By mid-February, most Upper Valley parents are feeling a bit desperate for a way to get out of the house and let their kids burn some energy. The White River Valley Supervisory Union has just the solution, with Tumble Time for Tots taking place every Saturday morning from 10-11:30 a.m. through March 24.
“It lets families get to know the kids in their neighborhood, and take advantage of indoor activities in the cold months,” said Felicia Dieffenbach, an elementary physical education teacher who runs the program.
Tumble Time rotates to different elementary school locations throughout The White River Valley Supervisory Union. Next weekend, Saturday Feb. 24, and the following Saturday, March 3, it will be held at Bethel Elementary School, 273 Pleasant St., Bethel. On March 10 Tumble Time will be held at Chelsea School, 6 School St., Chelsea; on March 17 it will be at South Royalton School, 223 S. Windsor St., South Royalton; and on March 24 the final session will take place at Strafford School, 22 Roller Coaster Road #1, in Strafford.
During the sessions, kids ages 5 and under have the opportunity to ride bikes and scooters, play with balls, or partake in quieter activities like puzzles or blocks.
“It’s a lot of movement activities, manipulating things and playing with things,” Dieffenbach said.
“For the little ones it’s a great opportunity to learn to share.”
The program was originally started about ten years ago as a way to make preschoolers more comfortable in the school building, and begin familiarizing them with group events at a time when there was no public preschool, said Cynthia Titus Powers, grant coordinator for the White River Valley Supervisory Union, who started the program.
“I thought was a wonderful opportunity for parents and young children to first visit their school and do fun things, especially at a time of year when using trikes, parachutes and balls is discouraged inside,” she said.
The Tumble Time program always runs from January to March, and has become a favorite activity for Upper Valley parents and their children. The program is fun for kids and caregivers, but has practical benefits as well, Titus Powers said.
“It benefits the kids by giving them a place to run and play in the winter. It introduces them to school.”
Because it is held on Saturday mornings even working parents are able to take advantage, Dieffenbach said. Typically there are about 20 kids under 5, along with their parents, caregivers and siblings, at a session.
Tumble Time for Tots is a free drop-in program and no registration is required. For more information, visit www.wrvsu.org.