Stepping Stones

In the gentle hush of lunchtime telly, nestled between the clang of weekday routines and the whisper of imagination, Stepping Stones quietly carved a path for young minds to wander. Yorkshire Television’s preschool series didn’t rely on flashy effects or bold antics—it offered something rarer: warmth, calm, and discovery.

Each ten-minute episode invited its viewers—children and caretakers alike—to pause, listen, and reflect. From counting and shapes to the emotions tucked behind everyday moments, Stepping Stones didn't teach at its audience; it walked with them. There was sincerity in every story, each crafted with the belief that learning begins not in instruction, but in curiosity.

One child, now grown, shared the thrill of seeing the presenters: "Seeing Keith Barron and Elisabeth Sladen on Stepping Stones was surreal. I'd seen them in dramas my parents watched—serious, grown-up stuff. But here they were, speaking softly to me, not at me. It felt like they had crossed into my world, not the other way round. Suddenly, grown-ups didn’t seem so distant anymore."

Though overshadowed by giants like Play School, this series lingered in the hearts of those who watched, remembered not for its reach but its resonance. Its spirit lived on through successors like Get Up and Go! and Mooncat and Co, echoing Yorkshire Television’s belief that children’s programming should inspire as well as educate.

A nursery teacher reflected on how her class mimicked the show’s learning style—storytelling with tactile objects, asking questions instead of giving answers. She credits the series with inspiring her teaching approach. "When I began teaching, I remembered the quiet power of Stepping Stones. The way they'd pose questions rather than offer answers, using objects and stories to spark curiosity. So I did the same, letting my nursery kids play, ponder, and share. They learned not because they had to, but because they wanted to. I owe that lesson to Yorkshire Television."

Another avid viewer recalls: "I still remember the carpet, it was rough beneath my knees as I lined up little pebbles, trying to count them like they did on Stepping Stones. Mum was beside me with a gentle smile, nodding along as I whispered, 'one, two, three...' all the way to ten. For the first time, numbers made sense. They weren’t just things on a blackboard—they were mine, in my hands."

Stepping Stones reminds us that some of the most important journeys start with small steps—ones marked not by spectacle but by sincerity. And in its quiet way, it helped shape a generation, giving children the confidence to take those steps, and the imagination to choose where they lead.

Percival Wexley Smith