ZooMontana debuted its Born Learning Trail with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday morning. The press release says the trail is a collaborative effort with United Way of Yellowstone County and Phillips 66.

The Born Learning Trail offers children and families fun, active learning activities. It allows for engaging opportunities for families while exploring Montana’s only zoo. “We’re so happy to debut this new and fun activity,” said Executive Director of ZooMontana, Jeff Ewelt. “We appreciate the trust United Way has shown us by having the trail installed here, and we’re thankful for community partners like Phillips 66 that invest in great opportunities such as this.”

Pam Sanderson, United Way Volunteer Engagement and Center Director felt that ZooMontana would be a perfect location for the interactive trail. She adds that she is excited to see it put to use at a location where many families come to explore the zoo. The Born Learning Trail by United Way has been introduced to 1,000 communities that support language literacy, social skills development, and quality engagement on a stroll. 

The trails consist of ten interactive signs available in English and Spanish and can be customized for most languages. The signs have been installed in over 700 parks, schools, and communities across the nation. In Montana, there are now four Born Learning Trails installed; the remaining three are in Helena, Bozeman, and Great Falls. 

Born Learning is an engagement campaign by United Way to help caregivers, parents, and grandparents turn everyday moments into fun learning opportunities. Born Learning has long-standing resources that promote early Learning in children. One resource is the Born Learning literacy kits of famous children’s books, which can be found here.

And don’t forget to visit the Born Learning Trail next time you visit ZooMontana!