ELECTIVE PROGRAMS

*Our elective programs can, for an additional fee, introduce your child to new interests beyond the daily classroom curriculum. By using small-group dynamics, these programs give children new ways to play and explore creatively.*

Artistic Fusion:

Yoga, Dance, Music, Martial Arts and Language Immersion

Liberal arts refers to a broad academic approach that encompasses a range of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. It emphasizes the development of critical thinking, analytical skills, and a well-rounded education.

In a liberal arts education, students are encouraged to explore various subjects such as literature, philosophy, history, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, and the arts. The curriculum often includes courses from different disciplines, allowing students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the world and its complexities.

Liberal arts education aims to foster intellectual curiosity, creativity, and the ability to think independently. It emphasizes the cultivation of skills such as effective communication, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary thinking. This approach encourages students to develop a broad knowledge base and a deeper understanding of the human experience, society, culture, and the natural world.

Liberal arts education is often contrasted with professional or vocational education, which focuses more narrowly on specific skills or career-oriented training. Liberal arts graduates are valued for their adaptability, critical thinking abilities, and capacity to engage with complex ideas, making them well-suited for a wide range of careers and lifelong learning.

What is Yoga

Yoga is one form of practice which includes breath control and specific body postures (asana) that provides a range of physical, spiritual and mental relaxation. It teaches children to be calm, while gaining awareness of the bodies, self control and discipline.

Benefits Of Yoga for Children

When children practice yoga it increases their confidence, builds concentration and strengthens growing bodies. For children with behavioral issues, yoga can improve their impulses in a positive direction and provides them with an outlet as a way to manage their behaviour.

Physical Benefits of Yoga

Helps develop the right balance of muscle tone and strength throughout the body to support the joints.
Builds core strength for good posture and overall physical fitness.
Helps to maintain flexibility and mobility in all joints and muscles.
Encourages the retention of calcium to help build strong bones through weight-bearing postures.
Supports and strengthens the immune system by reducing stress and stimulating the lymph system (the body’s highway of white blood cells which fight viruses and infections).
Improves balance, alignment and coordination with practice of postures.
Helps children develop a positive image of their body and an awareness of how to look after it.
Helps balance energy levels and calms the nervous system with twists that stimulate the spinal cord and regular practice of relaxation
Develops sensory awareness – children learn to notice what’s going on in their body and mind while they’re in postures.
Yoga can accommodate all body shapes and sizes and is not competitive, so it’s a good form of exercise for non-sporty children too.
Keeps the heart and respiratory system fit and strong, encouraging better circulation by getting the heart pumping and using more of the space in the lungs with deeper breathing.
Improves the digestive system with yoga asanas that get things moving in the gut and by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system during relaxation, triggering important acids in the stomach to be released for breaking down food.
A reduced risk of injury in sports and games with better overall fitness and coordination gained through yoga practice and better flexibility in the joints.

Social, Emotional and Cognitive Benefits

Increases attention span and improves concentration
More oxygen circulates round the body and brain during yoga practice and breathing exercises, so improving memory retention and learning ability.
Children get better at dealing with anxiety and stress because they learn to incorporate relaxation and breathing techniques into daily life.
Improves relationships and social awareness through group and partner work.
Encourages healthy sleep patterns with the practice of relaxing the body and lengthening the breath.
Increases confidence with speech in interactive parts of the stories and improves vocal ability as the voice is exercised in tandem with postures.

Kid’s Jazzercise

Our jazzercise instructor comes in to our facility and gives the children age appropriate group classes that are fun, energetic and interactive!

Kids get to work it out with beat-pumping music, easy-to-follow dance moves and interactive fitness games designed just for them.

HOW WE WORK IT

It’s a high energy dance party for kids. We get them moving with heart-pumping cardio, strength moves, fitness games and new music mixes.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

Your children will get an outlet for their energy, a boost of confidence and an awesome workout for their bodies. You’ll know they’re building their balance, strength, agility and fitness—but to the kids these dance fitness classes are just FUN!

Music Class

Music is used at thousands of preschools, childcare centers, and other early learning settings around the world. In addition to supporting children’s music development, our in-school curriculum raises the overall quality of a child’s education by touching many important factors all at once: school readiness, family engagement, parent-child relationships, and teacher professional development. When Music Together is a part of the school day, music isn’t just fun—it’s a powerful learning tool, too!

In fact, recent research has found that preschoolers who engaged in participatory group music and movement activities showed greater group cohesion, cooperation, and prosocial behavior when compared to children who did not engage in the same music activities. Singing and dancing together led to increased empathy (the ability to understand and even share in the feelings of others) for the children with whom they were making music. Even in infancy, adult-child music and movement interactions can lead to better communication and increased emotional and social coordination and connection, both rhythmically and emotionally, between the adult and the child. Researchers propose this might support infants’ earliest abilities to engage in positive social interactions with others.

Foreign Language Program

Our foreign language program enriches our toddler, preschool and kindergarten children by experiencing another culture and language in a fun and relaxed setting.

According to experts, introducing children to foreign languages should begin as early as possible. For a child, the advantages and benefits of learning multiple languages at an early age are extremely valuable and continue long into adulthood. Some of the benefits include enhanced communication skills and appreciation for diversity. Children that learn a second language at an early age achieve a more native grasp of both grammar and pronunciation in the second language.

Martial Arts

Benefits of martial arts for kids

They focus on individual growth. Many kids struggle with the pressure of competing with other kids. But in martial arts, the focus is on self-improvement. There’s no “letting down the team.”
They work toward specific goals. Some kids who learn and think differently feel like they never “win” at anything. In martial arts, kids work at their own pace. This can boost self-esteem and keep them motivated.
Routines are broken down into chunks. A technique or form in martial arts can have dozens of different movements. But kids learn gradually, repeating and adding steps as they go. They learn to anticipate which step comes next. And eventually, they put everything together into fluid movements.
They emphasize self-control and concentration. Attention is central to martial arts. Kids have to stay focused to learn and to do the movements. When a child’s focus drifts, instructors often ask them to take the “ready stance.” This lets them reset and get ready for what’s next.
They help with coordination. Doing martial arts movements can help kids get a better feel for their body in space. This is good for kids who struggle with motor skills. It also helps kids understand the power of the mind over the body.
They provide structure. Good martial arts instructors have clear rules and constantly reinforce them. They also emphasize good behavior in and out of class.
They’re a safe way for kids to get out extra energy. It’s a myth that martial arts encourage violent behavior. In fact, instructors often say that fighting is a last resort. At the same time, kicking and karate chopping let kids work out frustration or anger while practicing self-control.
It’s an accepting environment. Respect is a core value in martial arts. Kids have to show it for their instructor and for their peers. Negativity is generally not tolerated in class, and students are encouraged to support each other.
They’re cool. Kids who learn and think differently sometimes feel awkward or out of the loop