The CDC recommends that preschool age children be physically active throughout the day for growth and development.  Children and adolescents age 6-17 should participate in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity each day.  Research shows that among U.S. children ages 2- 4, nearly 14% were overweight and 13.5% were obese.  Less than ¼ of children age 6-17 participate in 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Young children need help to develop lifelong physical activity habits.   As children grow, they change physically, mentally, and socially.  Physical activity is important for physical health as well as social and cognitive development.

The Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood states that 90% of a child’s brain is developed by age 5.  Early language and literacy development begins before age three. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, reading regularly with young children builds language, literacy, and social-emotional skills.  Studies show that reading helps young children become good students later.  

The Caldwell County Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences Education, George Coon Public Library, and the Caldwell, Crittenden, and Lyon Regional Collaborative joined forces to host a Circus Bird StoryWalk® which included both a physical activity and literacy component.  The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.  Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.  The StoryWalk® was set up in Big Springs Park for over a month. In addition to the physical activity of walking from page to page, participants were encouraged to complete small tasks throughout the walk including shaping their bodies to look like the animals in the story, hopping, jumping, and spinning.   Reinforcement activities designed to develop fine motor and literacy skills among young children were provided to families who participated in the StoryWalk®.  

Twenty-six participants completed the survey presented at the end of the story.  From the information gathered on the surveys, sixty-eight individuals visited the StoryWalk®.   Twenty-six were age 0-5, fourteen were age 6-14.  After participating in the event, 96% of survey respondents stated they were likely to read with their children at home and 88% said they were likely to incorporate movement into their storytime at home.  92% were likely to attend future StoryWalk® events.