First project launched in St. Jude’s Bust a Move

By Michael Brown and Tanya Santagata

A team from St. Jude School in Greenfield Park and members of the Riverside School Board’s occupational therapy team collaborated to create a sensory-motor pathway that was installed in time for the new school year. This is the first initiative in the “St. Jude’s Bust a Move” project, which promotes movement break opportunities while also encouraging gross motor skill development in different areas throughout the entire school.

The sensory-motor pathway guides the students through a series of movements, indicated by images placed on the floor and walls. It incorporates gross motor tasks that provide different types of sensory input to help students with self-regulation and to be more receptive to learning in the classroom. Students can use the pathway throughout the day to help with transitions between periods, as a movement break during class time or as an activity to work on different gross motor skills, including balance, jumping and bilateral coordination. Calming stations, which include a visual of a dandelion blowing in the wind, encourage students to work on deep breathing which can help to reduce stress and anxiety. 

In addition to its benefits with regards to self-regulation and gross motor skill development, the sensory-motor path also promotes literacy and numeracy skills through its brightly coloured alphabet and numbered hopscotch and jumping sections. Students can practice spelling their name by selecting the letters on a keyboard visual on the wall before starting on the path – a fun learning activity that can be incorporated within their daily routine.

The sensory-motor pathway marks the beginning of a wonderful collaboration that promotes the overall well-being of students within the school community.

Michael Brown is principal at St. Jude School and Tanya Santagata is an occupational therapist with the Riverside School Board’s Complementary Services.