Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences
Active parents have active children and physical activity is a key component to chronic disease prevention. Anne Ferguson, a chronic disease specialist, often found parents sitting on the sidelines while children participated in activities. She developed the StoryWalk Project, an activity in which parents had to be as active as the children. Her idea was to take pages from a childrens picture book, attach each to a stake and line them up along a path for people to read and enjoy. Her project idea has spread across the nation and continues to grow.
StoryWalks are fun and can be an educational family activity provided within communities. Participating in a Story-Walk not only provides an opportunity for physical activity but also time outside, family time, building relationships, and promoting reading literacy with children.
This summer, the Southwind Extension District will be setting up StoryWalks with childrens stories about money management. Children begin to learn about money and its use from their parents and caregivers by watching them earn, shop, save and borrow. Having experiences with money is important to develop financial literacy.
