Why the stick could be the carrot to lure children outdoors

THE must-have toy for children this summer is a stick, according to the National Trust.

The organisation is urging families to get outdoors and use their imagination to interact with nature, after a survey found children today spend half the time their parents did playing outside.

To encourage creative play, the trust is now championing the humble stick as the “must have” toy for kids.

Among the top 50 activities for children to do before they turn 11 and three-quar- ters compiled by the charity is playing pooh sticks and building a den.

The charity has enlisted the help of Game of Thrones star Raleigh Ritchie, who has written a rap about all the different uses of a stick. He said: “For some people, a stick is just a stick. However, I want to encourage young people to see that actually the possibilities are endless.

“It can be a pen, a sword, a witch’s broom, a dragon’s bone ... anything.”

Almost all (96 per cent) of the 1,001 parents questioned for the National Trust thought it was important their youngsters had a connection with nature.

Ed Anderson, a National Trust ranger, said: “This summer, we want to inspire kids and families all over the country to get outdoors.”