Tree Climbing in ECE and Schools: A Managed Approach

Tree climbing is a valuable part of childhood play. It supports physical development, confidence, decision-making, and connection with nature.

During playground inspections, we often see trees that are clearly being used for climbing in both Early Childhood Education (ECE) services and schools.

Tree climbing can absolutely form part of a balanced play environment. However, because trees are natural features rather than manufactured playground equipment, they generally sit outside the direct scope of NZS 5828.

This means tree climbing needs to be managed through the organisation’s own risk management, supervision, and safety procedures.

Tree Climbing and NZS 5828

NZS 5828 primarily applies to designed and installed playground equipment.

A naturally occurring tree is not normally considered playground equipment, so it is not assessed for compliance in the same way as a climbing frame, platform, swing, or slide.

That does not mean children should not climb trees.

It simply means the risks need to be identified and managed separately.

The important principles remain the same: consider how high children can fall, what they could fall onto, and whether there are other hazards around the tree.

Why Allow Tree Climbing?

When managed appropriately, tree climbing can help children develop:

• Strength, balance, and coordination

• Confidence and independence

• Risk awareness and decision-making

• Problem-solving skills

• Connection with nature

The aim should not be to remove all risk. The aim is to provide worthwhile challenge while managing reasonably foreseeable hazards.

Key Safety Considerations

1. What Could a Child Fall Onto?

The area around a climbing tree should be checked carefully.

Look for:

• Concrete, paving, rocks, edging, or other hard surfaces

• Exposed roots or other hard projections

• Nearby fences, furniture, structures, or equipment

• Other trees or branches that could be struck during a fall

The area beneath and around the tree should be kept as clear as reasonably practicable.

2. Provide Appropriate Surfacing

Where children are encouraged or seen to regularly climb a tree, providing impact-attenuating surfacing around the base is strongly recommended.

Loose-fill surfacing such as playground bark or engineered wood fibre can help reduce the severity of injuries from falls.

As a practical guide, where climbing heights exceed approximately 600 mm, Playsafe recommends providing and maintaining 300 mm of suitable loose-fill surfacing depth.

The surfacing should also be checked regularly for displacement, contamination, and compaction.

3. Set a Maximum Climbing Height

Allowing children to climb without any height limit can significantly increase the consequences of a fall.

A clear maximum climbing height should therefore be established.

Playsafe recommends:

• ECE: maximum free height of fall of 1500 mm

• Schools: maximum free height of fall of 2000 mm

These should be treated as upper limits rather than target climbing heights. A lower limit may be appropriate depending on the age of the children, tree structure, surfacing, supervision, and surrounding environment.

The permitted height can be identified using a painted mark, ribbon, signage, or an obvious branch level.

4. Check the Tree Condition

Not every tree is suitable for climbing.

Trees used for climbing should be checked for:

• Dead or damaged branches

• Cracks or splits

• Decay

• Loose branches

• Sharp or broken branch stubs

• Significant deterioration or instability

Where there is any concern about the condition of a tree, climbing should be stopped until it has been assessed.

Periodic assessment by a qualified arborist may also be appropriate.

5. Supervision and Rules

Tree climbing should be supported by simple, clear expectations.

These might include:

• Which trees may be climbed

• Maximum climbing height

• No pushing or pulling other children

• No jumping from height

• Avoiding overcrowding on branches

• Additional supervision for younger children

ECE services and schools should also consider documenting tree climbing within their normal risk-benefit assessment or play risk-management process.

A Balanced Approach

Tree climbing does not need to be removed simply because it sits outside the normal playground equipment standard.

What matters is that it is intentional, reasonably managed, and regularly reviewed.

A good approach considers:

• The condition of the tree

• Maximum climbing height

• What children could fall onto

• Appropriate impact surfacing

• Supervision and behavioural expectations

• Regular inspection and review

With these controls in place, tree climbing can remain a valuable part of an ECE or school play environment while still being managed responsibly.

At Playsafe, we support play environments that provide children with meaningful challenge and opportunities to develop their own risk-management skills, while ensuring avoidable hazards are appropriately controlled.

If you would like support assessing climbing trees, preparing a risk-benefit assessment, or incorporating natural play into your wider playground management system, please get in touch.