Floor, Wall, or Portable Sensory Path? How to Choose the Right Option for Your School

When schools begin exploring sensory paths, one of the first questions they ask is:

Should we choose a floor path, a wall path, or a portable option?

It is a great question—and there is not one answer that works for every school. The best choice depends on your available space, the ages of your students, how you want the path to be used, and whether you need a permanent or flexible resource.

As a pediatric and school-based occupational therapist, I created Sacred Steps Sensory Paths to give students proactive opportunities to move, regulate, refocus, and return to learning. Each format supports those goals a little differently.

Here is an easy way to determine which sensory path may be the best fit for your school, church, preschool, or therapy space.

Choose a Floor Sensory Path When You Want Movement Built Into the Hallway

A floor sensory path is a wonderful choice when you want movement to become a natural part of the school day. Students can hop, jump, balance, squat, follow footprints, and complete other purposeful movements as they travel through the hallway.

Floor paths work especially well when:

• You have a dedicated hallway or open floor area.

• You want a permanent, highly visible movement resource.

• Multiple classrooms will use the path throughout the day.

• Your students benefit from whole-body movement and heavy-work activities.

• You want movement breaks to be easily available without gathering extra equipment.

Sacred Steps floor decals are commercially printed for heavy daily traffic and can be waxed over as part of your school’s normal floor-care routine. Once installed, the path is ready whenever students need it—during transitions, scheduled sensory breaks, indoor recess, therapy sessions, or those moments when a child simply needs to move before returning to class.

Before choosing a floor path, consider hallway width, doorways, traffic patterns, and custodial routines. A path does not always need to run in one perfectly straight line. Stations can be spaced out, turned, or arranged to work around the features of your building.

Choose a Wall Sensory Path When Floor Space Is Limited

Do you have a narrow hallway, a busy traffic pattern, or floors that are not suitable for decals? A wall path may be the perfect solution.

Wall activities can encourage students to reach, stretch, push, breathe, trace, pray, cross midline, and complete calming or strengthening movements—all without taking up valuable floor space.

Wall paths are a strong choice when:

• Hallways are narrow or need to remain clear.

• You want activities near a classroom, counseling office, prayer space, or sensory area.

• You would like to add regulation supports at different heights.

• You want a quieter movement experience with less jumping or traveling.

• You have a beautiful blank wall just waiting to do something useful!

Wall-based options can also be especially helpful for older students who may prefer activities that feel a little more discreet. Designs such as Who God Says I Am, Days of Creation, and Beatitudes Blessings combine movement and regulation with meaningful faith-based messages.

Sacred Steps wall decals are removable, making them a practical option for many school and church environments.

Choose a Portable Sensory Path When Flexibility Matters Most

Sometimes the best sensory space is wherever your students happen to be that day.

Portable sensory paths are printed on durable 3' x 10' canvas mats. They can be rolled out in a classroom, preschool room, parish center, therapy space, hallway, or counseling area—and then rolled up and stored when the activity is finished.

A portable path may be the best fit when:

• You need to move the resource between classrooms or buildings.

• You rent your space or cannot install permanent decals.

• You want an easy option for special events, faith formation, indoor recess, or sensory-friendly Mass.

• You have limited space and need to store the path between uses.

• You want to begin with a smaller investment before selecting a full permanent path.

Portable paths are also an easy way for teachers to add purposeful movement to the day without rearranging an entire classroom. Roll it out, let students move, and roll it back up—no construction project required!

For smaller preschool and early-childhood spaces, the Little Steps portable paths offer the same grab-and-go flexibility in a compact 24" x 72" size.

Could Your School Use More Than One Format?

Absolutely! Many schools find that a combination works best.

For example, a school might place a full floor path in a main hallway, add calming wall activities near the counselor’s office, and keep a portable path available for classrooms or special events. A Starter Set can also introduce several permanent activities in a smaller area before the school expands to a full path.

Think less about choosing the single “perfect” format and more about where students need support during their day:

• Where do transitions become difficult?

• Where do students wait?

• Where could a child safely take a short movement break?

• Which areas are accessible to the greatest number of students?

• Would a permanent resource be used more consistently, or does your team need flexibility?

Those answers will usually point you toward the best choice.

Are Sensory Paths Difficult to Install?

Most schools install their Sacred Steps Sensory Paths themselves. I provide installation instructions and am available to help with placement and layout before installation begins. Having two or three people makes the process much easier, especially for larger floor pieces.

If your school would prefer installation assistance, travel installation may also be available for an additional fee based on location and travel expenses.

Still Not Sure? Send Me Your Space!

You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. In fact, some of my favorite projects have started with a photo of an empty hallway and the question, “What could work here?”

Send me a few pictures, approximate dimensions, the ages of the students you serve, and anything you hope the space will accomplish. I will give you my honest recommendation about whether a floor, wall, portable, or combination option would work best.

Narrow hallway? Awkward corner? Small preschool room? Send it anyway. You may have more possibilities than you think!

Explore Sacred Steps Sensory Paths or contact me to begin planning a path for your space!

Can 4 Minutes of Movement Improve Classroom Focus? What the Research Says

Teachers are asked to fit an incredible amount into the school day.

Reading. Math. Writing. Intervention. Specials. Social-emotional learning. Transitions. Assessments.

So when someone suggests adding movement breaks to the day, it's understandable for educators to wonder:

Where are we supposed to find the time?

As a pediatric, school-based occupational therapist, I hear versions of this question often. And it's one reason I find the research surrounding movement and classroom behavior so interesting. Classroom movement breaks don't have to take large amounts of time away from instruction. Research suggests that even brief opportunities for physical activity may support on-task behavior, student regulation, and classroom focus.

Because what if movement isn't taking valuable time away from learning?

What if a few purposeful minutes of movement actually help students make better use of the learning time that follows?

Research suggests that may be exactly what happens.

What Can Just 4 Minutes of Movement Do?

One study examined the effect of short classroom activity breaks in children in grades 1–3.

The movement break lasted just four minutes.

Compared with a control condition without an activity break, researchers found increases in on-task behavior of:

10.4% following a morning activity break
10.5% following an afternoon activity break
14% when students participated in both morning and afternoon activity breaks

The researchers found that activity breaks improved on-task behavior regardless of whether they occurred in the morning or afternoon. The effects were particularly strong among children who demonstrated more off-task behavior without the movement break.

Four minutes.

That's less time than many classroom transitions take.

And while one small study certainly doesn't mean every child will become 10–14% more attentive after four minutes of movement, it gives us something important to think about:

Sometimes a small investment in movement may pay us back in attention.

This Isn't Just One Study

A systematic review published in 2018 looked at research involving classroom movement breaks and physically active learning.

When researchers examined classroom behavior, 9 out of 11 interventions showed improvement following particular types of movement breaks or physically active learning.

The review also concluded that classroom movement breaks and physically active learning increased physical activity and enhanced time on task.

It's important to put those findings in context: the researchers described much of the underlying evidence as low-to-medium quality and noted substantial differences among the studies. So we shouldn't interpret the research as proof that any movement break will automatically improve learning.

But the overall findings provide good reason for schools to take purposeful movement seriously.

And other research points in a similar direction.

A study involving fourth- and fifth-grade students found that 10-minute classroom exercise breaks resulted in significantly higher time-on-task than a sedentary classroom activity—87.6% compared with 77.1%.

A separate study involving 87 primary-school students found that brief physical activity breaks—with or without academic content incorporated—were effective in improving on-task behavior.

Why Might Movement Help?

From an occupational therapy perspective, this makes a lot of sense.

We sometimes expect children to move seamlessly from one demand to another:

Recess → math.

Lunch → reading.

Twenty minutes sitting at a desk → another twenty minutes sitting at a desk.

But children don't leave their bodies at the classroom door.

Their ability to attend and participate is influenced by their level of alertness, sensory needs, regulation, environment, and the demands being placed upon them.

Movement provides sensory input and changes the demands being placed on the body.

For some students, that movement may help them become more alert and ready to engage. For others, it may provide an appropriate outlet for their need to move before they're asked to sustain attention again.

That's why I prefer to think about movement as more than simply:

“Getting the wiggles out.”

We're trying to give the body purposeful input that helps prepare it for what we're asking it to do next.

Don't Wait Until a Student Is Already Struggling

This is one of the biggest shifts I encourage schools to make.

Movement doesn't have to be something we offer only after a child is already:

• out of their seat,

• unable to attend,

• frustrated,

• restless,

• overwhelmed, or

• struggling to participate.

We can use movement proactively.

A movement opportunity might make sense:

Before a longer period of seated work.

After lunch.

Between subjects.

During a transition.

Following an extended period of sitting.

Or simply at predictable points in the day when we know attention tends to decrease.

Rather than asking:

“What do we do when this student can't sit anymore?”

we can begin asking:

“What can we do before we get to that point?”

That's a very different approach.

But Please Don't Send Them Back Bouncing Off the Walls! 😊

There's another important piece of the puzzle.

A movement break shouldn't necessarily end with the most exciting, activating activity and then:

“Okay! Back to class!”

Every teacher reading this knows exactly how well that can go. 😂

Our goal isn't simply to get children moving.

We also want to help them transition back to a state that's appropriate for learning.

That's why I like pairing purposeful movement with a calming or organizing activity at the end.

That might include slower movements, controlled breathing, pushing or other resistive activities, or another strategy appropriate for the student and environment.

Think of it as:

👣 MOVE → ❤️ RESET → 📚 LEARN

We're giving the body an opportunity to move—and then helping it prepare for what comes next.

Movement Doesn't Have to Mean a Sensory Room

This is another misconception I encounter.

Schools sometimes assume that supporting sensory regulation requires a beautiful dedicated sensory room filled with specialized equipment.

Those spaces can certainly be valuable.

But they're not the only option.

Purposeful movement can happen in the spaces students already use:

Hallways. Classrooms. Counseling areas. Resource rooms. Early childhood wings. Transition spaces.

And it doesn't always require 20 or 30 minutes.

The research on short classroom activity breaks is particularly encouraging because it suggests that even brief opportunities for movement may be meaningful.

That's the Thinking Behind Sensory Paths

As a practicing pediatric and school-based occupational therapist, this philosophy is a big part of why I created Sacred Steps Sensory Paths.

I wanted movement and regulation strategies to be available where children already are, rather than requiring teachers to find another program, another room, or another large block of time.

