Elementary School Students Explore the Element of Life at the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival

Over 650 students from grades two to five got to explore the element of life in the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival (PCWF) at the lower grounds of the Riverview Park & Zoo on Wednesday morning.

A student takes a close look at an aquatic larvae at the Healthy Shorelines Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation.

The festival had over 35 interactive learning centres designed for children to explore the importance of water conservation. There were over 45 classes to attend from over 20 different schools in the Region over two days.

Patricia Skopelianos, Chair of the PCWF Organizing Committee, says that new guest activity centres are joining this year’s festival including The Peterborough Public Library’s book bike to celebrate their 2024 Summer Reading Challenge theme of water.

“In addition, we are welcoming a new activity centre called Leveraging the Locks featuring an interactive model of a canal lock,” she said. “To teach kids about how they work, and why we have them on the Trent-Severn Waterway.”

The activity centers exciting allow students to explore the concepts of water conservation, cultural perspectives, water attitudes, technology, protection and science.

The Peterborough Children’s Water Festival is one of 25 festivals across the province this year. Since its inception in 2001, the PCWF has reached more than 30,388 elementary students and 6,684 teachers and parent helpers from across Peterborough City and County according to a press release.

“We are very fortunate to have tremendous community support for the Peterborough Children's Water Festival” said Skopelianos “For 22 years, local businesses and agencies have made generous financial contributions. We also have many volunteers who give their time and expertise and several more who provide in-kind contributions. Our community helps make this Festival a reality for the children.”

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.