Why Kids Love a List: What the National Trust Got Right About Engagement
The Kids Engagement Series #02 | Why collecting, completing and ticking things off works
“Spend more time outside.” It sounds like a good idea. But to a child, it isn't particularly exciting.
Now compare that with: build a den, skim a stone, set up a snail race, go stargazing, fly a kite, or explore a cave.
Suddenly, getting outdoors isn't the message. It's a mission. It's exciting.
And that's one of the cleverest things about the National Trust's 50 Things to Do Before You're 11¾.
Turning a big message into 50 little challenges
The campaign launched in 2012 with a big ambition: encourage more children to reconnect with nature.
But rather than simply telling families that children should spend more time outdoors, the National Trust turned the idea into 50 achievable experiences.
Children could build a den, roll down a hill, hunt for fossils, make wild art, play Pooh sticks, explore a rock pool or watch the sunset. Each one could be completed and ticked off, giving children a sense of progress and something to work towards.
The campaign creators describe the thinking behind it simply: rather than telling families what they should do, they wanted to help them actually do it.
And it worked.
An estimated 5.6 million children have participated since the campaign began. In its first year, more than 90% of visitors who engaged with it at National Trust properties said they would spend more time outdoors as a result.
Why is ticking something off so satisfying?
There's something wonderfully simple about a list.
A big objective can feel vague. A series of small challenges feels achievable. And every time a child completes one, they get that little moment of:
Done it. What's next?
That's where the National Trust created something much more engaging than a list of outdoor activity ideas.
It created progress.
There are 50 things. How many have you done? Which one are you doing next? Can you complete them all before you're 11¾?
Suddenly, one activity leads to another — and engagement isn't limited to one moment.
The clever bit: it doesn't all have to happen at the National Trust
This is perhaps my favourite part.
Many of the challenges can be completed in your garden, local park, on holiday or during an ordinary family walk.
On the surface, that might sound like a missed branding opportunity.
Actually, I think it's the opposite.
The National Trust has made itself part of a child's adventures without needing to own every experience.
A child might be skimming stones on a beach miles away from a National Trust property, but if they're completing another challenge on their 50 Things list, the National Trust is still part of the story.
That's an incredibly powerful form of engagement — because the relationship continues long after the original interaction.
What can other organisations learn from it?
Think about the information or behaviour you want children to engage with.
Could it become a challenge?
Could there be things to find, collect, complete, unlock or tick off? Could one interaction naturally lead to another?
A visitor attraction could create five things to discover during a visit. A sports organisation could create a series of skills to master. A hotel could challenge children to experience different parts of their stay. A health campaign could turn healthy habits into achievable daily missions.
The subject can change completely.
The psychology of progress doesn't.
And perhaps that's the biggest lesson from 50 Things.
The National Trust didn't make nature more exciting. Nature was already exciting.
It simply gave children a reason to start exploring it.
THE WONDER TEST: NATIONAL TRUST – 50 THINGS
PICK IT UP — Does it grab their attention? ✓ Yes. 50 Things Before You're 11¾ immediately creates curiosity — even the wonderfully specific ¾ makes you want to know more.
GET INVOLVED — Does it encourage participation? ✓ Absolutely. Every item asks the child to do something rather than simply read about it.
STICK WITH IT — Is it engaging enough to complete? ✓ Yes. And cleverly, completion doesn't happen all at once. The collection gives children a reason to return again and again.
KEEP IT — Does it have an afterlife? ✓ Definitely. The campaign extends far beyond a single National Trust visit and can become part of childhood over several years.
SHARE IT — Will children show or talk about it? ✓ Yes. Many of the experiences naturally involve parents, siblings and friends.
REMEMBER IT — Will they remember the organisation behind it? ✓ Mostly. Many activities happen away from National Trust properties, but the distinctive 50 Things identity keeps the organisation connected to the overall challenge.
WONDER SCORE: 5.5/6 ⭐
THE WONDER VERDICT: The National Trust took a huge ambition — reconnect children with nature — and broke it into 50 small, achievable adventures. It proves that sometimes the best way to create long-term engagement is to let children see their own progress.
One thing to take away…
If you want a child to engage with something more than once, don't just give them an activity.
Give them something to work towards.
Collect it. Find it. Complete it. Tick it off. Unlock the next one.
Because sometimes the most powerful question in children's engagement is simply:
“What's next?”
It got us thinking…
We loved the simplicity of 50 Things. Not because it's a list — but because it turns ordinary moments into things worth experiencing.
And that got us thinking about all the little things that make childhood, childhood.
Building a den. Getting soaked in the rain. Inventing a secret handshake. Trying something new. Staying up late enough to see the stars. Making something from a cardboard box. Laughing until your tummy hurts.
They don't need to cost anything. They don't need months of planning.
They're just the moments we hope children get to experience while they're busy growing up.
So we created…
THE WONDER YEARS LIST
50 things childhood was made for.
A collection of 50 things to make, try, discover, explore, learn, share and experience.
No pressure to finish it. No deadline. No expensive days out required.
Just stick it on the fridge, start ticking and see where it takes you.
How many can you tick off?
About The Wonder Company
Every organisation has a story to tell. We help children discover it.
The Wonder Company creates engaging activity books, packs, games and resources that help brands and organisations connect with children in ways that are fun, meaningful and memorable.
From a simple idea to a completely bespoke children's engagement campaign, we design, create and print resources that children actually want to pick up, interact with — and take home.
Want to create something children will remember?
Get in touch with The Wonder Company to start a conversation.
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