Sensory paths provide students with a structured sequence of purposeful movement activities that can be incorporated naturally into the school day.

And importantly, my paths also incorporate a calming component to help students slow their bodies and reset before returning to the classroom.

For public schools, Steps to Success combines purposeful movement with positive character traits such as:

Kind. Brave. Respectful. Patient. Persevering. Responsible. Honest. Helpful.

For Catholic and Christian schools, Sacred Steps' faith-based paths can combine movement and regulation with Scripture, prayer, Bible stories, the Sacraments, and reminders of who God created children to be.

Different messages.

Same underlying OT philosophy:

Give children an opportunity to move, help their bodies reset, and then ask them to return to learning.

A Few Minutes Can Matter

Schools don't need another complicated initiative.

Teachers certainly don't need one more thing added to an already overflowing plate.

But perhaps that's exactly why this research matters.

We're not necessarily talking about adding another 30-minute block to the schedule.

One study found meaningful differences in on-task behavior after four minutes of classroom activity. Another found higher time-on-task following a 10-minute exercise break. And a systematic review found generally favorable results for classroom behavior across a range of movement interventions.

That doesn't mean four minutes is a magic number.

It does mean we may want to reconsider the assumption that every minute spent moving is a minute taken away from learning.

Sometimes those few minutes may help prepare a child's brain and body for the learning we're asking them to do next.

And that makes movement worth making time for.

Try It Now! 👣

Want to put the research into practice today? Try this quick movement-and-reset break with your students:

10 Wall Pushes
Place both hands on the wall and push hard, then relax.

10 Cross-Body Taps
Touch right hand to left knee, then left hand to right knee.

5 Slow Squats
Move down and back up slowly and with control.

5 Big Reaches
Reach high overhead, then down toward your toes.

Finish with 3 Slow Breaths
Breathe in through your nose...and slowly out through your mouth.

Then head back to learning!

The whole thing takes just a few minutes and follows the same philosophy I use when designing Sacred Steps:

👣 MOVE → ❤️ RESET → 📚 LEARN

Try it before a longer lesson, after lunch, between subjects, or anytime you notice your students could use a quick reset.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, OTR/L is a practicing pediatric, school-based occupational therapist with more than 10 years of experience supporting children in educational settings.

She is also the creator of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths, OT-designed movement and regulation resources created to help schools incorporate purposeful movement into the spaces students already use every day.

Sacred Steps offers both faith-based sensory paths for Catholic and Christian schools and universal options for public schools, including permanent floor and wall paths, portable sensory paths, calming resources, and movement activities.

Trisha's work combines her experience as an occupational therapist with a practical understanding of what actually works in busy schools—because supporting regulation shouldn't require another complicated program for teachers to manage.

Her goal is simple:

Help children move, regulate, and return ready for what's next. ❤️

EXPLORE SACRED STEPS SENSORY PATHS →

REQUEST A COMPLIMENTARY SAMPLE →

First-Day Jitters Are More Than Nerves: Why Sensory Supports Matter From Day One

The first day of school is exciting.

New backpacks. Freshly sharpened pencils. New teachers. Seeing friends again.

But for many students, the first days of school can also feel like a lot.

New classrooms. Different routines. Unfamiliar expectations. Crowded hallways. Bells ringing. Chairs scraping. More sitting. More listening. More transitions. And after a summer with a very different schedule, suddenly being expected to regulate through an entire school day again.

We often call it "first-day jitters."

But sometimes what looks like nervousness, excessive energy, silliness, avoidance, tears, difficulty listening, or even challenging behavior is also a child trying to manage all of the sensory and emotional demands that come with returning to school.

As a school-based occupational therapist, that's why I believe one of the best things we can do at the beginning of the year is simple:

Don't wait for students to struggle before giving them tools to regulate.

The First Day Is a Sensory Experience

Think about walking into school from a child's perspective.

The hallway may be louder than they've experienced all summer.

There are people everywhere.

They're trying to remember where to put their backpack, where to sit, when they're allowed to talk, where they're supposed to walk, what happens next — and perhaps even how to open that brand-new lunch container someone bought them.

For younger students, it may be their first time spending an entire day away from home.

For older students, there may be new classrooms, changing classes, increased academic expectations, new social situations, and less downtime.

And underneath all of that, their bodies are processing an enormous amount of sensory information.

That's a lot of work before the academics even begin.

First-Day Jitters Don't Look the Same in Every Child

The student who is overwhelmed isn't always the child crying at the classroom door.

It might be the child who:

• Can't stop moving in his chair.

• Suddenly needs to sharpen his pencil for the fourth time.

• Becomes extra silly during transitions.

• Covers her ears in a noisy hallway.

• Has difficulty getting started on an assignment.

• Melts down over something seemingly small.

• Asks to go to the bathroom repeatedly.

• Withdraws and becomes unusually quiet.

• Has difficulty keeping hands to himself in line.

• Seems completely fine at school — and falls apart the moment he gets home.

These behaviors don't automatically mean a child has a sensory processing difficulty.

Sometimes they simply mean:

This is a lot for my body right now.

And that's where proactive supports can make such a difference.

What If We Supported Regulation Before the Struggle?

We tend to think about sensory strategies reactively.

A student becomes overwhelmed, so we give them a break.

A child can't sit still, so we send them to move.

A student is upset, so we suggest taking deep breaths.

Those strategies can certainly be helpful.

But what if we shifted the timing?

What if the movement came before the long period of sitting?

What if the calming activity happened before the difficult transition?

What if students learned where and how to reset before they were already dysregulated?

That's the power of being proactive.

Instead of asking only:

"What should we do when this child is struggling?"

We can also ask:

"What can we put in place so this child is less likely to get there?"

Proactive Doesn't Have to Mean Complicated

Supporting sensory and regulation needs doesn't require every school to build a sensory room.

It doesn't have to mean creating an elaborate schedule of sensory breaks.

And it certainly doesn't have to add another complicated program to a teacher's already-full plate.

Sometimes small changes are enough.

A few minutes of movement before morning work.

A calming activity outside the classroom.

A movement station students can use during a hallway transition.

A quiet reset space in the corner of a classroom.

A portable sensory path that can be rolled out when needed and shared between spaces.

A breathing activity before a test.

A whole-class movement break after prolonged sitting.

Start small.

The goal isn't to create more for teachers to manage.

It's to build regulation opportunities into things students are already doing.

Movement Isn't Taking Away From Learning

Especially during the first weeks of school, there can be pressure to establish routines and get students academically engaged as quickly as possible.

But movement doesn't have to compete with learning.

For many students, purposeful movement can help them become more ready for what comes next.

When a child has an appropriate opportunity to move, reset, breathe, push, stretch, march, balance, or simply step away for a moment, we're giving their body another tool for regulation.

And when the body is more regulated, participating in classroom expectations may become easier.

That's why I don't view movement and sensory supports as something separate from the school day.

They're one way we help prepare students for the school day.

Teach the Tools Before They're Needed

The beginning of the year is also the perfect time to introduce sensory and regulation resources.

Don't wait until a student is upset to show them a calming space for the first time.

Don't introduce a sensory path only after someone is having difficulty.

Teach students what the resources are, how to use them, and when they might help.

Let the whole class practice.

Normalize taking a breath.

Normalize movement.

Normalize recognizing when your body needs something.

When these supports are simply part of the school environment, using them doesn't have to feel like a punishment or something reserved for "the kid who is struggling."

It becomes another tool available to students.

A Different Way to Prepare for Day One

We spend so much time preparing our schools for the first day.

Bulletin boards are ready.

Name tags are on desks.

Lesson plans are written.

Supplies are organized.

Hallways look beautiful.

But as you're walking through your school before those doors open, consider adding one more question to your checklist:

Where can our students go — or what can they do — when their bodies need to move, calm, or reset?

You may already have the perfect space.

And it might only take one small addition to make it useful.

Try This Tomorrow

Walk through your students' first day from their perspective.

Where will they wait?

Where will it be loud?

When will they be expected to sit for a longer period?

Which transitions might feel overwhelming?

When will there be lots of directions, people, noise, or stimulation happening at once?

Now choose one of those moments.

Ask yourself:

"What could we put in place five minutes earlier?"

Maybe it's two minutes of movement.

Maybe it's a breathing exercise.

Maybe it's a visual reminder.

Maybe it's a sensory activity students pass on their way back to class.

Start with one proactive support and see what happens.

Because sometimes the best time to help a student regulate is before they need help regulating.

Want to Learn More?

Sacred Steps Sensory Paths were created by a school-based occupational therapist to help schools incorporate purposeful movement and regulation into the spaces and routines they already have.

Schools don't need a sensory room — or even a large hallway — to get started.

You can begin with one individual activity, a calming space, a Starter Set, a portable sensory path, or a full hallway path.

Sacred Steps offers both universal school resources and OT-designed faith-based sensory paths, allowing Catholic and Christian schools to combine purposeful movement and regulation with messages that reinforce their faith throughout the school day.

Products are commercially printed using durable, professional-grade materials designed for school environments, with floor, wall, and portable options available.

Whether you're preparing for the very first day or realizing a few weeks into the year that your students need additional support, you don't have to change everything at once.

Start with one need.
Start with one space.
Start with one purposeful step.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing is a school-based occupational therapist with more than 10 years of experience and the creator of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. After seeing firsthand how movement and regulation impact students' ability to participate successfully in the school day, she created Sacred Steps to provide schools with purposeful, professionally designed sensory resources — including faith-based options that allow Christian and Catholic schools to support the whole child while reinforcing their faith.

Is Your School Hallway Working Hard Enough?

A 5-Minute Hallway Check From a School-Based Occupational Therapist

When we think about preparing a school environment for students, we tend to focus on classrooms.

We arrange desks. We organize materials. We create calm-down spaces. We think about lighting, seating, visual supports, and classroom routines.

But there's another space students use every single day that we don't always think about in the same way:

The hallway.

As a school-based occupational therapist, I spend a lot of time thinking about how the environment affects a student's ability to regulate, transition, participate, and learn.

And hallways are part of that environment.

Students may walk through them dozens of times each day. They transition from preferred activities to non-preferred activities there. They navigate noise, other students, visual stimulation, schedule changes, and expectations—all while being asked to keep their bodies regulated.

So here's a question worth asking:

Is your hallway simply getting students from Point A to Point B—or could it be doing more?

