Sensory path provides activity, opportunity to learn at Northview

About a year ago, Northview kindergarten teacher Kristine Criss saw a video on Facebook of a child doing an ABC hopscotch game that piqued her interest

The video along with limited options for Pre-K through first grade students on the Northview playground sparked an idea.

“Our playground has a swing set area, but that's about all we had,” Criss said. “It’s a small area for the kids, but we have a huge concrete slab. I thought, ‘How could we put that to use? How can we get something so the kids have more options to play outside?’

“I thought back to the video I saw and thought, ‘Wow, if we could get some games and things painted on the playground for the kids to play that would be awesome.’”

A grant was written and the Parent-Teacher Committee donated the money and local artist Hugo Heredia was hired to paint a sensory path on the playground.

“When Autumn Spayer with the PTC approached me, I thought it was really brilliant,” said Heredia, who owns Imagine U Studio in Spring Valley. “I thought it was a great use of space. All they had was four square and hopscotch on there. They wanted more for the kids to do, to make them think, to help them exercise.

“I’m always about getting kids to learn in different ways. At my art studio we’re always doing sensory things and using color to teach. I thought (the sensory path) was a great idea.”

The design of the path was a collaborative effort between Heredia and school staff.

“I didn’t want to just do what everyone else was doing or following exactly what they gave me, and they didn’t want that either,” Heredia said. “They wanted it to be perfect for the space. I did a survey with a drone. I came up with an initial design, which they critiqued and changed. They were really good changes. Most of the people involved are educators. They didn’t change the whole idea, but changed specific things that really helped it come together.”

One obstacle was the four square and hopscotch already on the surface. To avoid the cost of resurfacing, Heredia incorporated those elements into the design.

The path includes a letter lizard in which students start at A and find B and so on, a caterpillar featuring Nos. 1-100, paths for jumping and skipping and an area for students to play a Simon Says-type game with colors.

“It benefits the students because they are involved in activity but they’re also learning,” Northview principal Sara McDonald said.

The initial discussions about the sensory path started before COVID-19, but getting the path this year has proved beneficial with students not able to use the playground equipment.

“We were going to do it before COVID hit,” McDonald said. “It’s perfect now because the kids cannot play on the equipment, so they have that space they can still socially distance, still get some jitters out and run and jump and skip and hop. It’s very cool.”

Students can play on the path at recess and teachers are able to take their classes out to the path as well.

“It was good,” kindergartener Kenna Rebholz said after playing on the path Wednesday. “I liked hopping on one foot. I liked every single part.”

Classmate Palmer Kotecki also has enjoyed using the path.

“I love it,” Kotecki said. “My favorite is jumping on the numbers to count to 100. I got to play the copy game with my friend, Charlotte.”

Heredia said he’s heard many positive comments as well.

“I loved it and I knew they were going to love it too,” said Heredia, who said the project took 3-4 weeks. “The teachers loved it. Some said they love looking out their window or love coming to work and walking past it. From parents, all they could do is tell me how happy their kids are, how much fun they’re having and how they can’t wait to get back to play on it.

“Some kids who go to Northview attend my art school. In class, they’re very excited and telling me how they’re playing on it. I appreciate everyone’s kind words, but when the kids tell me how much they love it, it can’t get any beter than that. It made me feel really good.”

Heredia said he’s been asked to design an area for the other side of the playground that’s used by the second through fourth graders.