TreeUmph Fun for Ages 5 and up

A Bradenton Macaroni Kid Review

By Denise Granata

July 15, 2021

Let out your inner Tarzan! TreeUmph Adventure Course, set on 14 acres, is the area's first treetop obstacle course, featuring wobbly bridges, hanging nets, bungee swings, swinging logs, foot bridges, Tarzan ropes, ZIP lines and more!

Treeumph is one of my family's favorite activities. It's a great opportunity to get out in nature and bond as a family. What we didn't always love however, was always having to leave my youngest child at home and finding a sitter for her whenever we went. Now, thanks to TreeUmph's reimagined Ape Up Course, we no longer have to! With it's no reach requirement and continuous belay system (no clipping in and out!) it's the perfect course for adventurous 5 to 8 year-olds! This past weekend we were able to go to TreeUmph together as a family and we had a tree-rific time!

What to Expect

Advance reservations are highly recommended and can be made easily online HERE. Make sure to sign your waivers in advance so on the day of your adventure you can just show up at your designated time, get fastened into your climbing gear and you are ready to go!

When we got to the course we were greeted by our friendly Guide, Tom. He got us set up, went over the rules and answered any questions we had. Then it was the moment of truth! I had no idea how Abbey would respond to the course - we had tried aerial courses before which never ended well for her. My son went first, then Abbey, followed by me and her dad. I could tell she was nervous as she has a slight fear of heights. But with our encouragement and being right there for her, she made it through the first obstacle, and then the next. She fell on the next one but when she realized that her climbing gear would keep her attached and she only needed to stand back up, she was off! Once she started, we couldn't stop her!

The course is perfect for younger children. They get to experience playing in the trees but the course is not up super high and the obstacles aren't too scary. I really like that there is a continuous belay so there is no clipping in and out which can get confusing and frustrating for little kids. She was able to go through the whole course, including the finale zip line, without having to clip in or out one time!

There is no reach requirement but kids do have to be tall enough to push their belay along the course. At 40 inches tall, there were a couple of spots where she was not tall enough to push her belay along. So, at her height, she would not be able to do the course completely by herself. But that's okay because anyone - parents, siblings, cousins - can tackle the Ape Course with them!

The ticket includes three trips through the course which was the perfect amount of time. It took us a little over an hour to finish.

We had a fantastic day and it is really a great opportunity for the littler ones to get out there and conquer their fear. I loved being able to climb alongside of her and witness firsthand her transformation of being unsure and scared to becoming confident and having fun. The zipline was her favorite part and her smile that day said it all! She is already bugging me to go back!

Recommendations

You are in the trees so the shade helps, but it IS Florida and it does get hot! I recommend early reservations to avoid the heat and crowds.

Don't forget your water!

It is recommended that all 5 and 6 year old climbers have a parent who purchases a ticket and climbs with them. If a parent choses not to climb with their children the children must still be directly supervised by an adult from the ground or the adult must remain in the Base Camp seating area to meet their children at the end of the course.