In many Kentucky counties, limited resources or the environment may serve as barriers for healthy lifestyle choices related to early childhood development and physical activity. 

As an innovative strategy to improve early childhood development and increase movement with Whitley county residents, the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Corbin Public Library to implement Stories, Songs, and Stretches. 

Through this program, participants work on improving early childhood development and increase physical activity. Eight adults and 12 children participated in this program. As a result of this program, 95 percent improved child’s gross motor skills, 80percent of parents noticed an improvement in their child’s early literacy skills, and 35 percent reported an improvement in child’s social skills. In regard to physical activity, 100 percentage of participants parents noticed child implementing movement practices into their lifestyle. In addition to individual behavior change 70 percent reported the family participating in activities learned from Stories, Songs, and Stretches at home. In regard to increasing early literacy, 20 percent reported increasing the amount of time reading together. 

At the completion of the program, participants shared that their child/grandchild was like a sponge and sang all the songs at home from week to week. We plan to continue offering this program seasonally at the Corbin Public Library and opening it up to the Whitley County Public Library very soon.