Born Learning Trail in Elgin provides activities for parents, kids

Threatening weather wasn't enough to stop some 40 volunteers Wednesday from United Way of Elgin and Exelon/ComEd who dotted the pathway through Copper Springs Park in Elgin as they installed a Born Learning Trail.

Elissa Kojarzek, director of marketing for the United Way of Elgin, says that the learning trail is a series of "fun things for parents to do with their kids to prepare them for school."

The Copper Springs Trail is sponsored by Advocate Sherman Hospital and Elgin Academy. It is the second trail built in Elgin.

The first trail was installed last fall at Channing Park, thanks to the city of Elgin, One Hope United, and Elgin Community College volunteers.

The Born Learning Trail is a series of learning activities that any adult can play with young children in nature's classroom.

Based on the latest early childhood research and approved by national early learning experts through United Way Worldwide, 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 Imagine! Create! Pretend! which encourages the caregiver to spur the child's imagination and storytelling skills, building the child's curiosity and confidence and See! Say! Point! Read! which builds letter and sound recognition through word play and rhymes.