The wonderment and excitement of children as they are reading a story for the first time is hard to match. Capturing the suspense of what is to happen next, the emotion of connecting with the characters, and hearing the giggles as the story unfolds are ways that reading comes to life. Making things even more alive is the ability to walk through a story. With the recent popularity of The StoryWalk™ Project, this international movement combines, literacy, exercise, nature and quality family time. The StoryWalk™ Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition (VBPC) and the Kellogg Hubbard Library. Sweeping the country (and the world!) these StoryWalk™ installations have been popping up at local parks, along hiking trails, and in collaboration with local libraries. You can find these StoryWalk™ in 50 states and 13 countries: Germany, Canada, Bermuda, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea – impressive! The Finger Lakes Museum, in collaboration with the Modeste Bedient Memorial and Penn Yan libraries, with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences MANY grant, and with the generous help of students of Penn Yan Academy, is proud to announce their own StoryWalk™ situated along the museum’s Sugar Creek shoreline. In addition to the recently completed natural playscape, the StoryWalk™ offers another wonderful activity for children and their families to enjoy when they visit the FLM’s campus in Branchport. Visitors are welcome dawn to dusk, 7 days a week, to explore the playscape, wander through the StoryWalk™ and spend time in the beautiful nature of the Finger Lakes region.
