Above: There are six locations in town that encourage combining reading with outdoor activity. Most are for families with young kids. But one is appropriate for tweens through adults. (photos clockwise by Beth Melo, Southborough Trails Committee, Lori Winer, and the Trustees)
We finally have a stretch of days with no weather advisories for severe heat/storms or potential flooding! If you’re looking to take advantage of the sunny summer weather and get you/your family outside and off screens, I’m posting a reminder about some great options.
[Note: for those who are looking for swimming or water play options in the area, check out my post from earlier this summer — Where to Splash Around.]
Five properties in town have StoryWalk® displays available for young kids. A sixth outdoor reading display is geared to older members of the public.
For those unfamiliar with StoryWalks, these are outdoor displays which take children’s picture books and split the pages across a path or trail. The purpose is to encourage literacy and outdoor physical activity.
Below are more details on the literary displays.
Southborough Library
(On the lawn behind the parking lot at 25 Main St)
With financing by the Southborough Community fund and assistance from the Department of Public Works, the Library installed a series of StoryWalk displays the summer of 2021.
The current selection is “The Ugly Vegetables” by Grace Lin. (The Library does plan to swap the story out sometime soon this summer.)
If you really enjoy reading outdoors, you can also check some books out and read them from the Library’s outdoor seating areas or the new Heritage Park (past the parking lot).
Chestnut Hill Farm
(On the trails off of 5 Chestnut Hill Farm Road)
The Trustees installed a StoryWalk at the farm in 2019. At that time, they shared the following text and photo:
StoryWalk is an innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Conceived as a way to inspire parents, teachers, and caregivers to take young children outside for physical activity and to learn, StoryWalk helps build children’s interest in reading while encouraging healthy activity for everyone.
Laminated pages from a children’s book are attached to wooden stakes, which are installed along one of our farm’s trails. As you stroll down the trail, you’re directed to the next page in the story. What a lovely way to enjoy the farm!
I reached out to the Trustees for an update on what is currently on display. A representative responded:
The Story Walk is changed monthly with an eye towards seasonality, what’s happening in nature, and other relevant themes and ideas related to the time of year. It’s a great way for people to enjoy something extra as they walk the trails at Chestnut Hill Farm, while being both entertained and perhaps educated about certain topics. Composting, for example. The book was recently changed to A Log’s Life, all about the life cycle of a tree. The Story Walk provides just one of many reasons why it’s great to visit the farm more than once throughout the year.
Before you go, check out the Chestnut Hill Farm trails map.
Mary E. Finn Elementary School
(60 Richards Road)
The school for PreK-1st graders was the first Southborough location to feature a temporary StoryWalk display in 2016.
In 2019, permanent display cases were installed as part of an Eagle Scout Project and in collaboration with the Southborough Education Foundation (SEF).
The StoryWalk is open to the general public when school isn’t in session.
Albert S. Woodward Memorial School
(28 Cordaville Road)
The school for 2nd-3rd graders was the first Southborough school also began featuring temporary StoryWalk displays in 2016. A permanent display (also dedicated to former Principal Randell) was installed in September 2018. (The image right was contributed by SEF.)
The current story is Only One You by Linda Kranz.
The StoryWalk is open to the general public when school and camp aren’t in session. (Camp is 8:30 – 4:00 pm on weekdays through August 16th. School resumes on August 29th.)
For older readers – Sudbury Reservoir Trail
(On the southern border of the reservoir behind 84 Main Street, between Parkerville and Deerfoot Roads)
This one is to educate the public on Southborough’s history. (You could consider it a walk through a chapter in the story of Southborough.)
In 2018, a section of the SRT was cleaned up for walking along the reservoir behind the Burnett House. To help walkers appreciate the view, historical background was posted along the trail. Three signs were installed to educate walkers about the historic estate and Southborough. Each included QR codes linking to the Historical Society’s website.
You can view the trail map here. The signs are along the section immediately west of Parkerville Road.
Updated: (7/19/24 7:57 am): I had the wrong book listed for the Library’s Story Walk. And the Trustees provided information on the book on display (replaced monthly) in their walk.
Updated: (7/20/24 1:15 pm): I added info on Woodward’s current story.
