Starchild: Why Malaysian kids dream of having their own secret hideout in a tree

Keira Ng Yu Han, 11

Imagine building your own treehouse. What would it look like?

Does it have a rope ladder or a winding staircase? A telescope to watch the stars? Maybe even a secret door that only you and your friends know about?

Nathalie Ong Shu Qin, 9

Many beloved movies have featured treehouses.

In the classic adventure film The Swiss Family Robinson, a family builds a home in the trees after being shipwrecked on a tropical island.

In the coming-of-age movie The Sandlot, the treehouse becomes a meeting place for friends, where laughter, secrets and summer adventures come to life.

Fantasy films such as Bridge To Terabithia and Hook use treehouses as magical gateways of the imagination – places where ordinary children become heroes and where friendship shines brightest.

If you had a treehouse, who would you invite? What adventures would you have there? Would you read books in your comfy treehouse?

We received positive response from readers on the topic, Treehouse. The second batch of letters will be published next week.

Jade Toh Tik Hui, 9

Nine-year-old Jade Toh Tik Hui wants to build a treehouse big enough for her family.

Damien Dishen, 5

“We also share it with the birds and bees and butterflies. There is a kitchen with an oven in the tree trunk for my sister Nikita to bake pies. We have a swing attached to one of the tree branches and Stella, my youngest sister, is sitting on it. And on the other branch, Papa is reading a book.”

“My treehouse is in a big tree. I go up with Daddy and Mummy. I eat biscuits inside. It is my secret house,” says Anya Dishen, three.

“My treehouse will be super fun and cosy. I’ll have lots of games and adventures in my treehouse, with a tent, comfy chairs, climb ropes and lots of colours! And only girls are invited,” says Nathalie Ong Shu Qin, nine.

Anya Dishen, 3

Damien Dishen, five, writes: “I want a treehouse with a slide and a flag on top. It has a window to look at the sky. I draw pictures and read books inside. My friends can come too.”

ITEM: Think about a special club where you can swap anything you like. If you could exchange something with your friends, what would it be? Maybe you’d trade your favourite comic book for a cool toy car, your stickers for a book, or even your sandwich for a cupcake! Let’s see all the fun and colourful swaps you can imagine!

Email your contributions to [e-mail] by Nov 21. Please put “STARCHILD: Swap club” in the subject line of your email.

Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact and address. Instead of handwritten letters, please type out your letters.