Awaken Your Inner Child: 50 Ways To Have Fun & Feel Like A Child Again (Or For Your Kids To Have Fun ;-))
#5 Skim a Stone
Instead of the ‘bucket-lists’ we see popping up all over the place these days, this article is about a list of things to do before you’re 11 and 3 quarters (!) but we think it could be just as applicable to any adult wanting to turn back the clock and have a bit of fun.
Where The Idea Came From
The National Trust (a very respectable organization protecting British heritage and open spaces) has just published a list of 50 things to do before you’re 11 and 3 quarters. When I heard about it, I loved the idea straight away because every single item is free and meant to take place outdoors. Perfect for the kids I thought. Then, curiosity got the better of me… how many could I have ticked when I turned 11 and 3 quarters. Even better… could I tick them all today?
The Challenge? How Many Of These Can You Do?
Reading the list brought on a smile and cherished memories although I have to admit I didn’t really understand them all … make a mud slide? Surely they do not mean an alcoholic mudslide cocktail? Maybe it’s just piling up mud to slide on it?
… find a geocache? Could it be finding a cave and hiding in it? wow, I’ve just googled it. Excuse my ignorance, it’s a treasure hunt with a GPS for caches all over the world. Find them, log your name in it. Cool! You can guess that I haven’t ticked that one yet…
Out of 50, I can report I had done 32 when I was 11 and 3 quarters. And now, I can proudly tick off 41.
The ones I think I’m going to find a challenge are getting behind a waterfall (unless I can find a safe one to go behind!), catching a crab (scared of those!). Otherwise, I’d loved to go on a nature walk at night, finding a geocache, canoeing down a river.
I just love this list and the idea behind it. It’s all about having fun, enjoying outdoor life and what it has to offer. And, it doesn’t have to cost a cent!
Here’s the National Trust website address where you’ll find the list but you’ll need to register to get access (you’ll receive further information and ideas by emails once registered): https://www.50things.org.uk/
50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 and 3 Quarters
Here is the list in case you don’t wish to register:
#1 Climb a tree
2. Roll down a really big hill
3. Camp out in the wild
4. Build a den
5. Skim a stone
6. Run around in the rain
7. Fly a kite
8. Catch a fish with a net
9. Eat an apple straight from a tree
10. Play conkers
11. Throw some snow
12. Hunt for treasure on the beach
13. Make a mud pie
#29 Get behind a waterfall
15. Go sledging
16. Bury someone in the sand
17. Set up a snail race
18. Balance on a fallen tree
19. Swing on a rope swing
20. Make a mud slide
21. Eat blackberries growing in the wild
22. Take a look inside a tree
23. Visit an island
24. Feel like you’re flying in the wind
25. Make a grass trumpet
26. Hunt for fossils and bones
27. Watch the sun wake up
#50 Canoe down a river
28. Climb a huge hill
29. Get behind a waterfall
30. Feed a bird from your hand
31. Hunt for bugs
32. Find some frogspawn
33. Catch a butterfly in a net
34. Track wild animals
36. Call an owl
37. Check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool
38. Bring up a butterfly
39. Catch a crab
40. Go on a nature walk at night
41. Plant it, grow it, eat it
42. Go wild swimming
43. Go rafting
44. Light a fire without matches
45. Find your way with a map and compass
46. Try bouldering
47. Cook on a campfire
48. Try abseiling
49. Find a geocache
50. Canoe down a river
Over To You…
So, I dare you. Take a look at the list and let us know how many you can tick off. Why not come up with other ideas of your own and let us know? For instance, I would have loved to see make a flower necklace, jump from stone to stone to cross a river, eat garden peas fresh from the pods, pick mushrooms, get stung by nettles (hey, why not, I’m not saying I like it but it’s part and parcel of the whole nature experience to me!).
This brought back some memories from the past. In total, I have done about 31 of them. That number depends on if you count some items or not, but I’d say it’s a good rough estimate.
I’m wondering though…what is conkers? Am I missing something from growing up by not knowing what it is? I’m thinking it must be a British game of some sort.
OMG Steve, not you too!
Allie didn’t know what this was either.
If you have never played conkers you have never lived. Forget the rest. You have your conker on the end of a piece of string and take turns hitting your opponents conker until one breaks and falls off the string. There’s obviously a lot more to this than it sounds … it’s a very strategic game, a bit like chess…
Allie found a video of this so I’m going to hunt that out and send it to you – I think she tweeted it…
😉
some people varnish their conkers to make them harder…
here’s the video Allie found: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-win-at-conkers
in all honesty, this was an education for me too. We just used to play it at school with the conkers we found lying around. I never knew about any kind of ‘scoring’ system – but interesting all the same.
We just used to varnish them to give them a harder shell. I think passing it through a pig might be going a bit far…
Just a follow up:
My daughter looked over the list and said “mom, I AM 11 3/4, I am too old for this.” I told her I wasn’t too old so we can still do them. She got excited.
~Allie
Awesome!!
Pleased to hear it – tell her I want to know how many she managed! She has to beat mommy!!
😉
have fun,
Alan
I love the 50 things! I am so thankful that you have shared this list as it is very powerful and encouraging.
Hi Mika, I’m really glad you like it. I know there are loads of lists around on the internet but this one has got so many easy and yet fantastic things to do by yourself or with your family. The National Trust has really done a good job here.
Isabelle,
I have chills, my daughter is about 11 3/4. I am going to print out the list and be sure we cross off those as we do them together. And she/we did many together already.
She just went geocaching 2 days ago.
I remember doing #21, eat blackberries in the wild. She was probably 6-7 and her face was stained for the day.
Thanks so much for the list and encouragement. Every year for Mother’s Day (this Sunday) we go outdoors, this will be part of our day for sure.
~Allie
Hi Allie,
What a good idea! I hope you had a lovely time on Sunday. I think that’s really what Mother’s Day should be about: spending quality time with your children rather than spending money on commercial cards and gifts.
Have you enjoyed geocaching? We’re all set to go next week-end.
All the best
Isabelle