Citation
Partika, A., Terrell, E., & Gerard, S. (2025). Evaluation of a playful, learning-rich Story Trails pilot in Philadelphia: Final report. SRI International.
Abstract
Starting in fall 2024, Too Small to Fail and KABOOM! piloted playful, learning-rich Story Trails in five public parks across Philadelphia. These literacy-rich walking paths use panels from children’s books followed by playful tactile activities to support early literacy in everyday park experiences. To assess how families used the Story Trails and whether the installations effectively support playful, learning-rich experiences, SRI Education conducted a formative evaluation from fall 2024 through summer 2025. The evaluation resulted in the following key findings:
- During initial data collection, engagement with Story Trails was limited and locations did not align with where families spent time.
- How families used Story Trails depended on the age of the child, but most engaged in pairs and focused on the stories rather than the playful learning elements.
- Families at Story Trails sites were more likely to share focus, have positive interactions, use literacy and storytelling language, and view the park as a place where children can learn compared to families at comparison sites.
Based on these findings, we recommend installing Story Trails in places where families typically go and integrating more active, hands-on play throughout Story Trails.
