Little tykes at the Lawrence Arts Center will be getting plenty of exercise this coming school year and they probably won’t even realize it.

That’s because it will come in the form of fun — like dancing, acting or marching to music.

To help fund such activities, the early childhood program at the center, 940 N.H., recently received a one-year, $16,000 grant from the Kansas Health Foundation.

“It will help children enjoy creative moving without necessarily being in an athletic situation,” said Linda Reimond, director of the preschool program.

For example, she said, the preschoolers recently made musical instruments and then marched around the building while playing them.

The grant money will be used to enhance current early childhood programs and to design and implement the SmART Moves curriculum. The curriculum will be shared with early childhood educators and parents at workshops and conferences.

The grant also will be used to bring in a guest artist on a weekly basis. Staff will be working with experts in dance, theater and music to implement the grant.

There are about 130 children, ages 3 to 5, in the preschool program.