St. Mary’s pre-K students take part in yoga at McCluskey Park

The end of the school year brings a variety of emotions and behaviors for students. Young children sometimes have a hard time understanding and controlling those feelings. Changing weather, longer daylight hours and children’s activities such as baseball can add to those emotions.

Students in Ronna Coventry’s pre-K class at St. Mary’s took a walking field trip to McCluskey Park in Dennison for a picnic, fun and a yoga class.

Kim Civiello, a 20-year yoga practitioner, volunteered to lead a session with the children at the park. The children participated in sun salutations to music by Kira Wiley and learned three poses: warrior, for grounding and power; tree, for grounding and balance; and several twisting poses.

The children also learned about using candle breath to regulate their nervous systems and slow their hearts, as well as savasana to calm their minds.

Coventry said she was surprised by how engaged the children were in the activity. Doing yoga outdoors made it even more relaxing, she said.

“It is nice to have local people care about the children and are willing to help schools in many different ways,” Coventry said. “This fun activity helped their mental health without them even knowing.”