Snow, Santa and Swans! Stepping Stones enjoy the Stick Man trail

‘I’m not a stick, why can’t you see? I’m a Stick Man and I want to go home to the family tree!’

The song from Julia Donaldson’s well-loved book Stick Man resounded through Berkhamsted Pre-Prep this week, as Stepping Stones pupils were treated to a magical journey through the woods at our Haresfoot Outdoor Education site. Following the story of Stick Man’s return to his family tree, this wintry walk had discovery and wonder at every corner.

Pupils were able to experience every adventure that Stick Man faces. He meets a dog (in which resident Berkhamsted dog Buddy played the starring role) and a swan (which turned out to be more than life sized!) before finding himself at the beach and, finally, Santa’s fireplace! Along the way, pupils performed songs to really bring the story to life.

In the gorgeous late November light, and with a little help from the snow machine, pupils were transported into a winter wonderland. Singing ‘I’m a little snowman’, ‘We wish you a Merry Christmas’ and ‘When Santa got stuck up the chimney’, pupils truly brought the Christmas spirit to Haresfoot.

The trail ended with a singalong around the fire and some delicious hot chocolate. But the fun did not stop there! A surprise visit from none other than Father Christmas himself brought shock and delight to every pupil. Are Stepping Stones on the naughty list? Father Christmas reassured everyone that they can look forward to lots of Christmas treats this year – provided he gets a mince pie or a cookie on Christmas Eve!

We were delighted to welcome Stepping Stones parents to join us in this heartwarming activity. While it was lots of fun, it also gave pupils a chance to be curious and adventurous in our expansive outdoor area. Bringing a well-known story to life helped enhance their understanding and stretch their imagination, while singing songs for the parents provided pupils with an opportunity to ‘perform’ in an informal environment. Overall, it was a magical day which was full of fun and experiential learning.

We hope everyone in the Berkhamsted community has a wonderful festive period!