Studies show that hugging trees have several health benefits for the body and mind–hug a tree today!
I come from a long line of tree huggers. There are three generations pictured in this post, starting with the photograph of my daughter hugging a tree in the picture below.
I don’t know why “tree hugger” is such a derogatory term. I used to have a lot of trouble admitting that I was a tree hugger because of the people that use the term as an insult.
And still, I don’t particularly appreciate how it sounds–but I am proud of what it stands for because I LOVE to hug trees.
I love the natural world and do my best to make eco-friendly choices more often than not. And, believe it or not, I fell in love with my husband when I discovered his secret because he’s a tree hugger too! You can see us hugging a tree in the photo below.
Below is a picture of my mother hugging a tree when she was a young girl in Illinois.
And here I am, hugging a tree when I lived in Vancouver, BC.
Get Outside To Hug a Tree
Encourage the kids to go outside to hug a tree. You’d be surprised how much kids love to do this. They have so much fun giggling, running from tree to tree. But this may be partly due to my enthusiasm. Monkey see–monkey do!
Have you ever hugged a tree? If not, this is your golden opportunity. Don’t worry–I won’t tell anyone. Nor will I point and laugh.
Give it a try. No one has to know if you don’t want them to. And, don’t forget to take a picture if you are up for it. Pictures of people hugging trees always look great on the family photo wall because they are so display-worthy.
Go ahead–give it a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed. You can choose any tree you want and hug it once, or choose a whole forest and go to town. Hug a tree today!
Educational opportunities For Hugging Trees
- Hugging and touching trees and their parts provide a rich sensory experience for children.
- Encourage children to identify and talk about the different parts of a tree (Leaves, stems, bark, etc.
- Invite kids to identify and talk about different types of trees in the region or biome in which you live.
- Ask children to identify and talk about different creatures that live in and around trees. Even fallen dead trees serve a purpose. Encourage children to ask questions and invite them to do a little research to find the answers.
Tree Hug Game
How many hugs does it take to fit around a tree?
To find out, invite children to see how many hugs it takes to fit around an enormous tree for another fun tree hugging game or activity. Have one person start the tree hug game, and each person that joins touches the tips of the other person and wraps their arms around the tree until the hug goes all the way around the tree.
In the photograph of my husband and I above, it would have taken six or seven hugs to get around the tree! In other words, we would have needed six or seven people to wrap their arms around the tree (fingertip to fingertip) to make a complete circle of hugs around it!
How many hugs does it take to get around the biggest tree you can find?
Love this post:) We will try to hug a tree tomorrow as long as we don’t freeze to it – it’s bitterly cold over now. Isn’t Vancouver gorgeous and full of amazing, huge trees?
You can always wait until it warms up in your neck of the woods Megan! Yes, Vancouver is full of amazing trees! I lived there for six years and loved the amazing dense temperate rain forests that surrounded it — even though it rained all the time 🙂
You’re great! This makes me wanna go outside and hug a few myself. Pictures are beautiful! Nice family tradition! Keep going 🙂
Thanks Matea! Enjoy!
Here’s an idea, although some may think it goofy or too esoteric: see if you can sense the energy of the tree while you hug it. For me, trees emanate a sense of calming, peaceful, ancient energy, especially the really big trees.
Another thought: some scientists say that trees can actually recognize a person!