Courtesy/UWNNM
UWNNM News:
Learning happens everywhere a child goes, but parents, grandparents and caregivers may not always know how to support that learning. 
That won’t be the case at Urban Park in Los Alamos – now when parents, grandparents and caregivers take their favorite young child to Urban Park, they’ll be able to play fun games together that will help the child come to school ready to succeed.
This is because United Way of Northern New Mexico (UWNNM), Los Alamos County, Metzger’s Do It Best and the YMCA YES Corp, along with some community volunteers will come together Thursday, June 19 to create an outdoor interactive early learning Trail at Urban Park 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 UWNNM Community Action Fund Donors, Los Alamos County Parks, Recreation and Open Space Division and Metzger’s Do It Best.
Based on the latest early childhood research and approved by national early learning experts through United Way of America, 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.
There are 10 signs on the Born Learning Trail, each including activities such as “Look, Learn and Laugh” and “Hop, Toss, Shake and Wiggle” Watch! Stop! Learn! Play! encourages the caregiver to follow the child’s lead, while building the child’s curiosity and confidence.
Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday, June 19 at Urban Park to install the signs and paint the activities on the Trial. Los Alamos County Parks, Recreation and Open Space division will provide shovels, poles and paint brushes and Metzger’s Do It Best has graciously donated paint and cement to help with installation.
Volunteer’s include United Way of Northern New Mexico staff, board and Youth Team along with volunteers from the Los Alamos Family YMCA YES Corps.
United Way has invited the classes from Little Forest Playschool and kids from Family Strengths Network to test out the new trail at 10 a.m. Friday, June 20.
