National Trust gives youngsters 50 things to do

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WITH THE school summer holidays upon us, the National Trust has launched a scheme to encourage youngsters to try their hand at traditional games and past times.

The 50 things to do before you're 11¾ challenges youngsters to do a variety of activities, including climb a tree, roll down a really big hill, build a den, fly a kite, make a mud pie, hunt for bugs and set up a snail race.

As well as the list of 50 things, a voucher entitling children to free entry to National Trust venues in August is available at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/midlandsadventures.

And children can also pick up a free scrapbook to log their activities from participating venues.

Throughout the six week-holiday, there will also be a variety of activities at National Trust venues, including the Clent Hills and Hanbury Hall, where events will be held from 11am to 4.30pm each day.

There will be a series of Family Activity Days at Hanbury, which will feature make and take sessions and a trail. The first, on Fantastic Flowers and Tremendous Butterflies, will run from Tuesday to Thursday (July 24 to 26). The trail is £2 and the make and take is 50p per item.

The National Trust 50 things scheme complements our Let's Get Bromsgrove Playing campaign which was launched earlier in the year in a bid to get more children playing outdoors and giving traditional games a go.

It was inspired by shocking statistics from Play England, which showed more than a quarter of youngsters in the West Midlands had never built a den and over a third had never climbed a tree.

Beccy Speight, the regional director of the National Trust in the Midlands, said: "Many of us will have fond memories of the games we played in our own summer holidays.

“We hope people will share the games they enjoyed with their own children and grandchildren, and what better place to do that than some of the wonderful outdoor spaces on our doorsteps here in the Midlands.

"So many of the games people have told us they enjoyed – ball games, skipping and I spy – are played outside, helping children to build a lifelong connection with nature.”

Check out our Let's Get Bromsgrove Playing Facebook page at www.facebook.com/playinbromsgrove, where you can also download and print out The National Trust's 50 things to do before you're 11¾. There are also details of and rules to a host of traditional games for children to try, including Hopscotch, Acky 123, Bulldog, Dodgeball and What's the Time Mr Wolf?

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