50 Things to do before you're 11 and 3/4

Lockdown hits again

The National Trust came up with 50 things to do before you're 11 and 3/4.  The main idea was to get the kids out and doing things in the countryside.

Kids of course adore the outdoors and exploring, getting messy and muddy, discovering and adventuring, splashing through puddles, jumping over fallen logs, catching leaves, making sandcastles. The 50 things to do give them a great chance to link up with nature and get active.  

But of coures we're all in lockdown again.  So the National Trust has come up twist to the 50 things and has come up with 50 things to do in your back garden.  

The National Trust has a PDF you can download and print off, so that you can tick the activities off as you go.  And you can also download apps as well to help you keep track.

Check here to visit the National Trust's website to find out more

But did you know that there’s another 50 activities to do – and this time they are in your back garden?   So if you’re in lock-down, it won’t matter if you can’t leave home.  And even if you don’t have a garden, there are quite a few you can do simply looking out of the window.

Go stargazing! 
When was the last time you switched off the lights and gazed out of the window at the stars in the sky?  There are tips to help you with stargazing here.

Watch a bird!  
Can you identify the birds you see from your window?  This could be a great time to improve your knowledge of our feathered friends.   I’ve even tried to draw some of them, from a book and some of my drawings are even starting to look like birds…

Grow some plants in a pot! 
You could plant cyclamen and hyacinth, or how about potting herbs on your window sill?

Create some wild art.   
Pick up leaves and twigs and see what you can draw with them.

Give a home to wildlife
You could put a pile of leaves in a corner, give hedgehogs a house, put up bird boxes etc.

Do some drawing at home
You can always look at pictures online of garden birds and then have a go at drawing them.

Also, you could put stickers on your windows so that birds don’t fly into them, or put bird feeders for windows up if you haven’t got a garden.  Why not use this opportunity to find out more about the birds you see, their habits, their behaviour, whether they are migratory and if so what their journeys are?

The National Trust and Wildlife

The other thing you could do is to take a look at what the National Trust is doing to help wildlife.   It’s far more than most us think!

One of the things they are asking all of us to do is to make a promise for nature – things like giving nature a home in our gardens, reducing food waste and packaging, helping with beach cleans and helping bees and butterflies to thrive.  

Get the kids involved with nature - they are the future generation who will be looking after it.  Family memberships are available from the National Trust - find more info about them here