Take a 5-Minute Walk Through Your School

I created a simple Principal's Hallway Checklist to help school leaders look at their hallways through a slightly different lens.

You don't need a formal assessment.

You don't need an OT walking beside you.

Just take five minutes and walk through your building while thinking about a few key areas.

1. Look at the visual environment.

Stand at one end of your hallway and simply look.

Does the space feel organized—or overwhelming?

Can students easily identify important signs and visual cues?

Are bulletin boards and displays intentional, or is every available inch competing for their attention?

For many students, especially those who are easily distracted or overwhelmed by visual input, more isn't always better.

Sometimes creating a more supportive environment starts with deciding what doesn't need to be there.

2. Look for opportunities to move.

We often treat movement as something that happens at recess, in physical education, or during a designated classroom movement break.

But movement doesn't have to be separate from the school day.

It can be built into it.

Could an unused stretch of hallway give students an opportunity to jump, balance, reach, breathe, cross midline, or complete a quick sequence of purposeful movements?

Could a student use that space for a two-minute regulation break and then return to class?

Could movement be used proactively, rather than waiting until a child is already dysregulated?

That's one of the biggest shifts I encourage schools to consider.

3. Pay attention to transitions.

For some students, transitions are easy.

For others, they're one of the hardest parts of the school day.

Leaving a preferred classroom, navigating a busy hallway, remembering where to go next, managing peers and noise, and preparing for an entirely different set of expectations requires a surprising amount of regulation and executive functioning.

As you walk your hallways, ask:

What support is available for the child who struggles here?

It might be a visual cue.

It might be a predictable movement opportunity.

It might be a calming strategy.

Sometimes a relatively small environmental support can make a difficult transition more manageable.

4. Ask whether your hallway helps students return ready to learn.

This is one of my favorite questions.

Instead of thinking only about hallway behavior—Are students quiet? Are they walking? Are they following expectations?—consider what happens after the hallway.

Does the environment help students arrive at their next destination ready to participate?

Purposeful movement can provide opportunities to work on body awareness, coordination, balance, motor planning, regulation, and attention.

A hallway can also reinforce skills we want students to carry back into the classroom:

Confidence.

Patience.

Perseverance.

Kindness.

Leadership.

A hallway doesn't have to be wasted space.

5. Look at the space you already have.

This may be the most practical part of the entire exercise.

Look for:

An empty wall.

An unused corner.

A long stretch of hallway.

A small space outside a counseling office.

An area near the intervention room.

A spot where a portable activity could be rolled out when needed.

You don't necessarily need a dedicated sensory room—or a large budget—to create another opportunity for regulation in your school.

Start with the space you already have.

For Catholic Schools: Look Through One More Lens

In a Catholic school, I would add another question to the hallway walk:

Does our Catholic identity extend beyond our classrooms?

Catholic education has a unique opportunity to surround students with reminders of who they are and Whose they are throughout the entire school day.

Faith formation doesn't have to stop when students leave religion class.

Our hallways and shared spaces can reinforce Scripture, prayer, virtues, Sacraments, and reminders of God's presence.

And our sensory and regulation supports don't have to be separate from that mission either.

We can support the body, mind, AND spirit.

That's one of the reasons I created Sacred Steps in the first place. I wanted Catholic schools to have access to purposeful movement and regulation supports without having to separate those supports from their Catholic identity.

Try This Tomorrow

Take five minutes and walk one hallway in your school.

Don't walk it as an administrator thinking about schedules, supervision, or maintenance.

For five minutes, try to walk it from the perspective of a student.

Ask yourself:

What does this space ask of our students—and what does it give back to them?

Then identify one space that could work a little harder.

That's it.

You don't need to redesign your school.

Start with one hallway. One wall. One corner. One opportunity.

Download the Free Principal's Hallway Checklist

I've turned these questions into a simple printable checklist you can take with you as you walk through your building.

Use it yourself, share it with your leadership team, or walk through the building with your OT, counselor, intervention specialist, or facilities staff.

Catholic school? I've created a Catholic version, too, with an additional section on Faith Throughout the Building.

Want to Learn More?

If your hallway walk leaves you looking at an empty wall or unused stretch of floor and thinking, We could do something with that, I'd be happy to help.

Sacred Steps Sensory Paths offers floor-based, wall-based, and portable movement and regulation supports designed specifically for real school environments.

And you don't need to begin with a full sensory path.

Whether you have $300 or $3,000, we can start with the space and budget you have and determine what could make the greatest impact for your students.

Sometimes transforming a school environment doesn't start with a huge project.

It starts by looking at an ordinary space differently.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, MOT, OTR/L, is a practicing school-based occupational therapist and founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. Drawing on more than a decade of experience working with students and educators, she creates movement and regulation supports designed for the realities of school environments. Sacred Steps offers both faith-based and universal options to help schools create purposeful opportunities for movement, regulation, confidence, executive functioning, and student success.

No Hallway? No Problem. How Portable Sensory Paths Bring Movement Anywhere

As schools prepare for a new year, many educators are looking for simple, effective ways to help students feel calm, focused, and ready to learn.

Sensory paths have become an increasingly popular way to provide purposeful movement throughout the school day. Traditionally, these paths are installed in hallways where students can hop, stretch, balance, and regulate their bodies before entering the classroom.

But what if your school doesn't have a long hallway?

What if you're looking for something that can move from classroom to classroom?

Or perhaps you'd like to introduce movement supports before committing to a permanent installation.

That's exactly why I created portable sensory paths.

Not Every School Has the Perfect Hallway

Permanent hallway sensory paths are wonderful—but they aren't the right fit for every school.

Some schools have narrow hallways.

Some have carpet instead of tile.

Some share facilities with other organizations.

Others simply want the flexibility to move resources throughout the building.

Portable sensory paths make it possible to bring meaningful movement anywhere students need it.

Simply roll them out when needed, then roll them back up for easy storage.

Why Purposeful Movement Matters

As a practicing school-based occupational therapist, I've seen firsthand how movement can change the course of a student's day.

Purposeful movement helps students:

• Improve attention and focus

• Develop self-regulation skills

• Strengthen executive functioning

• Prepare their brains for learning

• Reduce stress and anxiety

• Improve body awareness

• Transition more successfully between activities

• Build confidence and independence

The beauty of portable paths is that these benefits aren't limited to hallways—they can happen anywhere.

Where Portable Sensory Paths Work

Schools are using portable sensory paths in:

• Classrooms

• Occupational therapy rooms

• Physical therapy spaces

• Speech therapy rooms

• Counseling offices

• Libraries

• Resource rooms

• Preschool classrooms

• Religious education classrooms

• Parish centers

• Before and after-school programs

• Small-group intervention spaces

Because they're portable, one path can support multiple classrooms throughout the day.

Perfect for Schools That Aren't Ready for Permanent Installation

Portable sensory paths are also a wonderful option for schools that:

• Want to try a sensory path before investing in hallway decals

• Need movement supports in multiple locations

• Have limited wall or floor space

• Want movement available during indoor recess

• Need flexible intervention tools

• Prefer resources that can easily be stored when not in use

Many schools begin with a portable path and later expand into permanent hallway installations as they see the positive impact on students.

Which Portable Path Is Right for Your School?

Sacred Steps currently offers six portable sensory paths, each designed to meet different needs while encouraging purposeful movement.

⭐ Steps to Success

A universal social-emotional learning path that reinforces kindness, perseverance, responsibility, honesty, bravery, patience, and other important life skills.

Perfect for:

• Public schools

• Private schools

• Counseling spaces

• Intervention programs

• Leadership initiatives

⭐ Walk With Jesus

Students move while reflecting on the life and teachings of Jesus, reinforcing faith formation through purposeful movement.

Perfect for:

• Catholic schools

• Religious education

• Parish programs

• Faith formation classrooms

⭐ Noah's Ark

A favorite for younger learners, this engaging path combines movement with one of the Bible's most beloved stories.

Perfect for:

• Preschool

• Kindergarten

• Early elementary

• Church nurseries

⭐ Days of Creation

Students journey through the seven days of creation while moving, balancing, hopping, and learning Scripture.

Perfect for:

• Elementary religion classes

• Catholic schools

• Faith formation

• Vacation Bible School

⭐ Leaders in Motion

Created to help students develop leadership skills through purposeful movement, Leaders in Motion encourages confidence, responsibility, perseverance, teamwork, self-regulation, executive functioning, and positive decision-making.

Available in two unique versions, schools can choose the path that best fits their students and school culture.

Perfect for:

• Leadership initiatives

• Character education

• Social-emotional learning (SEL)

• Executive functioning support

• Student leadership programs

• Elementary and middle school students

Why Schools Love Portable Paths

Portable sensory paths give schools incredible flexibility.

One resource can support:

• Morning arrival

• Indoor recess

• Small-group instruction

• Therapy sessions

• Classroom brain breaks

• Counseling visits

• Transition times

• After-school programs

Instead of students traveling to the sensory path, the sensory path comes to them.

Every portable path is professionally printed on durable 3ft x 10ft canvas, rolls up for easy storage, and can be moved from room to room in seconds.

No installation.

No commitment to one location.

Just purposeful movement wherever students need it.

Try This Tomorrow

Choose one classroom that struggles with transitions.

Before independent work, after recess, or before dismissal, spend just five minutes allowing students to complete a movement activity together.

Observe what changes.

Many teachers notice students returning to learning calmer, more organized, and better prepared to focus.

Sometimes just a few minutes of purposeful movement can completely change the tone of the classroom.

Want to Learn More?

Whether you're looking for faith-based resources like Walk With Jesus, Noah's Ark, and Days of Creation, or universal options like Steps to Success and our Leaders in Motion portable paths, Sacred Steps makes it easy to bring purposeful movement into any learning environment.

No hallway?

No problem.

Movement can happen anywhere students learn, grow, regulate, and thrive.

Browse the complete collection of portable sensory paths and discover how simple it can be to create meaningful movement opportunities throughout your school.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, OTR/L is a practicing school-based occupational therapist with more than a decade of experience helping children succeed through purposeful movement, sensory regulation, and executive functioning supports. She is the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths, creating OT-designed movement resources that are now helping students in schools across 27 states and Canada. Whether through permanent hallway installations or portable sensory paths, her mission is to help every child feel welcomed, regulated, confident, and ready to learn.

