How can you handle workplace, schoolroom or high-profile-government-official stress?

The sensory path at Loving School, created by Occupational Therapist Jen Crisp-Griebel and Assistant Education Director Erin Schons, helps young and old to calm down and focus.

The purpose of a sensory path is to provide a series of guided movements and tasks designed to engage different parts of the brain and body. It helps children at Loving School work off frustration, anger or sensory overload.

Sensory path materials are available for purchase. But to save money, Jen and Erin created a DIY path.

Jen uses the sensory path often in her work with children. She collected a few statements about the experience from students:

“It was great. It made me feel good. My favorite part was the hopscotch.”

From a teacher:
“The student shared that he was high energy, angry and frustrated. Afterwards he shared that he was calm. I noticed his body calm by the end of the walk. The breathing seems to be where his body physically changes the most.”

“It made me feel calm.”

“It was refreshing. I enjoyed it all.”

“It was very calming.”

“It made me calmer and more relaxed.”

On May 4, prior to the Children’s Inn Groundbreaking event, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem toured the CHS campus and to everyone’s surprise, crab-walked in 4-inch heels down the hallway on the sensory path and performed activities at the various stations. Her comment when she finished was, “It made me feel more relaxed.”