The Combined Arms Research Library has an animal-themed activity course chalked onto the sidewalk in front of the library that starts at the book/audio-visual drop box. The animal-themed sidewalk chalk art corresponds with the April 15 “Furry Friends” Window Walk Wednesday, an initiative encouraging post residents to display themed artwork each week for their neighbors to see. Upcoming Window Walk Wednesdays include "Go Green!" April 22, "Home Sweet Home" April 29, "Under the Sea" May 6 and "School Spirit" May 13. See the kick-off story at https://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/community/2020/04/09/window-walks-encourage-resident-creativity/. Photo by Prudence Siebert/Fort Leavenworth Lamp
Katie Peterson | Staff Writer
Simon says chase your tail. Simon
says hop like a bunny. Simon says stand like a flamingo. Simon says party like
an animal.
The Combined Arms Research Library has an animal-themed activity course chalked onto the sidewalk in front of the library that starts at the book/audio-visual drop box. The animal-themed sidewalk chalk art, which asks participants to “stand like a flamingo,” “hop like a bunny,” “party like an animal,” and more, corresponds with the April 15 “Furry Friends” Window Walk Wednesday, an initiative encouraging post residents to display themed artwork each week for their neighbors to see. Upcoming Window Walk Wednesdays include “Go Green!” April 22, “Home Sweet Home” April 29, “Under the Sea” May 6 and “School Spirit” May 13. See the kick-off story at https://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/community/2020/04/09/window-walks-encourage-resident-creativity/.
This was one of five sections
included in the Combined Arms Research Library’s animal-themed activity course
drawn in chalk on the sidewalk outside the library.
The activity course was CARL’s
contribution to the Combined Arms Center Window Walk Wednesdays “Furry Friends”
theme April 15.
“I originally wanted to make
decorations to put out on the library windows and have chalk activities to
encourage people to walk by the library, but all of our windows are tinted, and
there aren’t a ton of windows in areas easy to walk by, so I embraced the chalk
idea,” said Sierra Hochstatter, CARL circulation library technician. “I used
Pinterest to get some ideas on how to make interactive chalk designs.
“It is an interactive course where
participants can exercise their bodies and minds. Imagination is very important
for these activities,” she said. “Since we have been unable to host events
inside the library, we have been looking for ways to connect with our community
in other ways.”
The Combined Arms Research Library has an animal-themed activity course chalked onto the sidewalk in front of the library that starts at the book/audio-visual drop box. The animal-themed sidewalk chalk art, which asks participants to navigate a “river” of lily pads, floating logs, turtles and alligators without stepping on any animals as well as other activities along the route, corresponds with the April 15 “Furry Friends” Window Walk Wednesday, an initiative encouraging post residents to display themed artwork each week for their neighbors to see. Upcoming Window Walk Wednesdays include “Go Green!” April 22, “Home Sweet Home” April 29, “Under the Sea” May 6 and “School Spirit” May 13. See the kick-off story at https://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/community/2020/04/09/window-walks-encourage-resident-creativity/. Photo by Prudence Siebert/Fort Leavenworth Lamp
The course begins by the book/audio-video
drop box near Smith Lake. Along the route, participants make animal sounds
corresponding with the animals drawn; play Simon Says; get across the
“alligator-infested river” by walking across logs and hopping on lily pads and
rocks without stepping on turtles; move like different animals including
sloths, fish and penguins; and rest and listen to the sounds of nature.
“This is meant to be a fun outing.
If participants don’t want to do a part of the course, it is not a big deal. It
can also be educational,” Hochstatter said. “We are asking participants to
identify animals, noises and actions. Parents can supplement the course by
asking questions that dig deeper than just what is drawn on the path…to build
critical thinking skills.
“My hope is that people will just
have a lot of fun getting out of the house,” she said. “CARL has always been a
place where our patrons go to escape, learn and have fun. This obstacle course
will hopefully provide all of these as well.”
A fisherman casts a line into Smith Lake just beyond messages written in sidewalk chalk encouraging participants of the Combined Arms Research Library’s animal-themed activity course to “enjoy nature” and observe nature sounds at the rest station of the course. The activity course is chalked onto the sidewalk in front of the library and starts at the book/audio-visual drop box. The animal-themed sidewalk chalk art corresponds with the April 15 “Furry Friends” Window Walk Wednesday, an initiative encouraging post residents to display themed artwork each week for their neighbors to see. Upcoming Window Walk Wednesdays include “Go Green!” April 22, “Home Sweet Home” April 29, “Under the Sea” May 6 and “School Spirit” May 13. See the kick-off story at https://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/community/2020/04/09/window-walks-encourage-resident-creativity/. Photo by Prudence Siebert/Fort Leavenworth Lamp
Sections of the activity course
are spaced six feet apart so multiple families can participate at the same time
while practicing social distancing. Use of face coverings is advised when
participating in the course.
“If weather permits, we want to do
a course every week for Window Walk Wednesdays,” Hochstatter said. “I have a
lot more ideas to make future courses.”
