• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
Embracing Motherhood
  • Blogs
  • Resource Guide
  • TPT
  • YouTube
  • Etsy
  • Search
  • Menu Menu

How to Make Stepping Stumps

Backyard for Kids, General, Parenting
How to Make Stepping Stumps
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Making stepping stumps is a fun and easy project that will provide a fun and natural play area for your children (and a fun little place to sit and rest as well). Children love things that are just challenging enough with an appropriate amount of risk and danger. They also need to be able to play unsupervised and interact with nature. These stepping stumps may become an ongoing yard project that you continuously add to (like it has for us). We are always on the lookout for more stumps. It makes for a fun scavenger hunt while we’re driving! 🙂

Materials

  • Stumps: When I was driving my husband’s pick up truck out on some country roads, I found several stumps of varying height that had been nicely cut from a fallen tree. Then, when we were coming home from Ruby’s spring concert, we spotted a few more, loaded them in the back of our van, and brought them home!
  • Shovel: You want one with a point that you can really step on.
  • Gardening Gloves: These are optional, but be warned, you will end up with dirt under your fingernails!

Directions

  1. Make a Plan: Try to envision the full potential of your stump arrangement. If you’re like me, you’ll want to leave room to keep adding on as you find more. I am hoping to copy Blandford’s meandering circular pattern that starts with shorter stumps and works up to taller stumps, but there are many other things you could do like placing the stumps haphazardly in one big configuration or making a straight path that’s very symmetrical. You might even make them almost flush with the ground and use them as a pathway from one place to the next. I encourage you to type “stepping stumps” or even “stepping stones” into Pinterest for some more ideas.

    Blandford Nature Center's Stepping Stumps

    Blandford Nature Center’s Stepping Stumps

  2. Dig a Circle: You’ll want to dig a circle larger than each stump. If you leave the sod intact, you can use it for another project like making a hill or making little grass stepping circles. After taking out the sod, dig down enough to bury about one-fifth of the stump. Make sure the dirt underneath is nice and soft to level out the stump.
  3. Level the Stump: After placing the stump onto the loose dirt in the hole, wiggle it around until the top is level. Then sit or step on it to help it settle in.
  4. Fill in the Dirt: Pack the extra dirt around the sides of the stump and step on it to really pack it in.

In Conclusion

Having stepping stumps is just one part of creating a backyard full of natural and fun ways to play. Once you see how your kids interact with the stumps, it might give you more ideas for extensions in the future. I hope to gather some shorter stumps so that it extends much further and begins and ends with descending stumps like a staircase.

Our Stepping Stumps One Year Later

Our Stepping Stumps One Year Later

Check out some of our other backyard projects:

  • How to Build a Sandbox
  • How to Make a Stock Tank Pool
  • How to Make an Outdoor Teepee
  • How to Make a Backyard Obstacle Course
  • The Benefits of Allowing Kids to Interact with Nature (Without Being Hovered Over)

Related

May 26, 2016/by Stacey Maaser
Tags: backyard for kids, backyard fun, diy, how to, kids in nature, parenting
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share by Mail
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to Youtube
https://embracing-motherhood.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/stepping-stumps.png 400 810 Stacey Maaser https://embracing-motherhood.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/EM_Logo.png Stacey Maaser2016-05-26 09:12:182020-11-20 15:08:52How to Make Stepping Stumps
You might also like
Going Barefoot Will Improve Your HealthEarthing and Grounding: The Benefits of Going Barefoot
Embracing Motherhood All Natural Homemade Deodorant That Really Works!All Natural Homemade Deodorant That Really Works!
Embracing Motherhood How to Make All Natural Homemade Lip BalmHow to Make Your Own Lip Balm
Embracing Motherhood Fall Art Projects6 Fall Leaf Art Activities
Homemade Diaper Wipe Solution
Yes, This is Really a Post About Coloring Embracing MotherhoodTips and Tricks for Coloring with Kids
When You Tell Children They're Smart, It Makes Them DumbWhen You Tell Children They’re Smart, It Actually Makes Them Dumb
Embracing Motherhood Why We Are Giving Technology a BreakWhy We Are Giving Technology a Break
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search

Stacey Maaser

Stacey Maaser author of Embracing Motherhood

Author of Embracing Motherhood

Affiliate Links

I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Recent Posts

  • Best Broccoli and Cheese Soup
  • Why Ages 0-3 are the MOST Crucial Years of Brain Development
  • Teach Your Toddler How to Read
  • Teach Your Baby How to Read
  • Free ABC Resources to Help You Teach Your Child to Read
  • Teach Your Child the Other Consonant Sounds with These Free Resources
  • We Use Our Trampoline Just About Every Day!
  • How to Start a Homeschool Routine During Covid-19
  • 26 Learning Centers for a Homeschool Preschool Environment
  • How to Make Whole Wheat Sourdough Muffins
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Hi, I’m Stacey Maaser,

author of Embracing Motherhood! I am a stay at home mother of 5 with 7 years of teaching experience and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I am passionate about teaching my children, feeding them healthy food, learning the truth about things (not just what is popular opinion or counter culture), and sharing what I’ve learned and experienced with others. Thanks for stopping by!

About Me
About Embracing Motherhood

Newsletter Signup

HOME     BLOGS    RESOURCE GUIDE    YOUTUBE    TPT    ETSY

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. By accessing or using this website, you agree to abide by the Terms of Service, Full Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, Affiliate Disclosure, and Comment Policy. Content may not be reproduced in any form.

Terms of Service | Full Disclaimer | Affiliate Disclosure | Comment Policy | Privacy Policy

Related

Copyright © 2025 Embracing Motherhood. All rights reserved. Site by CurlyHost.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
Scroll to top
 

Loading Comments...