Today the National Trust have published a list of 50 things that they think all children should have done before they reach their 12th birthday. The ‘50 Things To Do Before You’re 11¾’ initiative is in response to a report they commissioned which highlighted research that fewer than one in ten children regularly play in wild places compared to almost half a generation ago, a third have never climbed a tree, one in ten can’t ride a bike, and three times as many are taken to hospital after falling out of bed, as from falling out of a tree.
I’m quite pleased that the Littlesheeps have spent a fair amount of time outside and biggest Littlesheep (7¾) has already completed nearly half of them with several others on the list of things to do this year (and some I’m sure he’s done but he claims not to have tried). I’ve also linked to blog posts were relevant so that you can see what we did / find other similar ideas and see how participating in these activities can help your children learn.
- Climb a tree ü
- Roll down a really big hill ü
- Camp out in the wild
- Build a den ü
- Skim a stone ü
- Run around in the rain ü
- Fly a kite ü
- Catch a fish with a net
- Eat an apple straight from a tree
- Play conkers ü
- Throw some snow ü
- Hunt for treasure on the beach
- Make a mud pie ü
- Dam a stream
- Go sledging ü
- Bury someone in the sand ü
- Set up a snail race
- Balance on a fallen tree ü
- Swing on a rope swing ü
- Make a mud slide
- Eat blackberries growing in the wild ü
- Take a look inside a tree ü
- Visit an island
- Feel like you’re flying in the wind
- Make a grass trumpet
- Hunt for fossils and bones
- Watch the sun wake up ü
- Climb a huge hill ü
- Get behind a waterfall
- Feed a bird from your hand
- Hunt for bugs ü
- Find some frogspawn
- Catch a butterfly in a net
- Track wild animals
- Discover what’s in a pond ü
- Call an owl
- Check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool
- Bring up a butterfly
- Catch a crab ü
- Go on a nature walk at night ü
- Plant it, grow it, eat it ü
- Go wild swimming
- Go rafting
- Light a fire without matches
- Find your way with a map and compass ü
- Try bouldering (ü inside)
- Cook on a campfire
- Try abseiling
- Find a geocache ü
- Canoe down a river
I’ve linked this post to Country Kids from Coombe Mill because I think it encompasses everything that Fiona’s linky stands for! I’m sure her children will have done all 50 by the time they are 11¾!
I love this National Trust initiative, it is everything I love. I think my kids have done 90% of the list and if it encourages others to try too then it is great! Thanks for sharing it on Country Kids, I will attach it to the new linky tomorrow
Fiona Cambouropoulos @coombemill recently posted..Captains coming, all aboard!
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