Why Did Seven Catholic Schools just Choose Who God Says I Am?

As educators, we spend countless hours helping children learn who they are.

We encourage perseverance after mistakes. We celebrate kindness. We remind students they are capable, valued, and important.

But today's children are also growing up in a world that constantly tells them who they should be—and too often, those messages create anxiety, self-doubt, and comparison.

As I recently completed installations throughout the Archdiocese of Omaha, I noticed something that immediately stood out.

When nine Catholic schools selected products for their hallways, one collection became the clear favorite.

Three schools chose the complete Who God Says I Am Sensory Path, while four additional schools selected the Who God Says I Am Starter Set.

That made me stop and think.

Why did this message resonate so deeply?

Children Need Truth They Can Return To

Every school day is filled with moments that challenge a child's confidence.

A difficult math assignment.

A disagreement with a friend.

A poor test grade.

Feeling left out at recess.

Making a mistake in class.

These moments often become the stories children tell themselves.

"I'm not good enough."

"Nobody likes me."

"I always mess things up."

As Catholic educators, we have the incredible opportunity to replace those lies with truth.

Imagine students walking down the hallway and being reminded:

• I Am Loved

• I Am Forgiven

• I Am Strong

• I Am Brave

• I Am Peaceful

• I Am Never Alone

• I Am God's Child

Not once.

Not only during religion class.

But every single day.

Why Movement Makes These Messages More Meaningful

As a pediatric occupational therapist, I've seen firsthand how movement prepares the brain for learning.

Movement increases alertness.

It supports attention.

It helps regulate emotions.

It improves memory and retention.

When children move while interacting with meaningful messages, they're doing much more than getting the wiggles out.

They're pairing physical movement with positive identity.

That combination helps those affirmations become experiences rather than simply words on a wall.

Instead of walking past another hallway display, students are actively engaging with reminders of who God says they are.

Hallways Can Become Places of Formation

Catholic schools do an incredible job forming students academically and spiritually inside the classroom.

But learning doesn't stop when students leave their desks.

Hallways are some of the most frequently used spaces in every school.

Those daily transitions can become opportunities to reinforce faith, encourage movement, and support emotional regulation—all in less than a minute.

When students repeatedly encounter these messages throughout the school year, they become familiar, comforting reminders during both joyful and challenging moments.

Why I Believe This Collection Resonated

I can't speak for each school's individual decision, but after working with Catholic educators across 27 states and Canada, I've noticed a common theme.

Schools aren't just looking for sensory paths.

They're looking for ways to intentionally shape school culture.

They want students to know they are seen.

They want children to feel safe.

They want every hallway to reinforce the values they teach inside the classroom.

The Who God Says I Am collection does exactly that.

It's more than movement.

It's a daily reminder of identity rooted in faith.

Try This Tomorrow

Take a walk through your school's hallways and imagine you're seeing them through the eyes of a student.

What messages do they encounter?

What do your walls say about kindness, courage, forgiveness, or belonging?

Even one intentional reminder placed where students naturally transition throughout the day can become a meaningful moment of encouragement.

Want to Learn More?

The Who God Says I Am collection was thoughtfully designed to combine purposeful movement with faith-filled affirmations that remind students of their identity in Christ.

Whether you're looking for the complete sensory path or a simple Starter Set to begin transforming your hallways, these movement experiences help reinforce positive messages every single day.

If you'd like to see how Catholic schools across the country are using the collection—or explore which option might be the best fit for your school—I'd love to help.

Browse the collection or contact me anytime. Together, we can create hallways that encourage movement, strengthen faith, and remind every child exactly who God says they are.

Still deciding?

If you'd like to see the quality of Sacred Steps products before purchasing, I'd be happy to send you a complimentary sample.

It's a simple way to experience the colors, materials, and durability firsthand—and see why schools across 27 states and Canada have chosen Sacred Steps.

👉 Request your free sample here.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. She combines over a decade of school-based occupational therapy experience with her passion for Catholic education to create movement experiences that strengthen self-regulation, learning, and faith. Sacred Steps products are currently used in schools across 27 states and Canada.

Before the First Bell Rings: 7 Proactive Ways to Prepare Students for a Successful School Year

Every school wants students to have a successful first day.

Teachers decorate classrooms. Administrators finalize schedules. Hallways are waxed. Bulletin boards are filled. Families pack backpacks with brand-new supplies.

But one important question is often overlooked.

Are we preparing our students—or just preparing our classrooms?

As a school-based occupational therapist, I've learned that the most effective supports aren't always the ones we implement after challenges arise.

They're the ones we intentionally build before the first bell rings.

When schools proactively create environments that support movement, self-regulation, executive functioning, and belonging, students are more prepared to learn from the very first day.

Whether you're a principal, teacher, counselor, occupational therapist, or parish leader, here are seven simple ways to prepare students for a successful school year.

And at the end of this article, I'll share a free Hallway Readiness Checklist you can use with your staff before students arrive.

1. Build Movement Into the School Day

Children were never meant to sit still for six or seven hours each day.

Purposeful movement helps students:

• Improve attention
  

• Increase focus
  

• Support self-regulation
  

• Prepare their brains for learning
  

• Reduce stress and anxiety
  

• Improve transitions
  

Movement isn't a reward after learning.

Movement helps make learning possible.

2. Turn Your Hallways Into Learning Spaces

Think about how many times students walk your hallways every day.

Now ask yourself...

What are those hallways teaching?

Hallways don't have to be empty spaces between classrooms.

They can reinforce:

• Kindness
  
  

• Responsibility
  
  

• Executive functioning
  
  

• Bible stories
  
  

• School values
  
  

• Social-emotional learning
  
  

• Faith formation
  
  

Every transition becomes another opportunity to teach.

3. Be Proactive Instead of Reactive

One of the biggest shifts I've seen during my years as a school-based OT is moving from:

"What do we do when a student becomes dysregulated?"

to

"How do we help students stay regulated before challenges occur?"

Many students don't need intensive interventions.

They simply need intentional opportunities to move, reset, and regulate throughout the day.

Proactive supports often prevent problems before they begin.

4. Design Supports That Benefit Every Student

One misconception about sensory supports is that they're only for students receiving special education services.

In reality...

Every child has moments when they need:

• A brain break
  
  

• Encouragement
  
  

• Movement
  
  

• A chance to reset
  
  

• Support during transitions
  
  

The best school-wide supports help everyone while naturally providing additional support for students who need it most.

That's what inclusion looks like.

5. Reinforce Your School's Mission Every Day

Students may hear your school's mission statement once each morning.

But what if they experienced it dozens of times throughout the day?

Imagine hallways reminding students to be:

• Kind
  
  

• Brave
  
  

• Respectful
  
  

• Honest
  
  

• Patient
  
  

• Helpful
  
  

Or, in Catholic schools...

Imagine students being reminded that they are:

• Loved by God
  
  

• Forgiven
  
  

• Never alone
  
  

• Called to serve others
  
  

Your physical environment can reinforce your mission long after announcements end.

6. Strengthen Executive Functioning Through Everyday Experiences

Executive functioning isn't taught during one lesson.

It's developed over hundreds of small moments.

Students strengthen these skills when they:

• Follow multi-step directions
  
  

• Make choices
  
  

• Solve problems
  
  

• Sequence movements
  
  

• Practice self-control
  
  

• Remember routines
  
  

Movement-based activities naturally encourage many of these skills while keeping students engaged.

7. Remember That Small Changes Can Have a Big Impact

Schools don't need complete renovations to create meaningful change.

Sometimes it begins with:

One hallway.

One calming corner.

One movement station.

One intentional routine.

Small environmental changes can positively influence hundreds of students over the course of a school year.

The goal isn't perfection.

The goal is creating an environment where students feel successful before challenges arise.

Is Your School Ready Before the First Bell Rings?

As you're preparing classrooms, lesson plans, and schedules, don't forget one of the most overlooked learning environments in your building...

Your hallways.

To help schools prepare for a successful year, I've created a Hallway Readiness Checklist specifically for principals, teachers, occupational therapists, counselors, and school leaders.

Inside, you'll evaluate questions like:

✔ Do students have opportunities for purposeful movement throughout the day?

✔ Do your hallways reinforce your school's mission, values, or faith?

✔ Are students given proactive opportunities to regulate before becoming overwhelmed?

✔ Does your environment support executive functioning and successful transitions?

✔ Are your hallways working as hard as your classrooms?

It's a simple resource that helps schools think intentionally about how their physical environment supports learning before the first bell ever rings.

🎁 Get Your FREE Hallway Readiness Checklist

I'd love to send you a complimentary copy!

Simply email me at hello@sacredstepssensorypaths.com

with the subject line:

Hallway Checklist

I'll send you:

✅ The Hallway Readiness Checklist

✅ An OT guide explaining how to interpret your results

✅ Information about a complimentary hallway mock-up customized for your school if you'd like to explore additional ideas.

No obligation.

Just a practical resource designed to help schools start the year strong.

Try This Tomorrow

Before students return, take ten minutes and walk through your school as if you were seeing it for the first time.

Ask yourself:

• What are students learning before they even reach the classroom?
  
  

• Where do students have opportunities to move?
  
  

• Where are they reminded they're capable?
  
  

• Where are they encouraged to regulate before becoming overwhelmed?
  
  

• Does our environment reflect the mission and values we want students to experience every day?
  
  

Sometimes the biggest opportunities aren't found inside classrooms.

They're found in the spaces between them.

Want to Learn More?

At Sacred Steps Sensory Paths, we believe every hallway has the potential to become a place where students grow academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

Designed by a practicing school-based occupational therapist, our movement-based resources help schools transform ordinary spaces into opportunities for learning, self-regulation, executive functioning, faith formation, and positive school culture.

Whether you're looking for a complete sensory path, a calming space, portable movement activities, or simply ideas for making your school more proactive, we'd love to help.

Contact us today for a complimentary hallway mock-up and discover how your hallways can begin teaching before the first bell ever rings.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, MOT, OTR/L is a practicing school-based occupational therapist with more than a decade of experience helping children succeed in educational settings. She is the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths, where she designs movement-based resources that support executive functioning, self-regulation, faith formation, and inclusive learning environments. Sacred Steps products are currently being used in schools, parishes, therapy clinics, and community spaces across 27 states and Canada.

