The program that combines walking, reading, talking, and learning into one enjoyable family activity is returning to Fort Scott. StoryWalk is a collaborative public offering for families of young children to help with reading skills, develop relationship skills, have a physically active, outdoors experience together, according to Joy Miller with Kansas State University Research and Extension.

Fort Scott Public Library and K-State have once again collaborated on the family reading program.

Beginning Sunday, July 14, families can go to the library at 201 S. National Avenue to begin StoryWalk. A different story will be featured every three weeks until the end of the program on September 16.

Story panels begin at the ground level door on the north side of the library. Families may then proceed counterclockwise walking around the block from Second Street to National Avenue to Third Street to Main Street, then back to the library.

Ideally, families will read each panel, talk about the story, and move on to the next panel.

Every three weeks, a new book for young children will be featured, giving families abundant opportunities for finding time to enjoy the activity and even do repeate readings.

The theme of this installment of StoryWalk is to encourage families to walk together while learning scientific themes.

For the past two years, the extension office and the library have hosted similar storywalk programs.

Featured books will be “The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds,” “The Magic School Bus Gets Eaten,” and “The Magic School Bus Gets Planted,”  by Joanna Cole.

Questions about StoryWalk can be directed to Joy Miller at 620-223-3720 or Valetta Cannon at 620-223-2882.