We’re lucky to have a couple parks nearby that have great trees for climbing. The kids are drawn as much to playing on these trees as to the man-made play structures in the parks. This one is in Kolb Park in Dublin. Our other favorite climbing tree is in Shannon Park, also in Dublin.
Do you have a favorite near where you live?


King Edwards Park in Queens Park North West London – had the ugliest
row of trees on the planet for years ; however were the main feature of the park for children. The summer days, and early evenings would be spent sitting telling stories and licking ice-lollies from the heights. Oh the good ‘ole days!
Lovely memories! Thank you for sharing them.
Is there anything better than climbing a tree as a kid?!
Maybe playing with sticks? Or splashing in water? Other than that, not sure….
Not any more, but I had a couple of huge red gums as a child – both with child-made cubbies (read ‘platforms’). Huge fun.
Ooh, that would be fun!
We have many trees, but I will leave the squirrels to climb them.
Hahaha! Come on… let your inner child out!
Really, I should do the same. I can’t remember the last time I climbed a tree.
We’ll have to get over there and check those out! I love the tree on the front lawn at Wilder Ranch over in Santa Cruz. I think it is some sort of Cyprus. There are always half a dozen kids exploring it’s spreading branches
We’ll have to check out the one in Santa Cruz one of these day
Those are awesome trees! We don’t have trees like that here in the Colorado mountains, but we have lots of rocks. At the playground in Estes Park, local kids and visiting kids alike spend more time playing on the big boulders around the playground than on the slides and swings!
Rocks are just as loved here, too!
I’ve actually climbed that first tree (I have in-laws who live in Dublin). And I do, in fact, have a favorite climbing tree, a venerable old plane tree on Margaret Island here in Budapest. My favorite climbing tree of all time was a weeping willow in our back yard in New Hampshire. Willows are not really notable for climbing, generally, but this willow was something special. They cut it down after we moved, because it clogged up the property’s drainage. I actually liked the fact that our basement would flood with a foot of water each spring, and immense puddles form in the back yard. The new owners were unimpressed, I guess. To each his own, but that willow got a lot of love and use during our time there.
Love the story about the weeping willow!
What a wonderful tree to climb! We live in a beautiful world! And it seems that children understand that better than adults. Thank you for sharing…
It’s truly the perfect tree. Not many trees have such low, thick branches!
I think all kids should climb a tree! Mine love to as well!
I have fond memories of the tree we’d climb when I was a child. It was a beautiful young oak tree, the perfect size for us to climb and play on. It’s such an incredible way to bond with nature! I agree that all children should have the opportunity.