition to simply getting kids up and moving.
3. Kids learn to exercise judgement by deciding how high to climb and which branches look sturdiest as well as determining which route to take up the tree. Part of growing up is learning to assess danger and risk for yourself; tree climbing can be a part of that learning process.
4. Tree climbing requires focus and planning in order to make a successful climb and descent. Children must also learn how to deal with the unexpected as they climb up or down a tree, as nature can be unpredictable (unlike a man-made climbing structure) and sometimes things don’t go as planned.
5. Children must employ self-restraint as they climb in order to keep themselves safe. Tree climbing is an opportunity for children to show that they can be responsible in taking care of themselves.
6. Tree climbing is time spent in nature, something many children don’t get enough of. It helps them to build their understanding of and appreciation for the natural world. When you’re climbing a tree, it’s no longer just a background object: it’s a solid, living thing right there engaging with you. Tree climbing helps to foster a strong positive connection with nature as well as combat Nature-Deficit disorder (see Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods for more details).
7. There is a certain freedom inherent in sitting in a tree. Adults often relegate kids to the ground and other low places. Being high in a tree gives them freedom from this normal situation. Also, they have the freedom to choose whether and how they climb; tree climbing usually isn’t something dictated by others.
8. A failed tree climb can teach resilience and problem solving as a child contemplates what went wrong and decides what to try differently next time.
9. Most importantly, tree climbing is fun!

Of course, every child is different and you need to take your child’s own skills and development into account when making a decision about whether or not to let him climb a tree. For my two boys, I feel good about letting them climb.

As a note, one of the basic rules for tree climbing in our family has always been that you need to climb up yourself. No one will give you a boost or lift you into the tree. You need to demonstrate that you have enough strength and ability to get off of the ground and into the tree before you can climb any higher. This also makes it so that kids know they can always climb back down the same way they came up – they aren’t stuck in the tree.

Did you climb trees as a kid? Do you let your children climb trees?