By APRIL JORDAN
PASCAGOULA – Learning happens everywhere a child goes, but parents, grandparents and caregivers may not always know how to support that learning.
Thanks to a partnership between United Way for Jackson & George Counties and the City of Pascagoula, that will not be the case for children in Jackson County. When Mom and Dad, Aunt Amy and Grandpa take their favorite young child to Pascagoula’s Beach Park, they’ll be able to play fun games together that will help the child come to school ready to succeed.
Today, local community volunteers created an outdoor interactive early learning Trail at Beach Park in Pascagoula to help parents, grandparents and caregivers turn excursions into fun learning moments.
The Born Learning Trail is a series of learning activities that any adult can play with young children. It is sponsored by United Way for Jackson & George Counties.
Based on the latest early childhood research and approved by national early learning experts through United Way Worldwide, 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 outdoor everyday moments.
United Way research has found that many parents and caregivers undervalue their role in preparing young children for school and do not know exactly what actions to take to prepare young children for this next step in their lives. It is United Way’s hope that having the trail will help make this process fun and exciting for all to enjoy.
There are 9 signs on the approximately half-mile Born Learning Trail, each including activities such as: Watch! Stop! Learn! Play!, which encourages the caregiver to follow the child’s lead, building the child’s curiosity and confidence, while reinforcing the learning already under way. Another sign reads Hop! Toss! Shake! Wiggle!, and includes a hand painted hopscotch court that gets children’s brains and bodies moving, building fine and gross motor skills as well as the thinking that is instrumental for kindergarten success.
“The Born Learning Trail promotes fun and games – important components of early childhood learning,” said Carolyn Moore, Chief Professional Officer of United Way for Jackson & George Counties. “Research tells us children are literally ‘born learning.’ That means five years of education take place before they ever enter kindergarten. We know that what happens in a child’s early years matter – for success in life and for school readiness. And we want to help parents, grandparents and caregivers use everyday outings – including trips to Beach Park – to support that learning.”
“We are proud to partner with the city of Pascagoula and offer the first United Way Born Learning Trail on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. As an organization aimed at improving the lives of individuals in our community, we believe in investing in early childhood development programs and helping children prepare now for successful futures,” said Ellen Cole, Board President for United Way for Jackson & George Counties.
Pascagoula is a strong supporter of the Born Learning Trail. “We hope the Born Learning Trail will help our community do even more to get kids off to the right start,” said Darcie Crew, Pascagoula Parks & Recreation Director. “We felt that United Way’s Born Learning Trail was a perfect tie in to the existing work being done on the Katrina Trail and wanted to be the first in South Mississippi to feature it.”
The trail will be featured as part of the City of Pascagoula’s Katrina Trail currently being built at the Beach Park site. It begins on the west side of the playground and meanders by the canal in the park before connecting with the existing sidewalks to the south. Signage along the trail will focus on fitness and active lifestyles with Hurricane Katrina facts from Pascagoula and decorative tiles from local art students along the way.
Parents who want Born Learning materials or information and resources about early learning programs can call 211, United Way’s statewide information and referral hotline.
For more information about the Born Learning Trail, contact the United Way office at 228-762-8557.