Bible Activities That Get Kids Moving: 10 Fun Ways to Reinforce Faith Through Movement

If you've ever tried teaching a Bible lesson to young children, you've probably experienced it...

They're wiggling.

They're fidgeting.

They're rocking in their chairs.

They're looking everywhere except where you hoped.

It's easy to think they aren't paying attention.

But as a school-based occupational therapist, I've learned something incredibly important:

Movement isn't the enemy of learning—it often makes learning possible.

Children learn best when they can actively participate. By combining movement with Bible stories, Scripture, and faith formation, we help children engage more deeply, remember more, and experience God's Word in a meaningful way.

Whether you're a Catholic school teacher, religious education coordinator, Sunday school volunteer, children's ministry leader, or parent, here are ten simple ways to bring faith to life through movement.

Why Movement Helps Children Learn

Children's brains and bodies are designed to move.

Research continues to show that purposeful movement can improve:

• Attention

• Memory

• Executive functioning

• Self-regulation

• Learning readiness

When movement becomes part of a lesson, children aren't simply burning energy—they're building stronger connections to what they're learning.

Instead of asking children to sit perfectly still for thirty minutes, consider inviting movement into your lesson.

You'll often discover they're more engaged than ever.

1. Walk Through Bible Stories

Instead of simply reading Scripture, invite children to become part of the story.

Can they:

• Walk beside Noah?

• Jump like frogs during the plagues?

• Balance across the Red Sea?

• Reach toward Heaven during the Ascension?

When children physically experience a story, they often remember it long after class is over.

2. Create Scripture Movement Stations

Choose several Bible verses and pair each one with a movement.

For example:

📖 "Be strong and courageous."

➡️ Ten giant jumps

📖 "Love one another."

➡️ Give yourself a big hug

📖 "Be still."

➡️ Take three slow breaths

Simple movements make Scripture memorable.

3. Use a Faith-Based Sensory Path

One of my favorite ways to combine movement and faith is through a faith-based sensory pathway.

Sometimes people search for a "holy path for kids," but the idea is the same: a movement experience that reinforces Bible stories, virtues, or Scripture while encouraging children to move.

Faith-based sensory paths can feature:

• Noah's Ark

• Days of Creation

• Walking with Jesus

• The Sacraments

• The Rosary

• Positive affirmations rooted in Scripture

Instead of simply decorating hallways, schools can transform them into places where faith is experienced every single day.

4. Act Out Bible Stories

Children love dramatic play.

Assign simple roles and invite children to:

• March around Jericho

• Pretend to gather manna

• Help build Noah's Ark

• Feed the five thousand

Movement turns stories into experiences.

5. Add Motions to Prayer

Simple hand motions help children stay engaged during familiar prayers.

Even older students often enjoy praying with purposeful movement.

Prayer becomes active instead of passive.

6. Bible Verse Relay

Write several Scripture verses on cards.

Students complete a movement activity before finding the next verse.

This combines:

• Reading

• Movement

• Teamwork

• Memory

7. Nature Prayer Walk

Take learning outside.

As children walk, encourage them to notice:

• God's creation

• Birds

• Trees

• Flowers

• Clouds

Ask:

"What does this remind you about God?"

Sometimes the best classroom has no walls.

8. Movement During Religious Education

Transitions happen in every classroom.

Instead of asking children to simply sit and wait...

Use one or two minutes of purposeful movement between activities.

A quick movement break often improves attention for the lesson that follows.

9. Reinforce Virtues Through Movement

Choose one virtue each week.

For example:

❤️ Kindness

💙 Courage

💚 Patience

💛 Gratitude

Create a movement that represents each virtue and practice it throughout the week.

Children begin connecting physical actions with spiritual growth.

10. Create Hallways That Teach

Faith formation shouldn't stop when religion class ends.

Hallways, gathering spaces, libraries, and parish centers all provide opportunities to reinforce God's love throughout the day.

Imagine students walking through a hallway that reminds them:

• God loves me.

• I am forgiven.

• I am brave.

• I am never alone.

Sometimes the most powerful classroom isn't a classroom at all.

Why Faith and Movement Belong Together

As an occupational therapist, I've seen how movement helps children organize their bodies, calm their minds, and prepare for learning.

As a person of faith, I've also seen how movement helps children experience Scripture in ways they never forget.

When we combine the two, something beautiful happens.

Faith becomes active.

Learning becomes joyful.

Children become participants instead of spectators.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are movement activities appropriate during religious education?

Absolutely. Purposeful movement often helps children remain engaged and improves attention throughout lessons.

What ages benefit from movement?

Movement supports learners of all ages, from preschool through middle school. Activities can easily be adapted to match developmental levels.

Do I need a large space?

Not at all. Many movement activities work in classrooms, parish halls, hallways, libraries, or outdoor spaces.

What is a "holy path" for kids?

Many educators use the phrase "holy path" to describe a faith-based movement pathway that combines Scripture, Bible stories, virtues, or prayer with purposeful movement. These pathways encourage children to learn while actively engaging their bodies and minds.

Try This Tomorrow

Choose one familiar Bible story and ask yourself:

"How could my students move through this story instead of only hearing it?"

Maybe they'll march.

Maybe they'll jump.

Maybe they'll stretch.

Maybe they'll walk alongside Jesus.

Sometimes a single movement is all it takes to help God's Word come alive.

Want to Learn More?

At Sacred Steps Sensory Paths, every product is designed by a practicing school-based occupational therapist with one goal in mind: helping children move, learn, and grow.

Our faith-based sensory paths combine purposeful movement with Scripture, Bible stories, virtues, and Catholic teaching to create engaging learning experiences throughout schools, churches, and religious education programs.

Whether you're looking for a Noah's Ark sensory path, Days of Creation pathway, Walk with Jesus, Who God Says I Am, Holy Alphabet, or other faith-filled movement activities, we'd love to help you create spaces where faith and movement come together every day.

👉 Explore our collection or contact us for a complimentary hallway mock-up.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, MOT, OTR/L is the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths and a practicing school-based occupational therapist with more than a decade of experience helping children thrive through purposeful movement. She designs OT-informed, faith-based movement experiences that support self-regulation, executive functioning, learning, and faith formation. Today, Sacred Steps products are used in schools, churches, clinics, and educational settings across 27 states and Canada.

How to Set Up a Sensory Pathway in Your School

If you've been researching sensory pathways for schools, you've probably noticed they're appearing in elementary schools, Catholic schools, therapy clinics, and early childhood centers across the country.

But what exactly is a sensory pathway?

More importantly...

Do they actually work?

As a practicing school-based occupational therapist for more than 10 years, I've seen firsthand how purposeful movement can transform a student's ability to learn, focus, regulate emotions, and participate in the school day.

A sensory pathway isn't simply colorful hallway décor. When thoughtfully designed, it becomes an extension of the classroom—a place where movement supports learning, self-regulation, executive functioning, and even school culture.

This guide will help you understand what sensory pathways are, who benefits from them, and how to choose the right one for your school.

What Is a Sensory Pathway?

A sensory pathway is a series of movement-based activities placed throughout a hallway or learning space that encourages children to move with purpose.

Students may be asked to:

• Jump

• Balance

• Hop

• Stretch

• Cross midline

• Practice bilateral coordination

• Follow visual directions

• Complete calming breathing activities

These simple movements activate multiple body systems while giving students an opportunity to reset before returning to learning.

Unlike a playground or PE class, sensory pathways provide quick movement opportunities throughout the school day during natural transitions.

Why Schools Are Installing Sensory Pathways

Today's students spend much of their day sitting.

Research continues to show that movement improves:

• Attention

• Learning readiness

• Emotional regulation

• Executive functioning

• Classroom participation

Instead of asking students to simply "sit still," sensory pathways acknowledge an important truth:

Movement helps children learn.

Schools are incorporating sensory pathways into:

• Hallways

• Entryways

• Counseling offices

• Resource rooms

• Libraries

• Early childhood wings

• Therapy spaces

• Waiting areas

• Faith formation areas

The goal isn't to interrupt learning.

It's to improve it.

Who Benefits From a School Sensory Pathway?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that sensory pathways are only for students with special needs.

In reality, every child benefits from movement.

Sensory pathways can support:

Students who need movement breaks

Some children simply learn better after moving.

A short hallway activity may improve focus far more effectively than repeatedly reminding a child to stay seated.

Students with ADHD

Movement can improve attention, body awareness, impulse control, and regulation throughout the school day.

Students with autism

Many autistic students benefit from predictable movement routines and opportunities for sensory regulation between activities.

Students experiencing anxiety

Deep breathing, heavy work, and rhythmic movement may help students feel calmer before entering challenging academic or social situations.

Entire classrooms

Teachers often report smoother transitions and improved readiness after classes complete a sensory pathway together.

Benefits of Sensory Pathways

Schools often notice improvements in:

Better transitions

Instead of chaotic hallway movement, students have a structured activity to complete while moving between classrooms.

Improved focus

Movement increases alertness and prepares the brain for learning.

Self-regulation

Students begin recognizing when they need movement before becoming overwhelmed.

Executive functioning

Many pathways challenge planning, sequencing, working memory, and attention.

Positive school culture

Hallways become engaging spaces that reinforce kindness, perseverance, responsibility, faith, or other school values.

Choosing the Right Sensory Pathway

Not every pathway is the same.

When comparing options, ask yourself:

What skills are we trying to support?

Examples include:

• Self-regulation

• Executive functioning

• School readiness

• Faith formation

• Character education

• Motor coordination

• Emotional regulation

Who will use it?

Consider:

• Preschool

• Elementary

• Middle school

• Therapy students

• Entire school

Where will it be installed?

Popular locations include:

• Main hallways

• Classroom hallways

• Counseling offices

• Libraries

• Waiting rooms

• Church hallways

• Religious education spaces

Is it durable?

School hallways receive heavy foot traffic.

Choose commercial-quality materials designed specifically for educational settings.

Faith-Based vs. Traditional Sensory Pathways

Many schools are looking for ways to reinforce learning beyond the classroom.

Faith-based sensory pathways combine movement with Scripture, prayer, virtues, sacraments, or Bible stories, creating opportunities for students to encounter their faith throughout the school day.

Instead of simply decorating hallways, schools can transform them into meaningful spaces that encourage movement while reinforcing Catholic identity.

How Occupational Therapy Influences Great Design

As an occupational therapist, I approach every sensory pathway differently than a graphic designer.

