Fit for Kids program targets kindergarteners as it continues in
its fourth year at local schools
Students in Paula Jacob’s Sunnyslope School kindergarten buzzed
like bumblebees, purred like cats and hooted like owls recently as
they participated in their monthly yoga session with Robin Pollard
and Karin Larsen.
Pollard and Larsen, who have been teaching yoga at local schools
since 2006, have a grant to offer 10 sessions for the school year
as well as two parent nights. In March, they visited Calaveras,
Gabilan Hills, Sunnyslope, R.O. Hardin schools and the Hollister
Dual Language Academy.
Fit for Kids program targets kindergarteners as it continues in its fourth year at local schools
Students in Paula Jacob’s Sunnyslope School kindergarten buzzed like bumblebees, purred like cats and hooted like owls recently as they participated in their monthly yoga session with Robin Pollard and Karin Larsen.
Pollard and Larsen, who have been teaching yoga at local schools since 2006, have a grant to offer 10 sessions for the school year as well as two parent nights. In March, they visited Calaveras, Gabilan Hills, Sunnyslope, R.O. Hardin schools and the Hollister Dual Language Academy.
The program started as a pilot in 2006 at R.O. Hardin Elementary School, as an effort to combat diabetes in San Benito County. The program came out of an idea from the San Benito County Diabetes Coalition and the Fit for Kids committee to teach healthy eating and yoga to kindergarten students. Pollard, who was teaching yoga at the local YMCA, partnered with Chris Breen to conduct sessions with the students a couple times a month. The program also included parents’ nights, where parents could learn about healthy snacks for children as well as see their children do yoga poses.
“Other schools started hearing about it and asking about it,” Pollard said. “It was through word of mouth of the teachers. We didn’t go out and search people. They found us.”
The initial grant for the program came from the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, and Pollard said they stretched the funding from one year into subsequent years. This year, they also received funding from First 5 San Benito and have applied for funding through the Community Foundation of San Benito County.
This year, they are working with 450 kindergarten students. The program has three goals: The first is to talk to students about the importance of drinking water and to lower consumption of sodas or other sugary drinks. The second is to promote the benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. The last goal is to get kids moving more.
“At the family nights, we talk to parents and educate them on nutrition,” Pollard said. “I’m amazed at the stuff they learn.”
They talk about how much sugar and fat is in certain foods, as well as offer suggestions for healthier foods such as apricots and almonds.
“During the summer program, we had a picnic and I was surprised at how many kids had never had an apricot,” Pollard said.
Much of the funding for each year goes to family nights, Larsen said. They purchase foods to make nutritious snacks for the families, a door prize such as a blender or nonstick pan to help families make healthy meals at home and prizes for the kids such as balls to keep them active at home. They often find health educators who donate their time.
“It is important to teach kids, but parents are doing the shopping,” Larsen said.
Jacob, the kindergarten teacher at Sunnyslope School, said her students look forward to the yoga sessions, which last about 20 minutes.
“They love it,” she said. “We had to explain to them what yoga is. Most had no idea; maybe one or two had moms who had done it.”
Jacob said even the kindergarten students involved in the program have really gotten in tune with stretching and health.
“They discuss diet, whatever the season,” Jacob said. “When it was Halloween, they talked about not eating too much candy.”
At the recent session, Pollard and Larsen discussed drinking lots of water when the weather warms up to keep bodies hydrated.
“Water keeps us happy and healthy,” Pollard said. “It helps us grow up strong.”
Although the students squirm a bit in some of the longer relaxation poses that require them to lie quietly on the floor, they follow along well to the more active poses.
“The kids love the partner stretches,” Jacob added. “It’s not just baseball or soccer. They don’t know they are using their muscles when stretching.”
Each visit has a theme. The recent yoga session took the students on a journey through the garden. Before the first classes arrived, Pollard and Larsen had set up flower-shaped sticky notes on the floor of the multipurpose room. Each student was advised to pick a flower for their spot – set far enough away that the kids could move through the poses without bumping into each other. The instructors work with 50 students per session, and conduct two 20-minute sessions at each school.
“They have fun,” Larsen said. “During the first visit they come in and have no idea what yoga is. They start moving and soon realize it’s fun.”
She said she sees the benefits in the kids over the sessions, as their attention spans increase, their balance improves and they gain awareness of their bodies.
On the recent visit, Pollard and Larsen start the kids in what they call bumblebee pose – sitting cross-legged with their arms flapping like wings as they make a buzzing noise. They move into other poses, often making animal sounds as they go – hooting for owls, buzzing for bees and meowing for cats.
“We feel very fortunate to have them take the time to come here,” Jacob said.
Pollard and Larsen will be offering a summer yoga program through the City of Hollister Receration department. Final dates and times will be announced in the coming weeks.
