Born Learning

Everyday is a learning experience for children. Children start learning the minute they are born.  What they learn in the first five years depends on their experiences.

Athough parents and other caretakers understand how important the early years are, they may not know exactly what to do to encourage learning or feel they don’t have time to do what it takes to prepare their child for school. Many parents are interested in learning about specific daily activities that are both fun and can easily fit into a busy family schedule.  Born Learning is a public engagement campaign that helps parents, grandparents and caregivers explore ways to turn everyday moments into fun learning opportunities.

Currently, half of all children in the U.S, who enter kindergarten have underdeveloped learning skills.  According to the U.S. Department of Education, almost half of kindergartners enter school unprepared and fall behind their peers when learning such essential skills as reading.  "Experts agree that a parent is a child’s first and most influential teacher and that they can foster childhood development long before a child enters the classroom," said Brian Gallager, United Way of America’s president and CEO. "Born Learning provides tangible tools."

Tips and Activities

Ages and Stages - developmental milestones for your child from Birth to Age 5

Learning on the Go Series 

The Trail

The Born Learning Trail is an interactive, playful and visible community engagement tool. It’s part of the Born Learning campaign, designed to help parents, caregivers and communities support early learning. The Trail helps boost children’s language and literacy skills – and encourages families to get active together.

Engaging signs help parents and caregivers create learning opportunities for their young child.  Knox County is fortunate to have two trails - one at the Danville Community Park and the other in Mount Vernon at Riverside Park just off West High Street.