I really liked this list published by the National Trust, except for the addition of the health and safety bits which annoyed me and contradicted the entire article. However, the article made me rather nostalgic, thinking back to when I was growing up in Canada in the great outdoors. We were chucked out the door first thing in the morning and wouldn’t return until dinnertime. The majority of time was spent roaming the neighbourhood and playing in the woods with very little parental interference or direction.
However, I was saddened to read that fewer than one in ten children play in wild places regularly, a third have not climbed trees, and one tenth cannot ride a bicycle. I have to admit that as a family we don’t spend as much time ‘doing’ nature as we should.
I had a long discussion on the phone with a researcher from the Globe and Mail, discussing why this might be the case and honestly, I can’t pinpoint one exact reason. Is it over protective parenting? Is this the fault of the media for putting the fear of god in us about stranger danger and cyber stalking? Is it overcrowding/busy streets? Unrealistic expectations on parents? Could it be lack of time due to work commitments? Or knowing what to do with our kids when we do have time? Can we blame the weather? Seriously, what is it?
I’m taking this as a ‘gentle’ reminder to get my daughter out more as there are so many benefits from ‘green’ play; I think a lot of us should really. I can’t wait to have a go at geo-caching now that I’ve worked out what it is. However, I’m not too keen on my daughter catching crabs!?!?!
I think we haven’t made too bad of a start so far. The plan is to keep updating it as time goes on.
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
14. Dam a stream
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
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
35. Discover what’s in a pond
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
I’d love to hear your thoughts on why kids aren’t spending enough time outside. Please do leave a comment below.
