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The Culture Club & How it Helps the Kids We Serve
Marsha: “Does anyone know what yoga is?”
Child: “I do! He’s on Star Wars!”
This was an opening conversation that Marsha Brito had as she was explaining what yoga is to a small group of 3 and 4-year old children during one of her yoga enrichment sessions. Marsha, an Educational First Steps board member and retired teacher of 15 years, teaching Pre-K and elementary (K, 1st, 3rd, and 6th grades), wanted to expose children to enrichment opportunities that other children in our area have as part of early childhood education. Culture Club grew out of a desire to offer a variety of activities to preschool children who attend a select group our EFS accredited partner centers.
Marsha introduced Culture Club to Educational First Steps in 2017. The program is run by a group of dedicated volunteers and presents enrichment activities such as Yoga, Cooking, Math and Science that support the preschools ongoing curricula.
Before every session an age appropriate book about the activity is read to the children to promote literacy. The Culture Club theme song is encouraged and then the activity begins. When Yoga is introduced to the children, they are encouraged to calm their brain, body and breathing. In this playful yoga class, the children learn yoga poses, breathing and relaxation exercises which increase strength, flexibility and improve balance and coordination.
In addition to yoga classes, Culture Club volunteers have also created unique interactive cooking activities as a fantastic way to include math, science, and sensory play. Children learn the joys of cooking and nutrition. We think they have even more fun eating the creations they’ve made.
Children take an investigative hands-on approach to learn about patterns and color mixing. The curriculum covers areas of development that cultivate curiosity and build universal cognitive and social-emotional skills!
Cute “take away” cards are sent home so that parents know what new skill their children learned and can encourage the activities at home.
Marsha Brito said, “Culture Club is looking to grow our volunteer pool so we can reach more children. The EFS Specialists have been a huge support in helping coordinate the visits. The centers have been friendly and welcoming. The children are always enthusiastic and anxious to take part in the activities but I believe the volunteers may enjoy it the most!”
If
you would like information about volunteering with Culture Club, please contact
marshabrito57@gmail.com.
For additional ways to volunteer, visit Educational First Steps website
at https://educationalfirststeps.org/give/volunteer-opportunities/
Here are some links with activities you can do with your child at home…
https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/yoga-for/kids
Contributer: Shanta Bell is currently an Early Learning Specialist working with post-accredited partner centers.