On a breezy, warm, Vermont August morning, 45 children and adults gathered at the picnic pavilion in Molly Stark State Park to celebrate what would have been Tasha’s 104th birthday.
Angela Yakovleff, Pettee Memorial Library’s youth librarian led us in an opening song, then guided us all along the trail of Tasha’s pages. The kids giggled at the idea of a duck swimming in a dish, exuberantly told us how many sisters they themselves have, and ran through the grass to be the first to find the next page in the series. When the walk and story were finished, we blew out a candle for Tasha all together, and shared mini chocolate cupcakes in her honor.
Next, the children were given a list of natural items to find…one blade of grass as long as your hand, two acorns, three pebbles, four pieces of bark from the ground, etc. When they had collected all ten items, they made their own counting books with simple template books that we made ahead and bound with sticks and hemp.
It was a magical morning and a great pilot event for our newest initiative, the Tasha’s W.O.R.L.D project (Walk Outside, Read, Learn, Discover). We are looking forward to taking the next steps, collaborating with educators, artisans and naturalists, creating free curriculum and making these events and materials available worldwide!
Special thanks to Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, creator of The StoryWalk® Project developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.