Thursday’s book yoga session was a first at Featherston Library. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED
GIANINA SCHWANECKE
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To say Featherston Library thinks outside the box wouldn’t be a stretch after their first book yoga session on Thursday morning.
There were no posers as eight multi-tasking children read from their books while contorted in various yoga poses as part of the library’s summer reading programme.
Library manager Penny Griffin said it was “hilarious”.
Amateur yoga enthusiast Sam Wiblin led the children in a series of easy yoga poses to help integrate physical activity and a healthy lifestyle into the reading curriculum.
“A lot of them are quite active kids and I was trying to find a way to join in the active stuff with the library.
“I’d been joking around with the kids while they chose their books, talking about how to incorporate exercise into their reading.”
The hour-long event was followed by smoothies and real fruit ice cream to tie into the balanced lifestyle theme.
“It was a bit of a joke with the new year, new me thing too,” she said.
After the fun, on Friday Wiblin said she was feeling a little sore.
“They’re all Penny’s dancing girls so some of them really outdid me with the exercise.”
She said the children had enjoyed the activities and she’d be happy to run it again in the future.
The Featherston Library offers a few summer reading groups for children of various ages.
The yoga exercise was run as part of the iRead programme for pupils between Year 7 and 9, while the junior reading programme is available for preschoolers and those up to age 10.
Wiblin said there was still lots of space in the library’s general reading programme and though yoga may not be on offer elsewhere just yet, there were also plenty of reading programmes at other South Wairarapa libraries.
More information about library opening hours and contact details can be found online at swdc.govt.nz/libraries
Seven yoga poses for easy reading:
Sphinx pose
Legs up the wall
Lotus pose
Child’s pose
Frog pose
Supine twist
Chair pose
