Stories, Songs, and Stretches!® was founded in 2018 by Katie Scherrer, MLIS, RYT after the 2017 publication of her book Stories, Songs, and Stretches! Creating Playful Storytimes with Yoga and Movement. Katie is a former children’s librarian, an early childhood education trainer, and a Registered Yoga Teacher who focuses on teaching yoga and mindfulness to young children and those who care for them.
Stories, Songs, and Stretches!® is inspired by the model offered by yoga of engaging the whole child – body, heart, and mind. It is informed by emerging science in the fields of child development, education, and mental health that shows that techniques that speak to each of these areas of development simultaneously can actually enhance early learning beyond what can be achieved by focusing on any one area in isolation. We call this embodied play. We create and share embodied play experiences that boost young children’s development in physical literacy, early literacy, and social-emotional skills simultaneously, using intentional, mindful movement and stillness. We are taking this model all across the country and beyond through our in-person and online trainings, helping to improve self-regulation in classrooms, inform the use of mindful movement in libraries, and increase family engagement in communities.
Organizations we have trained include staff at the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, Mountain Comprehensive Care Center, Fayette Cooperating Preschool, Clark County (KY) Public Schools, and state libraries or statewide library organizations in AZ, ID, KY, NH, NC, and VA. We want to partner with you in spreading the joy of embodied play with the children and families you serve!