New Downtown Story Walk on Floral Ave!

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Family Reading Partnership celebrates a new Story Walk!

The Family Reading Partnership is celebrating the opening of a brand new Story Walk in downtown Ithaca! On Saturday, April 30th from 10am to 11:30am families are invited to visit the Floral Ave walking path to celebrate with FRP and check out the story, A New Kind of Wild by Zara Gonzalez Hoang. Limited parking is available along Floral Ave, and extra parking can be accessed at Park Road off of Cliff St, or at Cass Park. In the case of rain, the event will be pushed to Sunday, May 1st. Various kid-friendly activities will be available, and every child will go home with a brand new book.
 
The Family Reading Partnership Story Walk program was established in 2018, and now features seven Story Walks across Tompkins County. The new downtown Story Walk is sponsored in part by Odyssey Bookstore, and FRP is still looking to find a co-sponsor.

Story Walks are a great way for young kids to engage with the world around them and they offer an alternative for those who prefer a more active learning style. Picture books are chosen by Family Reading Partnership and local community members, and are transformed into an interactive outdoor experience that both children and adults can enjoy together. Books are rotated seasonally so families can return again and again for a new experience.

Once a story is selected, book pages are laminated and mounted on posts which are spread out along a trail or path, giving kids a chance to talk or ask questions about what they read on each page as they walk (or run!) to the next post. Kinesthetic learning is a crucial component of early childhood development and this program gives families the opportunity to be physically active while enjoying a fun alternative to traditional book reading settings. 

The Family Reading Partnership has six other established Story Walks throughout Tompkins County in Dryden, Danby, Enfield, Groton, Lansing, and Newfield. Find specific locations at https://www.familyreading.org/our-programs/story-walks/, and stay updated on new stories on FRP social media pages. 

Contact: 
Beverly Wallenstein  
Program and Outreach Coordinator 
Beverly@familyreading.org