How to build Log Steppers
Natural log steppers are a great addition to any outdoor space- they can be used as informal seating, edging for a garden bed, or, our favorite, a child’s play structure. Made of salvaged materials and fully biodegradable, this is a “jungle gym” that does not need to be shipped to a landfill when your kids outgrow it, and can be incorporated easily into any garden. All you need is some logs! For sourcing logs, any time you need tree work done is a great opportunity. Otherwise, check with local landscapers if they have logs to give away (hardwoods are best, in 2’ to 6’ lengths and 8” to 18” diameters). You can also check your local county or city forestry department- they sometimes have wood sales. They are also available for purchase online or through some garden centers. Once you have some wood, you are ready to begin!
A loose line is good for threading through a planting bed- yes, between flowers and shrubs- or along the edge of a planting bed between lawn and mulched beds.
Step One- Plan your Layout
If you want your steppers far apart, dig a separate hole for each log and follow this process. I am showing putting several steppers in a line- dig one trench about double the width of your widest log, and 6 or so inches longer than you want your total path to be (sum the diameters of your logs and add 6 inches). This line can be curved or straight! See below for some examples.
A circle can double as fire pit seating with a moveable firepit, or form a ring around a tree or fountain.
An arrangement into “steps” can be paired with a retaining wall, against a garage wall, or even with a slide. This is also good where you do not have much space.
If you are placing your steppers 2’ or further apart, dig a hole for each log. The hole should be 6” wider than the diameter of your log, and the depth should be 1/3 the height of your log. For example, for a 3’ long log with a diameter of 8”, dig a hole that is 14” across and 1’ deep. If you are using drainage gravel, add one or two inches of depth- this helps increase the longevity of the installation by slowing down water uptake from the cut end on the bottom, but it is not required.
If your logs will be touching, or closer than 2’ apart, dig one trench that is 6” wider than the diameter of your widest log, and 6 or so inches longer than you want your total path to be (sum the diameters of your logs and add 6 inches).
Step Two- Dig your Hole(s)
Dig holes, or, for close-together logs, dig a trench.
Add gravel to the base of the hole if desired. Especially if you have heavy (clay-ey) or wet soil, this will increase the longevity of your installation.
Step Three- Place your Log(s)
Prepare your logs. Saw off any branches to a short nub. If desired, sand or chamfer the top edge to avoid splinters. You can chip off the bark, or leave it on- it will naturally separate and slough off over time.
Arrange your logs so that the heights vary according to how you imagine them being used! For a climber or play structure, vary the heights by at least a few inches. For a seating area, vary the heights less. My loose rule of thumb for arranging them with different heights is as follows:
Height Difference+ Distance = 14-28
i.e. if the logs are going 24 inches apart, the height difference between them should be 0-4”. If the logs are going only 6 inches apart, the height difference should be between 8 and 20.” If they are 0 inches apart (touching), the height should vary between 14 and 28 inches for maximum challenge and play value.
Of course, the values for height difference and distance are always positive.
At the lower range, this is appropriate for small children, or a less challenging course. The upper range is appropriate for ages 5+, or a more challenging course.
Start at one end. Place the first log on stable ground at the base of the trench or hole, around 3” from the sides.
If you’d like, wrap waterproofing or landscape fabric around the underground portion of the log.
Continue with the next log, and press it flush to the first log, if desired. If you want a gap, push it into the ground. The minimum recommended gap, for easiest backfilling, is 3”.
Step Five- Backfill and Stabilize
Once you are done, shovel the dirt you removed from the trench back in and around the logs. Tamp it down with your foot or a tool designed for the purpose. Every three inches of depth, lightly water the soil until it is saturated (but not muddy), tamp, and then add more soil back in. Finish by tamping the soil, and adding some mulch or grass seed, depending on what the surrounding landscape type is.
Step Six- Time to Play!
Playing with log steppers can impart benefits from gross motor development, to executive functioning. See our Benefits & Lesson Plan, linked at the top, for more! These are just two of the activities we have suggested in our Lesson Plan as “jumping off points” (pun intended!)- in no time, they’ll be generating their own challenges and play scenarios surrounding these open-ended structures.
Freeze Game:
Have your child walk along the logs. When you say “freeze!” they have to stop where they are. This requires them to work on coordination and figuring out the placement of their body in space especially when it’s time to freeze. In the excitement and scurry, your child might fall from the log or wobble a bit - don’t worry! This is part of the fun and the building of bodily awareness.
Obstacle Course:
Incorporate the log steppers into an outdoor obstacle course! Have your child choose what movement they have to do on the log steppers when completing the obstacle course - i.e. hopping from log to log, crawling from log to log.