Free Family Activity : Stick Man Trail

We love getting the little adventurers outdoors and with the temperatures dropping outside, winter is the toughest season to get outdoors with children.  We love to suggest ways for families to go and seek adventures outdoors and over the last year we have done each of the Forestry Commission’s FREE Julia Donaldson trails (Gruffalo, Gruffalo’s Child and Superworm).  Each was lots of fun and the little adventurers loved walking around, finding the clues and doing the interactive activities along our way.  This winter the latest Trail will be launched and it is the fantastic Stick Man Trail, which is one of the best books to enjoy over the wintry months!

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The trails are fantastic and we think they are perfect for families as:

  • They get the children outdoors in the woods, enjoying literature but combining it with the woods and setting the trails are located in.  Its a great way to encourage families to get outdoors.
  • They are super fun and engaging even for the youngest of children.  The clues have lots of activities from making natural art, to acting out.
  • They are perfect to do after you have read the books at home, so the children know parts of the story and can really follow the trail through.  Its amazing how the trail really reinforces the story in your child’s mind.
  • They are FREE which is such a refreshing thing to see when costs of days out rocket over the festive period.
  • You can combine the trail with children receiving the book for Christmas and then do the walk over the holiday period.  So for just a few pounds you can make it into quite a big Christmas Present.
  • The Stick Man is one of the BBC’s showcase Christmas programmes  this year, so you can do the walk before or after seeing it at home and the children will love it even more.
  • We love to read the full story whilst in the woods, it always makes the book more magical and its a fabulous unique way to enjoy literature and family time.

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Stick Man trail locations

All trails will be open during normal forest opening hours. The trails are being launched at different times over the next month, so check out the details of these below.  We have visited the various trails at Grizedale, Delamere and Hicks Lodge.  I love that each forest was completely different and its a great way of getting children (and adults) to enjoy the glorious woodlands we have out our doorsteps!

North West

Grizedale Forest, Cumbria (1 December 2015)
Whinlatter Forest, Cumbria (1 December 2015)
Delamere Forest, Cheshire (28 November 2015)

North East

Hamsterley Forest, Durham (28 November 2015)
Kielder Forest and Water Park, Northumberland (December 2015)

Yorkshire and Humber

Dalby Forest, Yorkshire (28 November 2015)
Guisborough Forest, North Yorkshire (January 2016)

East Midlands

Fineshade Woods, Northamptonshire (30 November 2015)
Salcey Forest, Northamptonshire (30 November 2015)
Hicks Lodge, Leicestershire (5 December 2015)

West Midlands

Haughmond Hill, Shropshire (28 November 2015)
Cannock Chase Forest, Staffordshire (28 November 2015)
Wyre Forest, Shropshire (28 November 2015)

East England

High Lodge Thetford Forest, Norfolk (28 November 2015)

South West

Beechenhurst Lodge, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire (6 December 2015)
Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire (1 December 2015)
Haldon Forest Park, Exeter (December 2015)
Cardinham Woods, Cornwall (28 December 2015)

South East

Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire (28 December 2015)
Alice Holt, Surrey (9 December 2015)
Moors Valley Country Park, Dorset (5 December 2015)
Bedgebury Pinetum, Kent (28 November 2015)
Jeskyns, Kent (1 December 2015)
Thames Chase, Essex (1 December 2015)

We cant wait to give this a try and think we will have to try a different woodland this time.  Do let us know if you go and give this a try!

Nisbah

I am a traveller, mother and blogger. We love to go on adventures (big and small, near and far) and strive to show our children how amazing and beautiful the world is! I caught the travel bug many moons ago and despite having three little adventurers, I still suffer from "itchy" feet. We love the great outdoors and one another. Come and join the fun :)

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1 Response

  1. We’re definitely going to do this – we’ve done a few of the others as well and it makes such a fun walk in the woods.

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