Burlington County children and families have a new destination where they can simultaneously read, move, and enjoy the outdoors.
A new StoryWalk is opening at Riverton Memorial Park (Cedar Street and 8th Street), and the new addition to the Burlington County Library System and riverfront community will be celebrated with a special ribbon-cutting and kickoff party this Wednesday, July 29, at 10 a.m. During the event, officials and residents will get their first look at the new park attraction. Children will also be able to participate in a fun library Storytelling program.
“Love for reading is essential to learning, and it should be as big, imaginative, and accessible as the summer sky,” said Burlington County Library Commission Chair Jonathan Chebra. “StoryWalk is an immersive way for families to experience a story outdoors. It’s another fantastic community resource that extends learning beyond the walls of our BCLS libraries.”
“Reading and literacy are essential to learning, but it doesn’t need to be a solo activity confined to indoors or anchored to a table, desk or chair,” said Burlington County Library Commission Chair Jonathan Chebra. “StoryWalk offers a fun, immersive way to experience a story in the outdoors, with other children, families and readers. It’s a fantastic resource that reflects our commitment to serve communities and the impact our libraries can have both inside and outside our buildings.”
“Reading is a lifelong adventure and Burlington County’s StoryWalks let readers of all ages exercise their bodies and their imaginations,” added Burlington County Commissioner Randy Brolo. “The new StoryWalk is a great addition to Riverton and the Burlington County Library System. We’re excited to see how it can promote literacy and bring families and communities together.”
The Riverton StoryWalk was created through a partnership between the Burlington County Library System, Riverton Borough, and the BCLS Foundation. The attraction consists of numerous reading stations built around the playground in Memorial Park. Each station displays pages from an illustrated children’s book. Visitors to the park can stroll, run or skip from station to station while interacting with the story. Each station also has literacy tips and challenges designed to engage and entertain both children and adult family members.
The Riverton StoryWalk is the second developed by the library system. The first was constructed outside the BCLS Main Branch Library (5 Pioneer Boulevard in Westampton) alongside the Burlington County Amphitheater and launched in 2021.
The Dinosaur in the Garden by Deb Pilutti is currently on display at both the Riverton and Main Branch Library StoryWalks. Stories are typically changed every few months. Some of the previous titles that have been used at the BCLS Main Branch StoryWalk include: Explorers of the Wild by Cale Atkinson; The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds; All Are Neighbors by Alexandra Penfold, Illustrations by Suzanne Kaufman; Something, Someday by Amanda Gordon, Illustrations by Christian Robinson; In a Jar by Deborah Marcero; and The Hike by Alison Farrell.
