Outdoor Learning

The Truro Public Library offers a variety of engaging outdoor learning experiences:

Children's Community Garden:

Built and maintained by Sustainable CAPE - Center for Agricultural Preservation & Education in partnership with the Truro Public Library staff, allows schoolchildren to grow, harvest, and eat organic produce, fostering an early connection to agriculture. Participants have the opportunity to take home goody bags of vegetables and herbs or contribute to the Grow a Row for Neighbors Fridge in the entrance way of the library.

Mud Kitchen:

Located near the Children's Community Garden, the mud kitchen provides a space for young children to explore and engage their senses, imagination, and creativity with natural materials and kitchen utensils. Three sinks of varying heights offer open-ended learning with water play and soil.

The mud kitchen was funded by a Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) grant through the Massachusetts Board of Library Services (MBLC) titled “Dig Into Youth-grown Vegetables, Fruits, and a Healthier World for All!” awarded in 2021.

Sensory Wall: 

This interactive installation features panels with various textures, colors, shapes, and sounds. It's designed to stimulate senses, improve focus, and aid in cognitive and motor skill development with fun manipulatives.

Anonymous donors provided funds for the Sensory Wall.

Food Forest Path:

This perennial walking path with educational boards is filled with native and edible plants, encouraging interaction with nature and the food we eat. Located directly behind the library, the path can be accessed near the mud kitchen, to the west of the main entrance, or by elevator inside the library.

The Food Forest Path was funded by a Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) grant through the Massachusetts Board of Library Services (MBLC) titled “Dig Into Youth-grown Vegetables, Fruits, and a Healthier World for All!” in 2021 and expanded by the Truro Community Preservation Committee in 2022.