Learning trail coming to local park

United Way of Northwest Alabama’s Success by 6 Program will be installing another Training Tracks Learning Trail at City Lake Park in Russellville this Friday, March 7, at 8 a.m.

This interactive trail contains signs with instructions for simple games that any adult can play with young children to turn an excursion at the park into fun learning moments.
The Training Tracks Trail is designed to help adults use outdoor activities to boost language and literacy development and to help caregivers understand how best to support early learning in outdoor everyday moments.

The trail signs were created in partnership with students from the University of North Alabama’s Department of Education and are based on the latest early childhood research and approved by national early learning experts.

“The Born Learning Trail promotes fun and games which are important elements of early childhood learning,” Success by 6 director Crystal Magruder said.

“We know that what happens in a child’s early years is significant for school readiness and success in life. Success by 6 wants to do whatever we can to help parents and caregivers use everyday outings, including trips to City Lake Park, to support that learning.”

Success by 6 of Northwest Alabama hopes to install more trails throughout the United Way coverage area, including Franklin, Colbert, and Lauderdale counties.

The inaugural Training Tracks Trail was installed at Guttmann Park in Muscle Shoals in October of 2013.

For more information regarding the Training Tracks Learning Trail, or Success by 6, please contact Crystal Magruder at (256)-764-5892 or visit our website www.uwnwal.org.