Capital City Preschool Mixes Health with Pleasure

Capital City Preschool Mixes Health with Pleasure

Another beautiful clear day greeted the approximately 13,000 half marathon and 7km competitors at ‘AMI’s Round the Bays’ on Sunday, 17 February. Mixed in with the large crowd of 7km runners and walkers were 44 parents, teachers, friends, and attending children from Capital City Preschool, which is located in the heart of Wellington City.

A more active lifestyle is what reaps benefits in many areas of the entire family’s life. That was the message from the Capital City Preschool participators. Capital City Preschool participators hoped to spread the message that a more active lifestyle reaps benefits in many areas of the entire family’s life. Leading by example, they marched the 7km together, proudly sporting their green, white, black and pink Capital City Preschool T-shirts.
Lisa Marshall, Manager of the Preschool, says that including the whole family in healthy activities is an important way of teaching children that physical activity is fun. It is also important to regularly support the community in these events.

“We love getting involved and being part of the huge crowd. It’s great seeing so many people of all ages just getting out and doing exercise together.
Activity like this at a community level makes the biggest impact. This is where awareness comes together to create change for the better, and it’s amazing that these children are taking part in this at such an early age,” states Lisa.
Better concentration, greater confidence and enjoyment of outdoor activities are just a few of the benefits that Lisa has observed in the children at the Presschool as a result of ensuring that physical activity is included in their daily Preschool programme.

As one might notice from the participation in ‘Round the Bays’, the Preschool finds create ways to weave important foundational lessons into the children’s activities. The children’s weekly programme is firmly grounded on the Ministry of Education’s Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whariki; they ensure the educational and personal development of the children is always at the centre of the weekly programme focus.

In addition to teaching children that being active is fun and is a part of everyday life, the Preschool has adopted healthy food, physical education policies, and integrated healthy activities into the children’s weekly programme. Mondays are ‘Dance with Bridget’ (Bridget is one of the Preschool’s trained teachers, who also is a trained choreographer), Tuesdays are music classes, Wednesdays are Letter Land, every second Thursday is a visit to the Wellington City Library, and Friday is their ‘gym’ day with Wellington’s ‘Mini Movers’.

“The great thing about our Programme is that we can creatively integrate the educational goals into their daily learning so that they experience these goals and the actual experiences become life lessons, we continuously strive to inspire a love of learning in all the experiences that we provide” states Lisa.

With over $35,000 raised for the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research it was significant that these children took part in this event. Indeed, the funds raised during this event will help fund vital research into finding cures for cancer, asthma, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and infectious disease.

The teachers have an exciting activity planned for the children so they can learn about how much money was raised at this event, as well as look at the pictures of the participants who will be posted on the walls for all the children to see.

This is the 2nd year that the teaching team and families have participated in the 7km fun run/walk at AMI’s Round the Bays.

Next on the healthy pleasure agenda is raising funds to build their new playground. An online auction is planned for the end of May. All funds raised will go towards the $50,000 needed for its development.
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