A brand new interactive story trail is coming to Platt Fields Park next week.
The trail – which is based on a story about elves in the Fallowfield park written by children’s author Rebecca Lewis-Oakes and illustrated by Aaron Cushley – is organised and delivered by the National Literacy Trust.
It’s one of 12 story trails launching across the country next week as part of the Hungry Little Minds campaign.
The campaign provides families of children under five with lots of simple and fun activities to easily slot into their daily routines, all whilst building their child’s speech and language skills at home.
“This story trail is yet another wonderful activity which brings learning to life in pre-school children in a fun and exciting way,” said Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar.
“There is also the added benefit of being in the great outdoors allowing children to be free as well as getting a daily dose of exercise in one of our stunning parks and is sure to be a winner with families across the city.”
The trail will be led by park ranger Mary Clements, who will guide families around the park as they follow the adventures of Uncle Josh, Mia, Kai and their dog Scruffy – all while aiding language and literacy development by filling out an activity booklet along the way.
There will also be an elf garden and elf-making activities to get involved with, and everyone will walk away with a free book thanks to Read Manchester’s Look for a Book partnership.
Writer Rebecca Lewis-Oakes said she is “absolutely thrilled” to be working with the National Literacy Trust and local partners in Manchester on this project.
She said: “It has been a pleasure to discover so many beautiful parks across the country and view them through the exuberant imagination of pre-schoolers [and] I hope this Hungry Little Minds story trail encourages families to explore and enjoy Platt Fields Park, with a gentle underlying prompt toward those key Early Years learning concepts.
“I look forward to seeing the little one’s reactions as they make their way around the magical trail.”
Hungry Little Minds’ Programme Manager Ella Burns added: “These story trails are perfect for families with young children to enjoy throughout the summer months, helping children develop their literacy skills, whilst enjoying a fun and free outdoors adventure.”
The story trail launches on Monday 5 July, with the first session starting at 10am and the second taking place at 1pm.
You can find more information about the trail by checking out Read Manchester here.
Featured Image – Unsplash
