United Way of Mid Coast Maine invites parents, grandparents, their young children, and others in the community to visit the first Born Learning Trail in Maine, located next to the Bath Area Family YMCA building at 303 Centre Street in Bath.  

“The Born Learning Trail promotes fun and games- important components of early childhood learning,” says Glenn Hutchinson, President of Bath Savings Institution and a volunteer with Success By 6 at United Way. “Research tells us children are ‘born learning.’ That means five years of education take place before they ever enter kindergarten. We know that what happens in a child’s early years matters- for success in life and for school readiness. And we want to help families use everyday outings- including trips to the Born Learning Trail- to support that learning.”

The Born Learning Trail weaves through a beautiful wooded area, providing a series of learning activities to help parents, grandparents, and caregivers turn an outdoor excursion into fun learning moments, and to help the child come to school ready to succeed.

There are ten signs on the Born Learning Trail, each including activities such as: “Pretend to move like an animal. Walk like a duck or jump like a frog” and “Is your child staring or pointing at something? Ask, ‘what do you see’?” The trail’s theme of Watch! Stop! Learn! Play! encourages parents and caregivers to follow the child’s lead, building the child’s curiosity and confidence, and reinforcing the learning already under way.

United Way of Mid Coast Maine has partnered with the Bath Trails group who is developing a network of trails around Bath and is working to expand hiking and biking opportunities in the region.  The Born Learning Trail is located on city-owned land just to the left of the Bath YMCA building.  United Way created the Born Learning Trail with key sponsorships from Bath Savings Institution and Border Trust, in addition to support from the YMCA, Bath Trails, and several volunteers.

Parents interested in learning more from Born Learning materials or who seek information and resources about early learning are encouraged to visit www.bornlearning.org.