Above: There are now five locations in town that encourage combining reading with outdoor activity. Most are for families with young kids. But one is appropriate for tweens through adults. (edited photos clockwise by Beth Melo, Southborough Trails Committee, Lori Winer, and the Trustees)
For readers looking for something to do on a nice summer day (either yourself or with children) I’m posting a reminder about some great options. Four properties in town have StoryWalk® displays available for young kids. A fifth outdoor reading display is geared to older members of the public.
[Note: for those who would prefer swimming or water play options in the area, check out my post from earlier this summer — Where to Splash Around.]
For those unfamiliar with StoryWalks, these are outdoor displays which take children’s picture books and split the pages across a path or trail. The purpose is to encourage literacy and outdoor physical activity.
I took advantage of today’s gorgeous weather to check out the displays around town. Below are the updated details on this summer’s displays.
Southborough Library
(On the lawn behind the parking lot at 25 Main St)
With financing by the Southborough Community fund and assistance from the Department of Public Works, the Library installed a series of StoryWalk displays the summer of 2021.
Of all the StoryWalks in town, this one is in the best condition. The book selection is updated at least once per year. And the current story was just inserted last week — A Perfect Day for Digging by Cari Best.
If you really enjoy reading outdoors, you can also check some books out and read them from the Library’s outdoor seating areas or the Heritage Park (past the parking lot).
Mary E. Finn Elementary School
(60 Richards Road)
The display at the school for PreK-1st graders is definitely in need of some love. (There’s a lot of condensation inside.) But the pages are still legible.
The current story on display, titled “The Froggies and the Lanternfly” is credited to a 2024 8th grade Civics Action Project by a team of Trottier Middle School students who focused on Invasive Species.
The StoryWalk is open to the general public when school isn’t in session. Since no summer programs are being held there, that means it’s available all summer, until school resumes on August 28th. Bonus — the kids can also enjoy the school playgrounds when you visit.
Finn School was the first Southborough location to feature a temporary StoryWalk display in 2016 . In 2019, permanent display cases were installed as part of an Eagle Scout Project and in collaboration with the Southborough Education Foundation (SEF), dedicated to former Principal Randell.
Albert S. Woodward Memorial School
(28 Cordaville Road)
The school for 2nd-3rd graders also began featuring temporary StoryWalk displays in 2016. It was the fist school to add a permanent display (also dedicated to former Principal Randell), installed in September 2018. (The image right was contributed by SEF.)
The story, Only One You by Linda Kranz, hasn’t been updated for some time. It was already faded and in need of a refresh last summer. But while the vibrant colors from the original picture book have all faded to shades of blue, the words and images are still legible.
The StoryWalk is open to the general public when school and summer camp aren’t in session. (Camp is 8:30 – 4:00 pm on weekdays through August 16th. School resumes on August 28th.) During available hours, the playground, which the display borders, is also available.
For older readers – Sudbury Reservoir Trail
(On the southern border of the reservoir behind 84 Main Street, between Parkerville and Deerfoot Roads)
This one is to educate the public on Southborough’s history. (You could consider it a walk through a chapter in the story of Southborough.)
In 2018, a section of the SRT was cleaned up for walking along the reservoir behind the Burnett House. To help walkers appreciate the view, historical background was posted along the trail. Three signs were installed to educate walkers about the historic estate and Southborough. Each included QR codes linking to the Historical Society’s website.
You can view the trail map here. The signs are along the section immediately west of Parkerville Road.
Sadly, there is no longer a StoryWalk at Chestnut Hill Farm. (When I walked the the trails today in search of displays to snap photos of, I couldn’t find any. It appears they have been removed.)
