Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Preschoolers bundled up against blustery winds to be the first kids to try out the new Born Learning Trail at William Wells Brown Elementary School. 

“‘Born Learning’ is all about how we can make our daily activities a learning opportunity,” said district Superintendent Stu Silberman, who spoke at Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The schools need you. Our children need you to be able to move forward,” he told the small crowd huddling on the corner of East Sixth Street and Nelson Avenue. 

The interactive trail, which is the first of its kind in Central Kentucky, encourages children to learn through fun and meaningful activities in their everyday lives. Ten signs posted along the sidewalk – from the street corner toward the community center entrance at the rear of the school – provide tips for families and caregivers. For instance, kids can explore nearby flowers and trees, practice hopscotch, learn silly songs or tell stories along the way. 

“Incidental learning is very important, especially when you’re limited in your resources,” said LFUCG council member Andrea James, who talked about the role of sidewalks in inner-city communities.

The Born Learning Trail is designed to help adults interact with children to boost language and literacy development and to help caregivers understand how to best support early learning in everyday, outdoor moments. The simple activities can help a child develop problem-solving, critical-thinking and reading skills.

“This is for them. This is their future,” James said, gesturing toward the Early Start children gathered at the start of the trail.

On their way back inside, the kids paused at several stations, practicing their ABC’s and hopping on multicolored circles painted on the sidewalk.

“With all the momentum of the (new) school and housing, people are ready to embrace it,” said Principal Yvonne Peace. “The trail is one more piece to the puzzle.” 

The Born Learning Trail was made possible through a partnership of United Way of the Bluegrass, Fayette County Public Schools, the Legacy Center at Blue Grass Community Foundation and John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

“I hope that before too long, we will see these trails at other schools,” Silberman said.

Resources: Born Learning materials are available online at www.uwbg.org/successby6.