Breathe in, breathe out and strike a pose! Preschool students in Ms. Stephanie Jones’ class at Clark Early Learning Center (ELC) are finding their balance — literally — thanks to new bi-weekly yoga sessions woven into the school day.
Students have been deep breathing, planting their roots in Tree Pose, and building strength in Warrior I and II. The mini sessions, offered free of charge, began at the start of the school year and are led by Becky Smiddy, owner of Sunflower Yoga in Springfield and Urbana.
Smiddy introduces new poses regularly and sends home engaging resources — like yoga-themed coloring sheets — to help reinforce what students are learning.
While the young yogis may be a few years away from mastering Scorpion Pose, there are numerous benefits to incorporating movement during the school day. According to the National Education Association, it can improve children’s mood, behavior and stress regulation.
But this isn’t Clark Preschool’s first exploration into the world of movement-based learning. Last school year, the school partnered with BalletMet of Columbus, offering students in Specialized Learning Community classrooms the chance to explore basic ballet movements during the school day.