Hop, skip and jump to revive focus in class

OWN CORRESPONDENT

Its most recent initiative is an obstacle course that was developed for the school’s juniors. It is the brainchild of occupational therapist Shari Levy who wanted to incorporate underlying foundation skills in an innovative and exciting way.

The obstacle course provides the opportunity to create “movement breaks” for the young children. Such breaks allow the children to rid themselves of any restlessness, which increases their ability to refocus in class. Research has shown a direct correlation between movement and optimal brain function.

The course contains hopscotch, a maze, visual pathways, arrow jumps, zigzag tracks and square jumps. In a fun and inviting way, these activities develop skills such as coordination, visual tracking, balance, eye-foot coordination, rhythm, timing, and speed.