If you are looking for something all of your friends or family will enjoy can be a challenge. Finding family fun activities that are also fun for adults may seem like an impossible task but it does not have to be. Zip lines can be fun for everyone in your group.
What is zip lining?
A zip line is pulley that has been suspended on a cable that has bee mounted to a slope of some kind. Zip lines are designed so that a person can be moved my gravity from the top of the slope to the bottom. These are often placed high the trees or other natural settings, when they are used for family fun activities, for example. When zip lines are put up for children, they tend to be shorter and are placed lower to the ground. Zip lines that are placed higher up and go for longer distances are generally reserved for getting to remote spaces, as can be found in a rain forest canopy to to get people to and from tree houses.
How long has zip lining been around?
While zip lining for entertainment or for family fun activities is relatively new, the zip line has been around for a very long time. Early versions of modern day zip lines go back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. In China, zip lines were used to cross rivers. It was not until 2015 that bridges were installed over rivers in that country to replace the zip lines people were using to cross the rivers.
H.G Wells included a zip line in his 1897 book, “The Invisible Man.” In 1906, Alberto Santos-Dumon used a version of the zip line to do testing on the biplane he was working on. He used this to test ot before it could fly on its own power. He was able to fly his biplane that same year.
People who were in the Australian outback used to use zip lines to bring supplies such as food or equipment to people who were working on the opposite side of a river or a gully. During wartime, the military there used them to get supplies to troops who were further advanced.
The use of zip lines has therefore been widespread and goes back a very long way in human societies around the globe. They were used in agriculture and for a host of reasons.
Why should I try zip lining?
There are a lot of reasons to bring your friends or family on a zip lining adventure. In terms of family fun activities, it is safe and a lot of fun that can be done both indoors or outside. Here are some other reasons:
- It will help people with a fear of heights. Zip lining offers a safe way to confront and overcome that fear. When people are dealing with phobias, one thing that psychologists recommend is to face it. If people are afraid of heights, getting used to being at a higher height safely can help. Zip lining is a perfect way to face heights in a safe manner.
- Zip lining is a great way to bond with friends or family. The adrenaline rush that people get when they try a zip line for the first time is a great way to creating bonding moments. When you are looking for fun family activities, it is hard to beat the shared experience of zip lining for the first time. This can help all groups bond. Some groups that get a lot out of the experience are coworkers, sports teams, school reunion groups and families. Want to bond with your new in-laws? Try zip lining!
- People of all fitness levels can try it. Some fun family activities require all participants be very fit. White water rafting is a lot of fun but people who do it need to be at least somewhat fit. There is no such requirement for zip lining. Anyone can do it. That is one way you can bring anyone and everyone together.
Finding fun, safe and adventurous things to do may seem hard but it can be done. If you want a fun bonding activity for your group, zip lining may be just the thing to try.