Encourage your child to read and stay active by taking a stroll through a StoryWalk®. We have partnered with South Bend Venues Parks and Arts and United Way of St. Joseph County to offer three brand new Storywalks® in South Bend parks.
On a StoryWalk®, pages from a children’s book are displayed alongside a nature trail so that families can read the story while walking through the park. Chosen for their focus on wellness, the Storywalks® are part of the Hello Summer initiative to foster social interaction and healthy activities for families of all backgrounds.
Hello Summer! at Kennedy Park
Hello Summer! by Shelley Rotner explores how the natural world changes in summertime through photographs of children enjoying summer activities outdoors. Enjoy this Storywalk® by the playground and splash pad at Kennedy Park.
Daniel’s Good Day at Pulaski Park
In this picture book written and illustrated by Micha Archer, young Daniel writes a poem about the everyday activities that bring joy to his neighbors. Experience Daniel’s Good Day along the walking trail at Pulaski Park.
Thank You, Omu at Rum Village Park
Inspired by author Oge Mora’s own grandmother, Thank You, Omu is the story of how a delicious meal can bring a whole neighborhood together. Meet Omu and her community while walking through Rum Village Park.
These Storywalks were made possible by Hello Summer, an initiative by United Way of St. Joseph County and South Bend Venues, Parks and Arts. Hello Summer aims to help families of all backgrounds recover & transition into the next school year with programming that takes children outside, promotes social interaction, and presents new and exciting challenges. Their Self-Healing Communities Coalition focuses on helping communities heal from all forms of trauma by placing emphasis on neurobiological development.
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Feruson of Montpellier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
A fourth Storywalk® is also available at North Liberty Town Park. Sponsored by Woods Unlimited, this StoryWalk® features the beloved fish story This Is Not My Hat, by Jon Klassen, in celebration of the trout that run through the Kankakee River. Stop by this summer to read, walk, and see the fish!
