Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Wednesday, May 06, 2009

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The chase was on at Southern Elementary when the Y Zone's Fun and Fit class gathered in the gym.

Labored breaths and beads of sweat could be warning signs of heart trouble. But at Southern Elementary School, they were welcome signs of kids working toward heart health.

Fun and Fit, a four-session class that met weekly after school, was packed with physical activities to keep students’ heart rates up for an hour and teach children the benefits of exercise.

“As long as the kids are moving and having fun, that’s the main thing,” said instructor Garrett Tyson, a University of Kentucky student who aspires to teach physical education and works part-time as the YMCA’s site director at Mary Todd Elementary.

Luke Smith, a fourth-grader at Southern, was glad he signed up. “It’s fun, and it has good exercise,” he said after a Wednesday class. “You can practice and be healthy and strong.”

Fun and Fit is part of the “Y Zone” enrichment series available at several elementary schools. The YMCA of Central Kentucky is also offering Hoop Hop, Cup Stacking, and Food and Fun this spring. Previous classes included Cartooning, Gizmos Gadgets & Goop, LEGO Lab, and the Art of Jewelry.

Kelly Easton, executive director of child development for the Y, said the classes help children’s physical development, teach character values and tie into Kentucky’s core content areas.

“We want kids to have a place where they feel successful in something,” Easton said, noting that conversations with principals led to the choice of topics, such as the popular cup stacking.

“We want them to be competitive with themselves and not worry about what their neighbor is doing. Everything is kind of interactive, kind of with a small group,” she added. “They have to listen and take turns and cooperate with their group, which are all skills that kids need to learn.”

At Southern, that was evident with the many games Tyson rolled out. Nearly a dozen students paired up for “link tag,” then made human trains for a round of “loose caboose.” Next came sprint games like “crows and cranes,” which required quick thinking, too.

One of Tyson’s main goals is cardiovascular endurance. In a series of warm-ups, kids bounded across the gym with two laps of skipping and running, then transitioned to gallop, leap, jog and hop. During the games, he urged them to keep moving the whole time.

“Anything that’s moving can be fun. It doesn’t have to be a chore,” said Tyson, who also gave the children ideas of how to be active at home, such as standing on one leg while brushing their teeth or doing jumping jacks at the bus stop.

Easton agreed. “It’s just moving and playing and doing things like the crab walk and the monkey dance and all the silly things that are a part of a fitness game,” she said. “Anything can be exercise.”

Y Zone enrichment classes in May

• Hoop Hop: A hula hoop class that incorporates dancing and other physical fitness activities. Offered at Picadome Elementary on Tuesdays from May 5-26.
• Cup Stacking: An engaging activity that promotes hand-eye coordination, attention span, and left brain-right brain collaboration. Offered at Glendover on Tuesdays from May 5-26, and at Southern Elementary on Wednesdays from May 6-27. (related article)
• Food and Fun: A program that teaches children how to make good food choices and the impact good nutrition has on their lives. Offered at Clays Mill Elementary on Thursdays from May 7-28.

Cost: $40 per child for a four-week session ($30 for YMCA after-school participants). The YMCA also offers financial assistance of 25 percent off and gives the school resource centers five free spots to fill for each class. 

To sign up: Contact Jennifer Hubbard, (859) 367-7337 or jhubbard@ymcaofcentralky.org.