How did Tom do? (Part one)

Posted by Rosie

Wandering around some blogs recently I was reminded of the National Trust challenge "50 things to do before you are 11¾" with a fellow blogger seeing how well her children were doing.  I promptly forgot about the Challenge until another timely reminder from "Outnumbered" on the BBC this week brought me to the sudden realisation that whilst Ben has another year to get things done, Tom is now 12 and so in theory should have ticked them all off!

How has he done then?  Time to have a look and see how many he has managed:

Tree Climbing

1. Climb a tree - yes, yes, yes - although I have to say I was very glad I wasn't there when both he and Ben climbed so high up THIS tree.

2. Roll down a really big hill - erm, small slopes yes but I'm not actually sure about a really big one.  Toboggan down a steep hill, yes - ski down a black run, yes but roll - I think that's a NOPE!

3. Camp out in the wild - he's camped loads on camp sites and in friends' gardens but never out in the wild so I think this is a NOPE too!

4. Build a den - Oh yes, a current favourite activity including this Secret Den.

5. Skim a stone - yes in the sea and in various rivers including the time he fell in the river whilst concentrating so hard on stone skimming he forgot about safe feet placement! 

6. Run around in the rain - oh yes -especially this winter :)

Kite Flying

7. Fly a kite - indeed:

8. Catch a fish with a net - he's caught all sorts of other things from our ponds both here and in the UK (I reckon we had the most pond dipped tadpoles in Kent) but as far as I am aware, he's never caught a fish.  Looks like another NOPE!

9. Eat an apple straight from a tree - yes although we tend to better remember the day when aged about 4, we were at neighbours and he sneaked back to our house and ate ALL the blueberries from our bush.  Boy were we cross and boy did he have belly ache that night!  Luckily he still loved blueberries though!

Playing Conkers

10. Play conkers - yes and with slight killer tendencies it would seem!

11. Throw some snow - yes - and far too often at me!

Giant Jelly Fish on the Beach

12. Hunt for treasure on the beach - shells, seaweed, smelly dead crabs, bits of rotting fish, driftwood, beached jelly fish - that's a yes then.


So far therefore, we are looking at 9/12 which I think is a pretty decent score (and the same as Ben who still has a year to make that 13/13 before he too is older than 11¾ !).   





Are you working your way through the list too?  Do drop us a comment with your progress and watch out for a later blog to see how Tom has done on the next section of the list. 

Click here for part two, three and four.