Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Kids and Tree Climbing

Do we have monkeys in the backyard?

No, those are my girls chasing each other from tree to tree! They climb trees so fast just like Tarzan and Cheetah, but go closer and you would see that they would be wearing their Princess costumes, complete with stockings and their good shoes!!

The first time I saw them doing tree climbing was in our smaller garden yard about five years ago. But we only had fliederbaum (lilac trees) then and those trees are not so tall especially as my husband usually trims them to a certain level. The girls would disappear inside those lilac trees and would appear on their thin barks once in a while. Eventually, those barks would gave in; but the girls already had their fun.

Then when we were staying in the Philippines, they were taught by some friends on how to climb real trees such as mango trees, there are even attemps on coconut trees (not so successful). They are told to look for a sturdy tree and if there are no barks, this is the way it should be.

Short tips for kids in climbing trees:
- make sure the tree is sturdy
- make sure your heart is on climbing that chosen tree
- make sure you have the energy (not sleepy, not tired, not hungry)
- make sure your have comfortable clothes and shoes
- leave both hands free
- be careful, better have someone with you before you try that first climb
- you don't have to reach the highest point on your first try, practice makes perfect!
- and have fun!

Now that we have a bigger backyard with around 15 fruit trees, -- there's no stopping the girls.

If you cannot find them anywhere, just look up. If the trees have fruits, they would stay up there longer; you would even see them passing around baskets. If it is fantasy time, you would see them in costumes even. If they have friends, you would hear them discussing their next climbing steps up there. If it is raining, that won't really stop them. If they have secrets to share, they would disappear higher.

Actually, the girls have influenced me. I am climbing trees, again! You would love the view up there, too.

6 comments:

Dexie said...

Whewwww, brave girls...

raqgold said...

hi dexie, they should be. those trees are old and the branches are fragile as nobody's really been working in the garden for more than two years! but they are careful, too.

sheilamarie said...

oooh looks like fun! maybe next will come the tree house for the little kenkays.

i'd love to be able to climb trees again :D loved climbing our giant jackfruit tree in Pinas before. Unfortunately the red fire ants have taken over it already. wish my boys could've experienced the same thing. pero dito sa city, walang trees to climb :P

raqgold said...

hi shielamarie, dont let the girls hear you about that tree house!!!

let them climb trees if you are in vacation, boys would be boys!

doon po sa amin said...

wow! your yard has 15 trees! wow! you must be rich,lols, literally and otherwise...

i mean, that's a privilege - to live in the city but with 15 trees in the yard. you and your kids are lucky... :)

raqgold said...

hi doon po sa amin, naligaw ka, haha. we have more trees, those are just the fruit-bearing trees that i counted. we are indeed rich when harvest time comes. and those trees are easy to care for, imagine nobody's been tending to them for more than 3 years and yet they are still bearing fruits!