A new feature has been added to Brainerd’s Kiwanis Park that emphasizes learning for pre-K children, known as the Born Learning Trail.

“We’re really excited to be bringing a new asset to the Brainerd Lakes Area supporting education,” explained Lakes Area United Way executive director Jon Aga. “It’s a series of 10 interactive signs that parents and caregivers can do with their kids, just guided learning activities from gross motor skills, playing hopscotch, to taking in the world around you.”

This new installation came to Kiwanis Park as a collaboration between the Lakes Area United Way and the Brainerd Kiwanis Club.

“Parks and Rec decided to put the Born Learning Trail here at Kiwanis Park, because [Kiwanis International] mainly focuses on children around the world,” said Brainerd Kiwanis Club president Brian Ross. “So this kind of fit our motto and what we like to do.”

To make the Born Learning Trail a reality, several community members gathered in Kiwanis Park to install the trail.

“We got several Kiwanis members doing painting,” said Ross. “We also have Key Club members. A key club comes out of the high school, we sponsor the Key Club at the high school.”

“They had this opportunity to do this exciting work here at the park and just a few days ago asked, ‘Hey, do you have any volunteers who would be willing to help us?'” said Brainerd High School Key Club advisor Wendy Vandeputte. “And lo and behold, a whole bunch of them showed up.”

The Lakes Area United Way hopes that this trail will become the first of many for the Brainerd Lakes Area, as they hope to create more within the near future.

“We love to keep putting these in parks and at schools wherever kids and caregivers gather to be able to facilitate learning wherever people look,” explained Aga. “We would love to put it throughout the community, wherever people would like to have one.”

The Lakes Area United Way will also host a “Stuff a Bus” event on August 25th to cap off their annual school supply drive for the community.

By — Justin Othoudt