Parents, kids can combine reading, outdoors year-round
OCEAN CITY – Throughout the year, parents will be able to visit Lake Memorial Park to enjoy the outdoors while reading to their children.
On Friday afternoon, Karen Mahar, director of the Ocean City Free Public Library, was surrounded by children, their parents, library employees, Friends and Volunteers members and local officials as she cut the ribbon at the entrance to the park, dedicating a permanent StoryWalk.
StoryWalk began during the pandemic as temporary attractions, featuring pages of children’s books posted around the park’s meandering walkway. As parents led (or chased) their children through the park, they could read the pages together and move on. By the end, they had finished the book.
Now the temporary displays have been replaced by permanent frames and the StoryWalk, instead of popping up periodically, will have a book on display year-round in the tree-shaded park at 407 Wesley Ave.
Children’s librarian Taimi Kelley discovered a StoryWalk while traveling.
“Thank God she went to Vermont because she brought this project back to the library,” Mahar said. “She started it during COVID. What a great way to be outside and to read. Wait until you hear the rest of what she has coming. I can’t keep up with her ideas. She’s awesome.”
Kelley said the book used for this StoryWalk – “Strictly No Elephants” – “has a theme about inclusivity and kindness.” She explained that as people come into the park they turn right on the walkway and can read the story displayed two panels at a time. At the end is instructions for a scavenger hunt. Participants can use their phones to capture the QR code which helps children find eight animals from the story hidden in the park’s trees.
“Because it’s a kindness theme, we’re asking the children to draw and write how they can be kind, and to bring the drawings to the library to be put on display. You can get a prize,” she said. “We have a kindness pledge we’re asking everyone to sign, children and adults.”
The library was giving out “a tiny pet” to all the children who signed the pledge. “You can teach your pet how to be kind to others. Do you think you can do that?” Kelley asked, looking at the children gathered around. They answered with a resounding “yes!”
Mahar drew laughs when she added, “They’re not live pets, parents.”
All the children also got bubbles to blow as they all counted down from 10 before Mahar used big ceremonial scissors to cut the ribbon at the park.”
“I’m so excited,” Kelley said. “I said when I started it that books and nature are two of my favorite things. To bring them together for kids in Ocean City and neighboring communities is great.
“When we did the temporary signs because of the size, it limited the types of books that I could do because of the number of pages and size of pages. Because we have more panels and they are large, it really has opened up any children’s book for the StoryWalk. That’s nice,” she said. The plan is to have a new book every two months.
“I can’t think of anything more perfect for Ocean City, considering that we’re America’s Greatest Family Resort, because it is a fact that family values and literacy rituals are developed when you read together,” said Jennifer Shirk, president of the library’s board of directors.
Mahar said the project “allows us to utilize this park, which was underutilized.” She offered a round of thanks to all those who have supported the library’s StoryWalk project to be set in the public park, including Mayor Jay Gillian “for allowing his Public Works Department to help us and to keep the park clean and up to date.”
She also thanked Glenn Watson of Bayside Construction, who put the structures together, and other local officials.
“And I want to truly thank the Friends and Volunteers (of the Ocean City Free Public Library) for their advocacy and support,” Mahar said. “They really are awesome. They funded this entire project, so we really appreciate that.”
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff