As a part of their health initiative, the school is exposing their students to the old sport of snowshoeing.
Guiding the children through the snow was Mike Horn, manager at Fresh Air Experience.
“Last year Mike came and showed us a demonstration in the classroom,” said Madame Jara MacFarlane, a teacher and administrator at the school.
“This year, the weather is so favourable that we asked him if we could do it outside,” MacFarlane added.
For Horn, this is a great way to introduce them to it at a young age.
“It gives the kids the opportunity to try it,” Horn said.
“It lets them know that it is not hard,” he added.
MacFarlane believes in the importance of children experiencing fun forms of exercise.
“We try to do a lot of learning about your body and staying healthy,” MacFarlane said.
“It shows them that you can stay healthy, because it shows them how they can physically take care of themselves,” MacFarlane said.
The activity itself has experienced resurgence in recent years.
Horn said that with the heavy snowfall this year, the sale of snowshoes has been quite good.
“Snowshoeing is something that used to be done … and now it is getting rekindled,” MacFarlane agreed.
Another reason snowshoeing is great thing for young people to get involved in is because it is cheap for families. After you buy the snowshoes, there are really no other costs, she said.
“We lost a few boots,” Horn said. -
The mini-excursion went well apart from a couple of technical difficulties.
“We lost a few boots,” Horn said.
MacFarlane says she is looking at the big picture for her preschoolers as she works to keep them fit both mentally and physically.
“It is about brain-development as well as physical fitness,” MacFarlane said.
That approach to life at such a young age can have far reaching results.
“If you take care of yourself you can take care of others.”
