Making and Running a StoryWalk

A while back I was asked to share how I make a StoryWalk®.

I first heard about StoryWalks two years ago when I read about

 Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT who had created the first one.

StoryWalks have now been installed in 50 states and 11 countries.

After choosing which book I want to use I buy two copies.

Many times I can find one at a thrift store.

If not Scholastic is a great place to get books

at a very reasonable price.

I then cut the two books a part at the binding and glue each page to a piece of construction paper.

I number the pages so I can keep them in order.

Laminating each page helps protect them when outside.

We live in a very rainy climate so laminating is a must.

Next they are taped to a stake that has one end sharpened.

 Sometimes I like to add props with the book and this one worked

well to include the articles of clothing that appear in the story.

Now it's already to go outside.

The article of clothing was placed with each appropriate page.

Shoes that go 'clomp, clomp'.

Pants that go 'wiggle, wiggle'.

A hat that goes 'nod,nod'

and a pair of gloves that go 'clap, clap'.

And a head that goes 'BOO, BOO!".

Once it was all set up the families started at the cover page.

 The children are encouraged to walk or run to each page

then stop and try to read the pictures.

They also wait for the adults to arrive so they can read the story for them.

As we walked and read the children collected and carried the clothing.

I've done a lot of StoryWalks and the families love them.

This one we did as a group because we were collecting the clothes

but normally they are set up so the families can go at their own pace.

If you are familiar with this story "The Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything"

then you know that the story ends with the clothing making themselves

into a scarecrow.

So that is what we did.

The children collected leaves and stuffed the pants, shirt and gloves.

 Then we tried to put it altogether on a stick.

 But the pumpkin head was too heavy.

 He stood up as long as someone was supporting him.

So we decided to lean him up against a tree trunk.

We left him there and will visit again next month.