A Recipe For A Multigenerational Activity

Take one part walk in the park, one part engaging children's book mounted in weatherproof display stands, and two parts interactive engagement; mix with delightful illustrations; and throw in a QR code. A dash of good weather is a plus. The Manheim Township Public Library (MTPL) put this dish to the test during May when StoryWalk was unveiled.

"This activity combines literacy, physical activity, parental engagement, all in an outdoor setting," said MTPL executive director Joyce Sands, who noted that the creation of the walk, which begins at the Children's Discovery Patio in front of the library and extends along the walking path toward the Stoner House in Overlook Community Campus, was funded by an Earned Income Tax Credit Contribution from local organizations.

The first known StoryWalk Project was created by Anne Ferguson and developed with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vt. Karin Rezendes, MTPL youth services manager, said that having a permanent StoryWalk installation had been on the library's wish list for a long time. Rezendes was amazed when the funds arrived during COVID-19, when the outdoors was a safer place to be. "It was like kismet how it all came together," she said. "We started (working on this) when the library was completely closed."

The StoryWalk includes 20 permanent story boards that each hold a few pages of a book. In addition, the boards offer extension activities created by Rezendes, which may be questions, instructions, or interesting facts related to the book. "(The) 'Let's Move' (segment) has kids doing yoga poses or (counting) how many chickens are on the page and then doing that many jumping jacks," said Rezendes. "We are trying to engage the whole child."

Rezendes said that MTPL did a soft launch with a story called "Ol' Mama Squirrel" by David Ezra Stein in May. "I have been trying to pick books that have connections to outdoors," said Rezendes, who chose "Chicken Story Time" by local author Sandy Asher, with illustrations by Mark Fearing, for the current walk. "This panel is about Sandy Asher, the author, with her dog, Gracie," said Rezendes. One of the displays teaches readers that chickens are oviparous, which means egg-laying, and another notes that there are more chickens in the world than people. Added illustrations on the panels are created by former MTPL employee Ben Fischer.

The last story board is a QR code that can be used to provide the library with feedback about the family's experience.

The plan is for the next StoryWalk to feature "The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read" by Curtis Manley. Rezendes also is considering honoring the late Eric Carle by featuring one of his books in the future.

MTPL is located at 595 Granite Run Drive, Lancaster. More information about the library may be found at https://mtpl.info.