Books in Parks: Brilliant and Fun!

Genius. A combination of fresh air, reading and a stroll (or hop, skip and jump) through the park. All the perfect ingredients for a fun, engaging and enriching activity with the kids. This is StoryWalk, a collaboration between the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation and Read Charlotte, which debuted at Independence Park this week.

 

The concept is both brilliant and simple: A children's book is displayed page-by-page on laminated posts along a paved walking path. To read the story, you follow the trail. And each sign offers Active Reading techniques to help improve vocabulary, language skills and reading comprehension. There's a scavenger-hunt element that keeps the kids on their toes.

 

The inaugural book on display is Wolfie the Bunny, by Ame Dyckman. Younger kids will enjoy hearing you read the story as they bound between the signs. Beginner readers will enjoy the challenge of reading it themselves. And older kids, along with their younger peers, can engage with the Active Reading prompts that accompany each page.

 

New StoryWalks will be added in November 2017 and March 2018.

 

It's a novel and delightful way to enjoy reading as a family. As an adult who loves to read but also sometimes struggles to sit still, now I wish they'd make a StoryWalk for grown-ups!

 

How to get there:
Independence Park is located at 300 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC, 28204. The StoryWalk starts at the playground and winds its way along the walking path toward Hawthorne Lane away from town and ends back at the playground. Here's a park map.

 

Don't forget to pack:

• Sunscreen, hats and sunglasses: Independence Park offers little shade, especially along the walking path.
• Water and snacks: There's a great playground at the park if you want to stay and make an afternoon of it.