Yoga Comes to Wayne Township Preschool, Thanks to WTEF Grant

Anyone who has ever worked with preschool children knows that keeping their attention requires a variety of approaches. Wayne Township Preschool Lead Childcare Teacher Alicia Gay’s approaches include a unique tool: yoga.

“I have been trying to practice mindfulness with myself and my students, so I thought yoga would help with that,” said Ms. Gay. “We already have mindfulness moments where we will sit and just breathe together and sometimes we lie down for a minute just to give ourselves a little reset.”

Ms. Gay said she has been doing morning yoga with her students for the last two years, and that it “helps us stretch and get some of our wiggles out.”

With a grant from the Wayne Township Education Foundation, Ms. Gay has been able to better equip her students for that morning yoga routine. The grant allowed her to buy two yoga kits. Each kit included six yoga mats and 50 activity cards.

“Yoga mats help the students stay in their own area so they don’t disturb other students,” Ms. Gay said. “It also helps them not slip on the carpets or rugs and it gives them a more real yoga experience.”

Sometimes students do yoga with the help of Cosmic Kids videos, and other times they use the activity cards included in the kits.

“I have a class of high energy students this year so it is important to help them use some of their energy in a positive way,” said Ms. Gay. “Yoga helps them to calm and relax their bodies so they can transition to the next phase of the morning with more ease.”

ABOUT THE WAYNE TOWNSHIP EDUCATION FOUNDATION
The Wayne Township Education Foundation (WTEF) provides community leadership to enrich, engage, and stimulate teaching and learning in the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township. WTEF accomplishes this by supporting school programs and resources, while recognizing excellence among students and staff. To learn more about WTEF, call 317-988-7966, visit wtef.wayne.k12.in.us, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @WayneTwpEdFound.