让孩子多参加户外活动 12岁前要做的50件事情 - By Helen Collis,12 April 2012

Today's youngsters may be a dab hand at video games, but how many can lay claim to being expert tree climbers or rope-swing acrobats?

To re-invigorate their interest in real life adventures, the National Trust has come up with a 'bucket list' of challenges to encourage sofa-bound youngsters to take to the outdoors.

According to research commissioned by the trust, fewer than 10 per cent of children regularly play in 'wild places' and 10 per cent cannot ride a bicycle.

Meanwhile, on average, children spend four-and-a-half hours a day sat in front of a TV or computer screen, according to recent research.

The National Trust today launches a nationwide campaign to encourage sofa-bound children to get outside, exploring and having adventures. Among the list of activities is bug-hunting and playing conkers

Out in the open: The trust is challenging children to tick off every item on its list, including kite-flying, watching the sun rise and getting behind a waterfall

The trust is challenging children to tick off every item on its list of '50 things to do before you're 11?'.

While damming streams and building dens may be basic rights of passage for their parents' and grandparents' generation, the National Trust is offering a helping hand for today's youngsters who have yet to experience such character-building activities.

How many children have poked at frogspawn or caught a fish in a net? Have they faced the fear of picking up their first crab or dyed their tongues purple from eating wild blackberries?  

Rolling rolling rolling: The National Trust is offering a helping hand for those youngsters who have yet to experience such character-building activities

Today's youngsters may be a dab hand at video games, but how many can lay claim to being expert tree climbers or rope-swing acrobats?

The charity's checklist also includes simple pleasures such as running around in the rain and bug hunting, setting up a snail race, flying a kite and making a (delicious) mud pie. 

Children can pick up a free 50 Things To Do Before You're 11? scrapbook from participating National Trust properties - and start ticking off their outdoor adventures to do list.

The trust has also designated five 'elite rangers' to share their top tips on how best to approach some of the more tricky activities. 

Simple pleasures: The charity's checklist includes throwing snow and eating an apple straight from a tree

Life skills: The National Trust's checklist challenges youngsters to find their way with a map and compass and to track wild animals

Tony Berry, visitor experience director of the National Trust, said: 'Our Elite Rangers are a fantastic bunch, with bags of enthusiasm for the outdoors and what it can offer kids. 

'We're hoping that the nation's children will embrace the 50 things and start having their very own outdoor adventures with their family, with our Free Weekend the perfect opportunity to get outside in the fresh air.'

National Trust Elite Ranger Mark Astley (aka Captain Skim),  said: 'My top tips for stone skimming are to find some flat water, like a lake or sea on a calm day. Choose your stone carefully - the smoother, rounder and flatter the better. 

'Next perfect your stance, bend your knees into a squat position with one foot in front of the other about a foot apart. 

It's all in the technique: 'Perfect your stance, bend your knees into a squat position with one foot in front of the other...'

'Steady yourself by putting your non throwing arm in front of you and point your finger in the direction you want the stone to travel. 

'Hold your stone throwing arm behind you and then bring forward - throw hard and low so it spins quickly across the top of the water. 

'My personal best is 27 skims and I'm still trying to beat that.' 

The National Trust hopes that children will embrace the '50 things' and start having their very own outdoor adventures with their family

Reviving the rope swing: According to a research, fewer than 10 per cent of children regularly play in 'wild places' and 10 per cent cannot ride a bicycle.

The five rangers will be offering advice on their chosen skill to the nation's children over the weekend April 21-22, when the National Trust will open up more than 200 of its houses and gardens for free.

The other four 'elite rangers' are: 'Tree Man', Des Cotton from York; 'Den Boy', Andrew Hunt from Dorset; 'Midas', Nigel Stannett from Norwich; and 'The Bug Catcher', Laura Broadhurst from Bromsgrove, Midlands.