Extracurricular Activities at ScuttleBugs

Robert Lynch, Operations DirectorCurriculum

In addition to the regular Reggio Emilia inspired curriculum, ScuttleBugs offers numerous extracurricular activities that take place each week in the gym. Sign up sheets are on our bulletin board in the front lobby. It is important to remember that tuition fees for extracurricular activities are paid directly to the outside organization and not to ScuttleBugs. Each session has a start date and an end date but children can join at any time during the session (or term) with fees pro-rated based on the date they start. Anyone two years of age or older can join so this includes Jr. Pre School – Pre School and Pre-K.

Amazing Athletes

Amazing Athletes offers a year-round educational sports program where children can learn the basic fundamentals of nine different sports. At the same time, children will learn the importance of teamwork, build valuable self-confidence and improve 7 key areas of motor development. A teacher from Amazing Athletes visits ScuttleBugs once per week. The Amazing Athletes teacher or coach works with the developmental level of each child knowing that there will be different ages in the group. The learning environment is fun and non-competitive designed to nurture a love of sport. There is plenty of time for competition later on in the young learner’s school and/or college journey. There is one class each week. Each class focuses on two different sports and also includes lessons on muscles, nutrition, and motor development. Activities enhance hand-eye coordination, muscle tone, cardiovascular fitness and more. Kids who are enrolled at ScuttleBugs can join any time and the cost is per month.

Class Overview

Warm Up (physical fitness, stretching, obstacle course)

Speed and Conditioning

Active Sport (sports skills and activity)

Nutrition and Conditioning

Patient Sport (sport skill challenge)

Motor Development (skill practice and game)

The 9 sports offered are:

  1. Basketball
  2. Soccer
  3. Baseball
  4. Football
  5. Volleyball
  6. Hockey
  7. Golf
  8. Lacrosse
  9. Tennis.

The 7 areas of motor development covered are:

  1. Balancing
  2. Running
  3. Jumping
  4. Throwing
  5. Catching
  6. Kicking
  7. Target Bowling

10 Individual muscles are identified.

In nutrition, 16 different fruits and vegetables are covered.

Tuff Tumblers

Tuff Tumblers is a non-competitive gymnastics and sports program fostering teamwork and improving motor skills, balance, coordination and self-confidence. Children are introduced to gymnastics and sports skills such as cartwheels, handstands, somersaults, soccer, basketball, baseball, football, golf, relay races and obstacle courses.  Each session lasts 8 weeks, but kids can join at any time.

Each lesson focuses on a specific skill and includes warm-ups, tumbling, games and exercises.

Soccer

Tuff Tumblers’ eight - week Soccer class is on Fridays from 11:00 am to 11:45am. Children will learn soccer skills such as dribbling, passing, receiving, shooting, ball control, trapping and scoring goals. There are soccer drills and fitness activities with speed and agility at each session. Teamwork ideas such as offense and defense are covered. Every child has a soccer ball.

Clap Arts

The Tap and Ballet Dancing combo class introduces children to the basics of both ballet and tap dancing. Children will learn basic positions and elementary ballet such as plies, tendus and passes. Basic tap steps learned include shuffles, rhythm exercises and springs. The music makes the classes fun and materials such as scarves, teddy bears and hula hoops are also used. Shoes must not be open-toe and dance shoes are highly recommended. The movements learned in the Tap/Ballet combo class fosters grace and balance.

Extracurricular Activities Class Schedule

Monday         N.A.

Tuesday        Clap Arts Tap/Ballet Class    10:45 am-11:30am

Wednesday Tuff Tumblers (Gymnastics) 11 am-11:45am

Thursday       Amazing Athletes Sports      11 am – 11:45am

Friday            Tuff Tumblers Soccer           11am – 11:45am

Music

Every Friday, we have Music class at ScuttleBugs from Golden Acorn Music School. The amazing teacher, Victoria, visits each classroom and ensures music is an essential part of the curriculum for all ages.  It is not necessary to sign up for this essential activity, ScuttleBugs provides it as a part of Curriculum. To see more on the benefits of music in early childhood education, see the blog “The Importance of Music in Early Childhood Education”.

Conclusions

Extracurricular Activities are an excellent way to give kids early exposure to many activities and help them discover where their interests lie. It also provides a head start to activities that will be part of the elementary and high school curriculum later on.  The great benefits of Extracurricular Activities include:

  • Increased self-confidence
  • Fostering a sense of teamwork and building of teamwork skills
  • Development of healthier social, cognitive and emotional skills
  • Better motor skill development
  • Increased school readiness
  • Increased learning capacity
  • Faster development of muscles, bones and joints
  • Reducing fat and lowering blood pressure
  • Reduced anxiety

 Introducing movement and sports activities into children’s lives provides a foundation for physical activity that they will carry on throughout the remainder of their lives.