50 things to do before 11 and ¾
I fully appreciate that I am well past 11 ¾, but completing the ’50 things to do by 11 3/4‘ challenge from the National Trust is still proudly featured on my Kettle List.
Why 11¾? Perhaps because it is the age when kids move off to senior school and the National Trust are hoping to encourage youngsters and parents to get out and about before then?
I actually started doing this with the kids, but they are now, also, all well overage, so it falls to me to complete these tasks. So what are the tasks?
Here is the original list. The app is now sadly deceased, so I am going to have to do this old school and tick them off as I go.
On paper.
Like a peasant.
There is actually a new list that is slightly different to the one I started off with so I will try and incorporate a bit from both of them.
In fact, if you were to go looking for this list now, you’d be sent to a a page that is selling you a book version of the list, so snap up this freebie print off while you can!
National Trust
I have been looking for articles surrounding the rationale of the National Trusts choices for the list. While I haven’t found anything yet, here is the list and any of the highlighted bits link to pages of tasks I have done.
It is a bit annoying that they keep changing the list, as I have done one of the items they have since removed. ‘Find a geocache’ has been replaced with ‘watch the sunset’ – Which I have also done on the beach in Santa Monica.
Long term, the plan is to make pages that link to all of the tasks. To find those completed tasks, just check out the list below.
The List:
Get to know a tree / Climb a tree – I’ve now got my very own tree, who I will get a better photo of in the spring.
Roll down a ‘Really Big Hill’
Camp outdoors / out in the wild
Build a den
Skim a stone
Run around in the rain/ Go welly wandering
Fly a kite
Spot a fish (I feel this kinder to the fish than catching it)
Apple from a tree/ picnic in the wild
Play conkers
Explore on wheels/ Go on a bike ride
Make a trail with sticks
Make a mud creation
Dam a stream
Go on a wintry adventure/ play in the snow – I mean, ‘play’ is subjective, but I would say I have done this one.
Wear a wild crown
Set up a snail race
Create some wild art
Play Pooh Stick
Go Paddling
Forage for Wild Food
Find some funky fungi
Get up for the sunshine
Go barefoot /Do a ‘barefoot walk’ – I did this at Wildwalk and will need to find the video.
Join natures band
Hunt for fossils & bones
Go stargazing
Climb a huge hill
Explore a cave
Go on a scavenger hunt
Make friends with a bug/ house for bugs
Float a boat
Go cloud watching/ catch a falling leaf
Discover wild animal clues
Discover what is in a pond
Make a home for wildlife
Explore a rock pool
Bring up a butterfly
Catch a crab
Go on a nature walk at night
Help a plant grow/plant it, grow it, eat it,
Go Swimming in the sea
Help a wild animal / build a raft
Watch a bird
Find your way with a map/compass
Clamber over rocks/rock climbing
Cook on a campfire
Keep a nature diary / ride a horse
Watch the sunset/ Find a geocache
Take a friend on a nature adventure/ canoe down a river
Over to you
What activities would you like to see today’s young people trying out? Should we all be getting back to nature? What is your favourite outdoor activity?