Remember when you were a kid and summer meant spending long hours playing in the sun, exploring the great outdoors (even if it was the local park), getting dirty, and begging for just a few more minutes outside when your parents called you in for dinner? If you’re a kid these days you might not know what that’s like—unless you’ve seen it on TV or played an outdoor-themed X-Box game.

That’s why the British National Trust compiled a kind of bucket list of must-experience outdoor adventures for kids, called “50 Things to Do Before You’re 11 ¾.” View the list here. The compilation includes simple pleasures adults nowadays might take for granted, such as fly a kite, hunt for bugs, and swing on a rope swing. There are also some more substantial challenges, such as light a fire without matches and try abseiling (rappelling down a hill or cliff).

A recent article in the UK Daily Mail reported that the list of 50 things was compiled by a panel of experts from a shortlist of 400 ideas submitted by staff at National Trust homes who were asked to ‘share their childhood memories which gave them a love of nature’.
According to the Daily Mail, research shows that fewer than one in ten of today’s children have played in a wild place compared to half of their parents’ generation.

It’s kind of sad to think about. But the good news is there is a place right in your own backyard where kids are not only encouraged to get out and explore the outdoors, but where nature is brought to life for kids of every age. That place is Innsbrook.

With our thousands of acres, hidden lakes, exciting trails, and abundance of wildlife, Innsbrook is a great place for kids to get out from behind a Playstation controller and into the wonder of nature. We even have workshops and camps that are dedicated to helping kids explore art and nature in a relaxed outdoor setting.
A lot of the activities the British National Trust compiled on its list of challenges for kids under 12 can be enjoyed right here at Innsbrook. Which ones will you try this summer? What outdoor experiences do you think every kid should have at Innsbrook? Tell us in the comments below.