The years before formal school are the time in your children’s lives when you can have the most influence. Set them free and encourage some healthy habits by focusing on doing these simple things. Full credit for the idea goes to the National Trust and their 50 things to do before you’re 11 & 3/4s.

  • Learn to hop
  • Build a den in a local park
  • Climb a tree
  • Play conkers
  • Play Pooh sticks
  • Squelch your bare feet in soft mud
  • Eat a meal in a den in your garden
  • Do a treasure hunt
  • Dance in summer rain, without a coat
  • Make mud pieces
  • Make your own perfume/potion
  • Take a neighbour something you’re baked, like a biscuit
  • Knead bread dough
  • Balanced along a low wall on a walk
  • Help start and put out a camp fire
  • Peeled a stick using a potato peeler
  • Post letter or card you’ve made yourself
  • Run a stick along railings on a walk
  • Made a sandcastle with a moat
  • Played boo with a baby
  • Painted your own face or body
  • Washed up cooking things
  • Learned to chop and prepare some fruit and vegetables
  • Toasted food over a fire, marshmallows, smores etc
  • When it’s sunny lie under a tree and look at the different greens of the leaves
  • Lift a log or a rock and hold the insects, worms, woodlice etc
  • Empty the dishwasher
  • Jump out after hiding in a pick of autumn leaves
  • Roll and run down hills, preferably whilst shouting ‘Weeeeeee’
  • Paint with your hands and feet
  • Regularly go for a walk of at least a mile
  • Eat and apple and blackberries straight from the tree or bush
  • Spend a whole day in fancy dress, you can be a superstar
  • Thank you for reading my blog.

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