I was chatting with my sister-in-law earlier and she mentioned something that she'd read through her work (outdoor adventure leader for children with behavioural problems) which I found fascinating, and wanted to share.
The National Trust, as a part of their nationwide campaign to encourage outdoor adventure and play in our couch-potato children, has published a list of 50 Things To Do Before You're 11¾. I'm a big fan of Country Kids over on Coombe Mill and try and take part most weeks with photos and posts of The Boy having fun outdoors and generally getting mucky. This list has a great range of things on there, quite a few of which he's already experienced:
Climb a tree (04/11/12), roll down a really big hill, camp out in the wild, build a den, skim a stone, run around in the rain, fly a kite, catch a fish with a net, eat an apple straight from a tree, play conkers, throw some snow, hunt for treasure on the beach, make a mud pie, dam a stream, go sledging, bury someone in the sand, set up a snail race, balance on a fallen tree, swing on a rope swing, make a mud slide, eat blackberries growing in the wild, take a look inside a tree, 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, climb a huge hill, get behind a waterfall, feed a bird from your hand (09/12 – Coombe Mill), hunt for bugs, find some frogspawn, catch a butterfly in a net, track wild animals, discover what’s in a pond, call an owl, check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool, bring up a butterfly, catch a crab, go on a nature walk at night, plant it grow it eat it, go wild swimming, go rafting, light a fire without matches, find your way with a map and compass, try bouldering, cook on a campfire, try abseiling, find a geocache, canoe down a river.
There's obviously quite a few things on that list that are a bit tricky for a two and three-quarter year old to do, but he's got nine years to scare the hell out of me and try abseiling and canoe down a river. However, I'm going to set him a little target of five things from the list to do before he's three years old in six and a half weeks time (eeek!):
- fly a kite (tried & failed 13th May 2012)
make a mud pie(completed 27th May 2012)- get behind a waterfall
visit an island(completed 20th May 2012)hunt for bugs(completed 17th May 2012)
I reckon they're achievable?
What five things are you going to do with your tiddler from the list?
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I loved that list.
Do you have a waterfall nearby? Heck, I'd love to do that one!
Fly a kite – we've got to do that. The kids got a kite for Christmas, but it hasn't been windy enough, or its been raining. Can't wait for kite weather
That list is fab! I reckon the island should be somewhere in the Indian ocean, somewhere like the Maldives!
LOVE this list!
I think we may have to start doing one for Sam – when he's bigger of course!!
Thanks for sharing.
That is a fab list! We have done a few things on there but would love to do them all. My little one is 3 in a few weeks so perhaps we will just try and hunt out some frogspawn or will they be frogs now!? xx
I love this national trust list and have linked up with them too. Right up our street. Needless to say mine have done almost all but the last 2 but they are 8 and over. I love the list you have set for The Boy and look forward to seeing how he gets on with his challenges. They will provide some amazing snaps I'm sure not to mention lots of fun! Thank you for being so encouraging of Country Kids, it means a lot to me.
Great list. B has done a few but has a lot still to go but as ou as plenty of time to he them n and hopefully do so without any more visits to A & E!
Good luck with the lst I am intrigued by the waterfall one too!
My wee man will not be 3 until next April so We've got loads of time to:
Eat Blackberries growing in the wild
Find Frogspawn
Roll down a really big hill
Hunt for Bugs
Build a Den
i love this list- Thanks for sharing.
All fun and achievable. xxx
I'd love to get behind a waterfall myself