Every movement should have a purpose.

Activities should intentionally support:

• Bilateral coordination

• Crossing midline

• Motor planning

• Vestibular input

• Proprioceptive input

• Executive functioning

• Self-regulation

Beautiful design matters—but purposeful movement matters even more.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does installation take?

Most floor decals can be installed in just a few hours depending on the size of the project.

Are sensory pathways only for elementary schools?

No.

Many middle schools, counseling departments, therapy clinics, churches, and early childhood programs successfully use movement pathways.

Do sensory pathways require a lot of space?

Not at all.

They can be customized for long hallways, short corridors, classrooms, counseling spaces, or even portable options.

Can they be cleaned?

Yes.

Commercial-quality decals are designed for regular school cleaning procedures when installed and maintained according to manufacturer recommendations.

Try This Tomorrow

Take a walk through your school and look at your hallways with fresh eyes.

Ask yourself:

• Where do students tend to become restless during transitions?

• Which hallway could become a purposeful movement opportunity?

• Is there a space that could reinforce your school's mission, values, or faith while helping students regulate and refocus?

Sometimes the most powerful learning spaces aren't classrooms at all—they're the places students pass through every day.

Want to Learn More?

At Sacred Steps Sensory Paths, every product is designed by a practicing school-based occupational therapist to support movement, learning, regulation, and school culture.

Whether you're looking for faith-based sensory pathways, universal movement paths, calming spaces, or portable options, I'd love to help you find the right fit for your school.

I also offer complimentary hallway mock-ups so you can visualize how your space could be transformed before placing an order.

Explore the collection or contact me to start planning your hallway transformation today.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, OTR/L is a practicing school-based occupational therapist and the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. She designs movement-rich environments that help schools support self-regulation, executive functioning, learning, and faith formation. Sacred Steps products are used in schools, churches, clinics, and educational settings across 25 states and Canada.

How Catholic Schools Can Reinforce Faith Outside the Classroom

When we think about faith formation in Catholic schools, our minds often go to religion class, Mass, prayer services, and sacramental preparation. Those are, of course, essential parts of Catholic education.

But what about the other 90% of a student's day?

The walk to lunch.
The trip to the library.
Transitions between classrooms.
Waiting in the hallway.
Walking to the office.
A moment spent calming down after a difficult interaction.

These everyday moments offer incredible opportunities to reinforce faith—not through another lesson, but through the environment itself.

Every Hallway Is a Teaching Opportunity

Children spend a surprising amount of time moving throughout their school. Rather than viewing hallways simply as spaces that connect classrooms, Catholic schools can intentionally design them to become extensions of faith formation.

Imagine a student walking to music class while stopping to:

• Recall the seven days of Creation.

• Pray a Hail Mary while following a Rosary Infinity Loop.

• Remember one of the Beatitudes.

• Reflect on who God says they are.

• Practice calming strategies while being reminded they are loved by God.

These small interactions don't replace religion class—they reinforce it.

Over time, repeated exposure helps children internalize both faith and movement in meaningful ways.

Faith Is Built Through Repetition

Anyone who has worked with children knows that repetition matters.

Students learn multiplication facts by practicing them repeatedly.

They learn handwriting through daily use.

The same is true for faith.

Seeing Scripture, virtues, prayers, and reminders of God's love throughout the school day helps make these truths familiar and accessible.

Instead of faith existing only during one class period, it becomes woven into everyday school life.

Movement Helps Learning

As an occupational therapist, I also see another important benefit.

Children are designed to move.

Movement helps many students:

• regulate their bodies,

• improve attention,

• organize their thoughts,

• prepare for learning,

• and transition more successfully between activities.

When movement is paired with faith-based messages, students are engaging both their minds and their bodies.

A hallway becomes more than a place to walk—it becomes a place to learn, reflect, and reset.

Every Student Benefits

Faith-filled movement opportunities can support students of all ages and abilities.

Some students may pause to pray.

Others may benefit from the calming movement.

Some simply enjoy the interactive experience.

The beauty is that each child engages at their own level while receiving consistent reminders of God's presence throughout the day.

Building a Culture of Faith

Catholic school culture isn't created only through curriculum.

It's created through daily experiences.

The words students see.
The messages they hear.
The routines they practice.
The environments they move through.

When hallways, counseling spaces, libraries, early childhood wings, and parish centers intentionally reflect the school's mission, faith becomes something students experience—not just something they study.

Over time, these seemingly small moments contribute to a school culture where children are continually reminded that they are known, loved, forgiven, and called by God.

Try This Tomorrow

Take one walk through your school's hallways.

Ask yourself:

"If a visitor walked through our building, would they immediately recognize that this is a Catholic school?"

Beyond crucifixes and classroom doors, consider where students could encounter reminders of Scripture, prayer, virtue, or God's love during the ordinary transitions of their day.

Sometimes the most meaningful opportunities for faith formation happen outside the classroom.

Want to Learn More?

Sacred Steps Sensory Paths was created by a practicing school-based occupational therapist to help schools intentionally combine movement, learning, and faith.

From Bible Stories and the Days of Creation to the Beatitudes, Rosary Infinity Loop, Holy Alphabet, Sacred Sacraments, and Who God Says I Am, each pathway is designed to reinforce Catholic teaching while supporting movement, self-regulation, and student engagement.

Whether you're looking to transform an entire hallway or add a simple faith-filled movement station, I'd be happy to help you find the best fit for your school, parish, or ministry.

Explore the full collection or contact me for personalized recommendations and complimentary hallway mock-ups.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, OTR/L is a pediatric, school-based occupational therapist and the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. With more than a decade of experience helping children succeed in school, she designs movement experiences that strengthen regulation, learning, and faith. Sacred Steps products are used in Catholic schools, churches, therapy clinics, and early childhood programs across 25 states and Canada.

Why the Best School Supports Are in Place Before Students Need Them

Every summer, schools across the country prepare for a new year.

Teachers organize classrooms.

Custodians wax floors and freshen hallways.

Administrators finalize schedules and class lists.

Therapists prepare materials and review student needs.

Everyone works hard to make sure students walk into a welcoming environment on the very first day of school.

But one important question often gets overlooked:

Are we preparing our school environments to support every child before they need help?

As a school-based occupational therapist, this question has shaped the way I think about schools for more than a decade.

Because after working with hundreds of students, I've learned something important:

The most effective supports are proactive—not reactive.

We Prepare for Success in Every Other Area

Think about everything schools do before students arrive.

Teachers don't wait until the first day of school to create lesson plans.

Administrators don't wait until winter to test the heating system.

Custodians don't wait until the hallways become dirty before cleaning them.

We prepare because we know preparation creates success.

Yet when it comes to student regulation, movement, and emotional well-being, it's easy to wait until challenges appear before adding supports.

What if we approached those needs differently?

What if we intentionally designed school environments that quietly supported students all day long?

What Occupational Therapy Has Taught Me

As an occupational therapist, I know that behavior is communication.

Many students who appear distracted, anxious, impulsive, or overwhelmed aren't choosing to struggle.

Often, their nervous system is telling us something.

Their bodies may need movement.

Their brains may need a predictable routine.

Their sensory systems may need opportunities to regulate before learning can happen.

While we can't eliminate every challenge, we can build environments that make success more likely.

That's why I believe schools should support students long before they're struggling.

The Hallway Is One of the Most Underused Teaching Spaces in a School

When most people think about learning, they picture a classroom.

I picture the hallway.

Every student walks through it multiple times every single day.

Before lunch.

After recess.

Between specials.

On the way to intervention.

Heading back to class.

Over the course of a school year, those few minutes add up to hundreds of opportunities.

What if those transitions became moments to practice self-regulation?

To strengthen executive functioning?

To build confidence?

To remind students they are loved, capable, brave, and never alone?

Hallways aren't just places students pass through.

They can become places where students grow.

A Proactive School Environment Benefits Every Child

One of the biggest misconceptions about sensory supports is that they're only for students receiving special education services.

In reality, thoughtfully designed sensory supports benefit everyone.

The student who feels anxious before a test.

The child who struggles after recess.

The student who simply needs movement before sitting for another lesson.

Even the students who appear to be doing just fine benefit from opportunities to move, regulate, and reset throughout the day.

That's what makes sensory paths such a powerful Tier 1 support.

They're available to every student.

No referral.

No paperwork.

No waiting.

Just an environment intentionally designed to help children succeed.

Because when we prepare the environment, we're preparing students for success.

Preparing School Environments That Support Every Child

At Sacred Steps, this belief guides everything I create.

I don't design decals.

I design opportunities.

Opportunities for students to move.

To regulate.

To build confidence.

To practice executive functioning.

To encounter encouraging messages during ordinary moments of the school day.

Every hallway has the potential to become more than a hallway.

It can become part of a school's support system.

When we prepare our environments before students need them, we send a powerful message:

Every child belongs here.

Every child deserves support.

Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed.

That's the heart behind every Sacred Steps sensory path.

Try This Tomorrow

Take a walk through your school.

As you move from one hallway to the next, ask yourself these questions:

• Where do students consistently struggle with transitions?

• Which hallway feels rushed, chaotic, or stressful?

• Where could movement naturally become part of the school day?

• How could this space better support every child—not just the students who are already struggling?

Sometimes the greatest opportunities for change are hiding in spaces we walk through every day.

Want to Learn More?

Sacred Steps Sensory Paths are OT-designed movement experiences that help schools create environments where students can regulate, learn, and thrive. A school sensory pathway is one example of a proactive support that gives students access to movement before dysregulation interferes with learning.

Whether you're looking for a full hallway transformation, a Starter Set, portable sensory paths, calming stations, or faith-based movement experiences, every product is designed with one goal in mind:

Preparing school environments that support every child before they need help.

If you'd like help choosing the best fit for your school, I'd love to connect with you.

👉 Explore Sacred Steps Sensory Paths

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, OTR/L is a pediatric, school-based occupational therapist with more than 10 years of experience helping students develop the skills they need for success. She is the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths, where she combines occupational therapy expertise with faith-filled and inclusive movement experiences designed to help schools create environments that support every child.

Where Should You Install a Sensory Path? 12 Creative Places Schools Love

Hallways can do more than move students from one classroom to another.

With a thoughtfully placed sensory path, an ordinary hallway becomes an opportunity for movement, regulation, learning, and confidence-building.

