Letting kids climb trees is a fun way for them to exercise.
First Lady Michele Obama has recently started a campaign called Let's Move to help combat childhood obesity. It’s a great idea and much needed. Childhood obesity rates have tripled in the last 30 years. Some states have rates exceeding 33%! Whether you attribute the problem to a sedentary lifestyle based on using television, computers, cell phones, and video games, the fear of letting kids out to play, or poor diet, the reality is kids need to eat better and move more.
Well, I’ve got a suggestion for how families can encourage their kids to move, exercise, and eat better. Grow more full-sized, standard fruit trees. One of the fondest memories I have as a kid is going down the street with my cousins to my grandfather Rocco’s farm and climbing his apple, pear, and cherry trees to pick the fruit. While the fruit was good, actually, the climbing was most of the fun. Climbing trees was daring and thrilling. The fruit was the prize for our efforts. I can’t remember the last time I saw neighborhood kids climbing trees. It seems we are so fear conscious of our kids getting hurt that we don't allow them to be kids anymore. Climbing trees strengthens muscles, teaches balance, and helps overcome fear. Plus, if you’re growing a fruit tree, there is the bonus of harvesting nutritious, healthful, fresh fruit to eat, preserve, and share.
So, we should rethink the move to grow shorter, more dwarf fruit trees and institute a national day of fruit tree planting to get more trees in yards. This will allow future generations to learn the joys of tree climbing and eating fresh fruit. Michele, I’m ready to volunteer to get it started. Just give me a call!
Charlie Nardozzi is an award winning, nationally recognized garden writer, speaker, radio, and television personality. He has worked for more than 30 years bringing expert gardening information to home gardeners through radio, television, talks, tours, on-line, and the printed page. Charlie delights in making gardening information simple, easy, fun and accessible to everyone. He's the author of 6 books, has three radio shows in New England and a TV show. He leads Garden Tours around the world and consults with organizations and companies about gardening programs. See more about him at Gardening With Charlie.
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