A few years ago the National Trust started this #50Things campaign, and we signed up for it. Ameli was only just 2 years old, so the first year we didn’t do much beyond walk on a log and roll down a hill, or something like that. The following year we did a few more thing with a three year old Ameli and a one year old Aviya – the #50Things day at Yeo Valley helped us out there – but this year we decided to start from scratch, and see if we could get all 50 things done this year. So what will we do for the next 7 and 3/4 years? Oh, I’m sure we’ll do it again and again, getting a little more adventurous every time.
Here’s the current #50Things list. How many of these have you done?
- Climb a tree
- 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
- Go on a really long bike ride
- Make a trail with sticks
- Make a mud pie
- Dam a stream
- Play in the snow
- Make a daisy chain
- Set up a snail race
- Create some wild art
- Play pooh sticks
- Jump over waves
- Pick blackberries growing in the wild
- Explore inside a tree
- Visit a farm
- Go on a walk barefoot
- Make a grass trumpet
- Hunt for fossils and bones
- Go star gazing
- Climb a huge hill
- Explore a cave
- Hold a scary beast
- Hunt for bugs
- Find some frogspawn
- Catch a falling leaf
- Track wild animals
- Discover what’s in a pond
- Make a home for a wild animal
- 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 swimming in the sea
- Build a raft
- Go bird watching
- Find your way with a map and compass
- Try rock climbing
- Cook on a campfire
- Learn to ride a horse
- Find a geocache
- Canoe down a river
We’re doing the #50Things on our own, but we’ve been sharing the journey on Instagram and twitter, and the National Trust have been brilliant at responding and interacting with us – awesome social media use on their side. We’ve also been to a few Trust properties over the course of doing our #50Things, but you don’t have to – you can do them anywhere, but I must say major kudos to whoever made the decision to make the National Trust properties more appealing to children and families. Clivenden and The Vyne have our favourite outdoor parks and adventure trials, but there are many more, each with their own character and appeal. Definitely worth checking out!
You can pick up the #50Things book and “1 thing completed” free at National Trust properties.
Also, if you’re a UK home educating family, do check out their home ed rate for £39 a year, allowing you access to National Trust properties during term time.
##50Things To Do Before You’re 11 and 3/4 – The National Trust http://t.co/5syXkkW3dF #projectsseries #totstravel