On Oct. 20, nearly 200 children and their families attended the 3rd annual Children's Festival Down by the Bog at Booker T. Washington Park in Charlottesville! In partnership with Wildrock, Charlottesville Parks and Recreation, Albemarle Garden Club, Jefferson Madison Regional Library and VPM, the free, family-focused event included multiple activity stations that explored and celebrated the benefits of nature play. Check out a slideshow (above) to see how much fun the kids had!
“The kids are able to discover hidden stone frogs in the wetland garden, learn about the pollinator hotel, have a forest story time, play musical instruments and create floral bouquets with flowers donated by Albemarle Garden Club members,” said Dana Harris of Albemarle Garden Club. “In addition to pop-up play stations, the activities are designed to be fun and to boost cognitive and social-emotional development of children in a natural setting.”
On this beautiful fall day, VPM staff and volunteers guided children and families through The Basics Preschool Nature Trail. Families were given Basics kits to enjoy together at home, which include books, activities and tip sheets. VPM also handed out fun swag, including books for older children, VPM frisbees, bumper stickers and buttons.
"The convenient location at the Booker T. Washington Park, collaboration with partners and free admission all make the event feel accessible and in line with Wildrock's goals to promote nature equity in Charlottesville,” said Wildrock executive director Meg Phillips. “Not all children have equal access to nature, so we love the welcoming and simple vibe we had this past week!”
In 2022, VPM collaborated with Wildrock to create The Basics Preschool Nature Trail — permanent signage for The Basics through the lens of nature that leads to the park's bog garden. The Basics, one of VPM's main early childhood education initiatives, is a messaging campaign that focuses on five key caregiving behaviors that are important for the cognitive and social-emotional development of children from birth to age five.
“VPM's participation in the Children's Festival is a perfect example of community partners joining forces with a focus on early learning and love of nature,” said VPM’s director of early childhood care and education Mary Jo Grieve. “Embedding our Basics messaging into the park with permanent signage enables the learning to continue and live on beyond the festival for ongoing impact.”