This post is meant to be about story strolls or book pages that follow a path through our "Northwoods" learning forest. First, however, can I address the kids in this photo and how proud they are to be able to work as a team and carry that big, heavy branch up and down the trail (and, for some reason, chanting "We are going to be famous!")? It must feel so good to their bodies to carry something heavy. Angela Hanscom writes about the physical benefits of nature play in her book Balanced and Barefoot. I can personally recommend this book. It is eye opening and fully supports getting kids outside.
Now back to story strolls (pictured in the left hand corner and middle left side). The one show is much more sophisticated than my personal connection, which consists of books, taken apart and put in clear baggies, or plastic sleeves or laminated (before I gave up laminating after learning about the environmental devastation of plastic. Confessions of a former laminator junkie could be its own post). I put a loop of yarn through each page and hang them from trees to form a simple story stroll.
The strolls in this picture are actually on loan from out public library system. I highly recommend reaching out to your library and finding out if these exist in your area. The book pages are laminated and attached with Velcro to a foam core "campaign" style yard sign. The signs are attached to a metal stand and can be easily moved around to create a customized path/stroll. These are a great way to get kids reading outside. We invite the entire school to enjoy these. It warms my heart to see the older kids engaged in reading these engaging picture books outside. I am able to change out our story strolls twice a month.
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