One of the questions I hear most often is:

"Where should we install a sensory path?"

The answer depends on your school's goals, but before choosing a location, it can help to read this blog to understand the benefits of a sensory pathway for students and how intentional movement supports regulation and learning.

Here are some of the most successful locations I've seen in schools across the United States and Canada

1. Main Hallway

If your goal is to impact the greatest number of students, start here.

A sensory path in the main hallway gives every student an opportunity to move, reset, and regulate throughout the school day.

Perfect for:

• Morning arrival

• Transition times

• Indoor recess

• Brain breaks

Great products:

• Steps to Success

• Bible Stories

• Holy Alphabet

2. Outside the Counselor's Office

Students often arrive anxious, overwhelmed, or dysregulated.

Giving them a structured movement activity before entering can help prepare their minds and bodies for conversation.

Perfect for:

• Emotional regulation

• Anxiety

• Counseling sessions

Great products:

• Happy Heart

• Rainbow Reset

• Calming Cross

• I Am Peaceful

3. Special Education Wing

Many schools create a dedicated movement space near intervention classrooms.

Students can use the path before instruction, after challenging tasks, or as part of a sensory diet.

Perfect for:

• Self-regulation

• Executive functioning

• Motor planning

4. Preschool or Early Childhood Hallway

Young learners naturally benefit from movement paired with academics.

This is one of the most popular locations for:

• Holy Alphabet

• Noah's Ark

• Days of Creation

Movement helps reinforce learning while making transitions more enjoyable.

5. Library

Libraries are becoming much more than quiet reading spaces.

Adding a calming movement activity gives students a way to regulate before settling in with a book.

Perfect for:

• Brain breaks

• Literacy movement

• Quiet regulation

6. Near the Gymnasium

Students often need help transitioning from high-energy movement back into classroom learning.

A calming station outside the gym provides a natural bridge between those environments.

Perfect for:

• Deep breathing

• Cross-body movement

• Self-regulation

7. Parish Center or Religious Education Building

Faith-based sensory paths aren't just for schools.

Churches are installing them in:

• Religious education hallways

• Children's ministry areas

• Parish centers

• Vacation Bible School spaces

Students stay engaged while reinforcing Scripture through movement.

8. Waiting Areas

Many pediatric clinics and therapy practices are using portable sensory paths to make waiting more interactive.

Instead of asking children to sit still, they can move with purpose.

Portable paths are ideal because they can be rolled up and stored when needed.

9. Classroom Calming Corner

Not every movement opportunity needs to be a full hallway.

Wall activities create meaningful regulation in a very small space.

Perfect for:

• Classroom calm corners

• Resource rooms

• Intervention spaces

Consider:

• Happy Heart

• Rainbow Reset

• Calming Cross

• Rosary Infinity Loop

10. Cafeteria Entrance

Before lunch...

After lunch...

Both can be challenging transition times.

A short sensory activity can help students enter and leave the cafeteria more calmly.

11. Multi-Purpose Room

Portable sensory paths are perfect for:

• Small groups

• Occupational therapy

• Physical therapy

• Counseling

• Summer programming

No installation required.

12. Anywhere Students Naturally Pause

Some of the best installations weren't originally planned.

Schools have transformed:

• Wide hallway landings

• Dead-end hallways

• Empty wall space

• Unused corners

• Transition zones

into meaningful learning environments.

Sometimes the perfect sensory path location is simply the space students already pass every day.

Not Sure Where Your School Should Install One?

Every building is different.

I'd be happy to help you determine the best location based on your goals, available space, and the students you serve.

Simply send me a photo of your hallway or classroom, and I'll create a complimentary mockup showing what could work in your space.

Final Thoughts

The best sensory paths don't require building an entirely new space.

They simply transform spaces you're already using into places where students can move, regulate, learn, and grow.

Because sometimes the hallway is more than just a hallway.

It becomes another place where learning happens.

I'd love to help you create a hallway your students will remember long after the first day of school.

👉 Request a complimentary sample

👉 Browse our Faith-Based Collection

👉 Browse our Universal Collection

👉 Or simply contact me to discuss your space.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, MOT, OTR/L is a practicing occupational therapist and the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. She designs OT-informed movement experiences that help children regulate, learn, and thrive in schools, therapy clinics, churches, childcare centers, and community spaces.

Before the Wax Goes Down: The Best Time to Install a School Sensory Path

Summer is the perfect opportunity to transform your hallways into purposeful learning spaces.

Every summer, schools are busy checking off maintenance projects before students return.

Hallways are emptied.

Floors are stripped and cleaned.

Fresh coats of wax are applied.

Classrooms are organized.

Teachers begin preparing for another year of learning.

It's also the ideal time to install a sensory pathway.

As a practicing pediatric occupational therapist, one of the most common questions I receive is:

"When should we install our sensory path?"

The answer is simple:

Before the final coat of floor wax is applied.

While Sacred Steps Sensory Paths are commercial-grade and do not require wax to stay in place, many schools choose to install them before waxing because the wax provides an additional protective layer while helping the decals blend beautifully into the floor.

Here's what the installation process typically looks like.

Step 1: Choose the Right Location

Before installation begins, think about how students naturally move throughout your building.

Great locations include:

• Main hallways

• Primary classroom wings

• Counseling areas

• Special education hallways

• Outside the library

• Near intervention spaces

• Waiting areas

• Church or parish education spaces

The best sensory pathways become part of students' everyday routines.

Step 2: Prepare the Floor

Once the existing wax has been removed and the floor has been thoroughly cleaned, you're ready for installation.

A clean surface allows the commercial-grade adhesive to bond properly with the floor.

Step 3: Install the Path

Each Sacred Steps pathway arrives with installation directions and a suggested layout guide.

Simply:

✔ Position the pieces

✔ Double-check spacing

✔ Peel the backing

✔ Apply each decal

✔ Smooth firmly into place

Most schools complete installation in just a few hours.

Even better?

Many schools make installation a fun summer project for staff members or volunteers.

Step 4: Apply the Final Coat of Wax (Optional)

This is the step many schools ask about.

Waxing over the decals is completely optional.

Our commercial-grade decals are designed to withstand heavy school traffic on their own.

However, if your custodial team is already applying the final coat of wax, installing the pathway beforehand allows the wax to provide one additional layer of protection.

Many schools appreciate the finished appearance this creates.

Step 5: Welcome Students Back

This is my favorite part.

On the first day of school, students don't just walk through your hallway.

They interact with it.

They jump.

They balance.

They read.

They pray.

They regulate.

They smile.

What was once an ordinary transition becomes another opportunity to learn.

Why Summer Is the Best Time

Waiting until students return often means working around:

• Classroom schedules

• Hallway traffic

• Lunch periods

• Specials

• Recess

• Daily transitions

Summer provides a quiet building and the flexibility to complete installation without disrupting instruction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Sacred Steps decals have to be waxed over?

No.

They are commercial-grade floor decals designed for heavy school use.

Waxing is completely optional.

How long does installation take?

Most schools complete installation in just a few hours, depending on the size of the pathway.

Can schools install them themselves?

Absolutely.

Many schools install their own pathways using the included layout guide.

Others choose professional installation or coordinate installation while other summer maintenance projects are taking place.

Can Sacred Steps install them?

Yes!

Depending on location and travel schedule, professional installation may be available.

Every Hallway Teaches Something

Whether you're adding your first Starter Set or transforming an entire hallway, summer is the perfect time to create a space that supports movement, self-regulation, and learning from the very first day students walk through your doors.

If your floors haven't received their final coat of wax yet, now is the ideal time to start planning.

I'd love to help you create a hallway your students will remember long after the first day of school.

👉 Request a complimentary sample

👉 Browse our Faith-Based Collection

👉 Browse our Universal Collection

👉 Or simply contact me to discuss your space.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, MOT, OTR/L is a practicing occupational therapist and the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. She designs OT-informed movement experiences that help children regulate, learn, and thrive in schools, therapy clinics, churches, childcare centers, and community spaces.

Why Movement Belongs in Children's Ministry

The Sacred Steps Difference: An OT Perspective

When we think about helping children grow in their faith, we often think about Bible stories, worship songs, crafts, and prayer.

Those are all wonderful ways to teach children about God's love.

But what if one of the most effective teaching tools has been with us all along?

Movement.

As a pediatric occupational therapist, I've spent my career helping children learn through movement. And over the years, I've come to realize something important:

Children don't stop needing movement when they walk through the doors of a church.

In fact, many children are better able to listen, participate, and remember when movement is intentionally included in the experience.

God Designed Children to Move

Children learn differently than adults.

They wiggle.

They jump.

They explore.

They touch.

They experience the world through their bodies.

That's not something to eliminate.

It's something we can embrace.

Movement isn't a distraction from learning.

For many children, movement is how learning happens.

The same is true when they're learning about God.

Every Transition Is a Teaching Opportunity

Think about the journey a child takes on a typical Sunday morning.

Walking from the parking lot.

Heading to the children's ministry room.

Moving between activities.

Waiting for parents after class.

Most of those moments are simply transitions.

But what if they became part of the lesson?

Imagine children hopping through the Days of Creation.

Walking alongside Jesus.

Following Noah's Ark.

Practicing calming breaths before prayer.

Reciting Scripture while moving from station to station.

The transition itself becomes meaningful.

Movement Creates Welcome

Every church wants families to feel welcomed.

For some children, especially those with sensory processing differences, autism, ADHD, or anxiety, sitting still for long periods can be difficult.

Purposeful movement offers another way to participate.

It says:

"You belong here, too."

Movement pathways can become valuable resources for:

• Sensory-friendly Masses or worship services

• Children's Church

• Sunday School

• Religious Education

• Vacation Bible School

• Family ministry events

• Special needs ministries

Rather than asking children to suppress their need to move, we can give them a purposeful way to move while remaining engaged.

Why Portable Pathways Work So Well

Churches are wonderfully flexible spaces.

One classroom may host Sunday School in the morning, Vacation Bible School during the summer, and a parish meeting that evening.

That's why I created portable pathways.

Unlike permanent installations, portable pathways can be:

• Rolled out wherever they're needed

• Shared between classrooms

• Used in fellowship halls

• Brought to parish events

• Stored away in minutes

One pathway can serve an entire ministry.

The Sacred Steps Difference

When I searched for commercially produced movement pathways rooted in the Christian and Catholic faith, I couldn't find any.

