INUVIK - If Bianca Rogers's smile had grown any bigger, it might have eclipsed the young preschooler's face.

Tessa Jenks, left, and Shannon Guy bound toward their instructor Annabelle Tetlchi during an outing at the Gwich'in Wellness Centre last Friday afternoon. The 12 preschool students spent the day at the camp, learning about Gwich'in culture through jigging, games and snowshoeing. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo

Rogers was one of 12 preschool students, part of the Inuvik Child Development Centre at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School, who participated in a day-long outing to the Gwich'in Wellness Centre last Friday.

Rogers said the hour-long jigging and square dancing class was super fun, and if she was wearing shoes, the rubber soles on them might have melted because of her enthusiasm.

"I like jigging a lot," she said during a break between fiddle tracks.

Annabelle Tetlichi, the Gwich'in language instructor for the centre, said she has been working with the children since September and getting them out on a day-trip - which included snowshoeing and snowmobile rides after they ate a traditional meal of reindeer stew, among other things - is important in keeping them active and, more importantly, learning about their culture.

Tetlichi said by exposing the students to their traditional culture at a young age - students in the program are between three and four years old - they are more prepared to move into the school system.

"It's going to better prepare them to go into the schools" she said during a game of musical chairs. "It's a lot of fun for them."

Rita Parsons, child care facilitator for the centre, said anything that is going to get the kids active and learning something new is great for the children and something the centre looks for. She added the centre is lucky to have Tetlichi as its languages instructor.

She teaches them the basic things such as numbers and it's a step forward in helping the kids be ready to go off to school.

"It's important for children to play and have fun and whatever venue we can do that with is important," she said. "It's important to get them out doing the cultural thing. We try to incorporate all the cultures into what we are doing, but sometimes that can be tough so these types of opportunities are great. They have a ball."

Tessa Jenks, another energetic jigger, said she was happy about being able to spend time with her classmates.

"I'm enjoying today a lot," she said. "It's really fun."

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