So I created them.

Every Sacred Steps pathway combines purposeful movement with Scripture, Bible stories, virtues, and faith-filled messages.

They're designed not simply to keep children busy.

They're designed to help children:

• Move with purpose.

• Regulate their bodies.

• Engage more fully.

• Experience God's love in another meaningful way.

Because movement and faith belong together.

Imagine This...

Imagine a child arriving at church excited to follow Noah's Ark.

Imagine another quietly taking deep breaths before entering Mass.

Imagine siblings practicing Bible stories while they wait for class to begin.

Imagine a family saying,

"My child can't wait to come to church."

Sometimes, the smallest changes create the biggest moments.

A Final Thought

As ministry leaders, teachers, catechists, and volunteers, we work hard to help children know and love Jesus.

Movement isn't separate from that mission.

It can become another way children encounter Him.

Because every hallway teaches something.

Why not let it teach faith?

Call to Action

If you're looking for a new way to engage children this fall, explore our collection of OT-designed portable movement pathways rooted in the Christian and Catholic faith.

Whether you're serving a parish, church, children's ministry, or sensory-friendly worship program, we'd love to help you create a space where every step points children toward Christ.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, MOT, OTR/L is a practicing pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. She designs OT-informed movement experiences that help children regulate, learn, and thrive in schools, therapy clinics, churches, childcare centers, and community spaces.

Why Hallways Matter More Than You Think

The Sacred Steps Difference: An OT Perspective

When schools think about student learning, they naturally focus on classrooms.

Teachers carefully arrange desks. Bulletin boards are thoughtfully planned. Lessons are intentionally designed.

But there's one part of the school that often gets overlooked...

The hallway.

For most schools, hallways are simply places students pass through on their way to somewhere else.

But as a pediatric occupational therapist, I see something very different.

I see one of the greatest untapped opportunities in a school. A hallway can become more than a transition space when schools incorporate tools like a sensory pathway for movement and regulation.

Hallways Are Full of Transitions

Every school day is filled with moments of transition.

Students move from the classroom to lunch.

From music to math.

From recess back to academics.

From one activity to another.

These transitions may seem small, but for many children, they're some of the most challenging parts of the day.

Transitions require children to:

• Shift attention

• Regulate emotions

• Organize their bodies

• Prepare for something new

For some students, that's easy.

For others, it's exhausting.

The hallway is where all of that happens.

Movement Changes the Transition

Research continues to show that movement helps activate the brain for learning.

Purposeful movement can help children:

• Regulate their bodies

• Improve attention

• Decrease stress

• Increase readiness for learning

• Organize sensory input

Instead of simply telling students to "walk quietly," what if the hallway actually helped prepare students for what comes next?

Imagine students hopping, balancing, stretching, breathing, or completing simple movement challenges on their way to class.

They're still transitioning.

But now, they're also preparing their brains for learning.

Hallways Shape School Culture

Hallways teach whether we realize it or not.

They communicate what a school values.

A hallway can simply move students from one room to another.

Or...

It can encourage kindness.

Build confidence.

Reinforce executive functioning.

Celebrate faith.

Teach self-regulation.

Create moments of joy.

Every hallway teaches something.

The question is...

What is your hallway teaching?

The Sacred Steps Difference

Every Sacred Steps pathway begins with one question:

What does a child's brain need before we ask them to learn?

As a practicing pediatric occupational therapist, I don't design pathways simply to make hallways colorful.

Every movement challenge, every activity, and every design decision is intentional.

The goal isn't decorating a hallway.

The goal is creating an environment where children move, regulate, belong, and thrive.

Because movement isn't a break from learning.

For many children...

Movement is how they prepare to learn.

Try This Tomorrow

Walk through your school's hallway and ask yourself:

• Does this space help children regulate?

• Does it encourage movement?

• Does it reinforce our school's mission?

• Does it prepare students for learning?

• What is this hallway teaching?

You might discover that one of the busiest places in your building is also one of its greatest opportunities.

Want to Learn More?

Every Sacred Steps product begins with one simple question:

"What does a child's brain need before we ask them to learn?"

That's why every sensory path, wall activity, calming space, and portable pathway is intentionally designed by a practicing pediatric occupational therapist—not just to be fun, but to help children regulate, focus, and thrive.

Whether you're looking to transform a school hallway, therapy clinic, childcare center, church, library, hospital, or community space, you'll find movement solutions designed with both purpose and practicality in mind.

👉 Explore the Sacred Steps collections and discover the difference purposeful movement can make.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, MOT, OTR/L is a practicing pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. She designs OT-informed movement experiences that help children regulate, learn, and thrive in schools, therapy clinics, churches, childcare centers, and community spaces.

Why Movement Comes Before Learning

Have you ever noticed what happens after a child has a chance to move?

They return to class calmer. More focused. More organized. More ready to learn.

That's not a coincidence.

As a practicing pediatric occupational therapist, I've seen it happen thousands of times.

Many people think movement is a break from learning. In reality, purposeful movement often prepares the brain for learning. One way schools can build proactive movement into the day is through a sensory pathway, which gives students structured opportunities to move, regulate and refocus.

The Brain Was Designed to Move

Children experience the world through movement long before they ever sit at a desk.

Before they learn to read...

They crawl.

They climb.

They balance.

They jump.

They explore.

Movement helps develop the very foundations that support attention, self-regulation, coordination, motor planning, and learning.

When we ask children to sit still for long periods without opportunities to move, many are working against how their brains naturally develop.

Purposeful movement gives the nervous system exactly what it needs to organize itself for learning.

Not All Movement Is Created Equal

As occupational therapists, we don't recommend movement simply because children enjoy it.

We recommend movement because different types of movement provide different benefits.

Jumping can increase alertness.

Balancing challenges body awareness.

Crossing the body's midline supports coordination and motor planning.

Reaching, stretching, crawling, and pushing all provide valuable sensory input that helps children regulate their bodies and attention.

When movement is intentional, it becomes much more than a brain break—it becomes part of the learning process.

What This Looks Like in Schools

Purposeful movement doesn't require a large gym or an extra class period.

It can happen naturally throughout the school day:

• During hallway transitions

• Before a challenging lesson

• While waiting for small-group instruction

• During indoor recess

• As part of a calming corner

• In therapy spaces

• During movement breaks between academic tasks

These small moments of movement can have a meaningful impact on a child's readiness to learn.

Why I Created Sacred Steps

After years of working in schools, I realized something.

Teachers were doing incredible work.

Therapists were supporting students.

Schools cared deeply about helping children succeed.

But many hallways, walls, and common spaces were simply...empty.

I saw an opportunity to transform those everyday spaces into places where movement could happen naturally throughout the day.

That's why I created Sacred Steps.

Every product begins with one question:

"What does a child's brain need before we ask them to learn?"

Every movement is intentionally designed—not simply to be fun, but to help children regulate, focus, and thrive.

Because when we understand how children learn best, movement becomes more than an activity.

It becomes an opportunity.

Try This Tomorrow

Before your next reading lesson, math block, or classroom transition, give students 60 seconds of purposeful movement.

Try:

• ✔️ 10 jumping jacks

• ✔️ Reach up high, then touch your toes

• ✔️ Cross your right hand to your left knee, then switch

• ✔️ Balance on one foot for 10 seconds

• ✔️ March in place while counting to 20

Then simply observe.

Do students settle more quickly?

Do they focus longer?

Do transitions become smoother?

Purposeful movement doesn't have to take a lot of time—it just has to be intentional.

Want to Learn More?

Every Sacred Steps product begins with one simple question:

"What does a child's brain need before we ask them to learn?"

That's why every sensory path, wall activity, calming space, and portable pathway is intentionally designed by a practicing pediatric occupational therapist—not just to be fun, but to help children regulate, focus, and thrive.

Whether you're looking to transform a school hallway, therapy clinic, childcare center, church, library, hospital, or community space, you'll find movement solutions designed with both purpose and practicality in mind.

👉 Explore the Sacred Steps collections and discover the difference purposeful movement can make.

About the Author

Trisha Klausing, MOT, OTR/L is a practicing pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths. She designs OT-informed movement experiences that help children regulate, learn, and thrive in schools, therapy clinics, churches, childcare centers, and community spaces.

The Sacred Steps Difference: Why OT-Designed Sensory Paths Work

Walk through almost any education conference, and you'll see plenty of colorful sensory paths.

They look fun.
They brighten hallways.
They encourage movement.

But at Sacred Steps, we believe one thing sets our products apart:

Every activity begins with one question:

"Will this actually help children?"

That question guides every decision we make—from the first sketch to the final installation.

As a practicing pediatric occupational therapist, I've spent years working alongside teachers, administrators, therapists, and families. Every day, I see the challenges children face with attention, self-regulation, executive functioning, transitions, and sensory processing.

I've also seen what happens when movement is used intentionally.

Movement isn't simply a brain break.

When designed correctly, movement prepares the brain for learning.

That's why every Sacred Steps activity is created with purpose—not simply to decorate a hallway, but to help children regulate their bodies, engage their minds, and build skills they use throughout the school day.

Created by an OT. Refined in Real Schools.

Unlike products designed solely for visual appeal, Sacred Steps activities are built from real clinical experience.

Before a product is released, I ask questions like:

• Does this movement support sensory regulation?

• Will this activity improve attention and readiness to learn?

• Is the cognitive demand appropriate for the intended age?

• Can teachers realistically use it during a busy school day?

• Will students enjoy coming back to it again and again?

If the answer isn't yes, it goes back to the drawing board.

Designed for Busy Educators

Schools don't need one more thing to manage.

That's why Sacred Steps products are intentionally designed to be:

• Quick to install

• Easy to clean

• Durable enough for high-traffic environments

• Flexible enough to work in hallways, classrooms, therapy spaces, libraries, counseling offices, churches, and childcare centers

Whether you're installing a full hallway sensory path, starting with a Starter Set, or using one of our portable pathways, the goal is the same: create meaningful movement opportunities that fit naturally into your day.

More Than Movement

Movement is only one piece of the puzzle.

Our products also support:

• Self-regulation

• Attention and focus

• Motor planning

• Executive functioning

• Classroom transitions

• Social-emotional learning

• Confidence and independence

For our faith-based collection, we add another meaningful layer by helping children engage with Scripture, Biblical truths, and Christian values through movement and reflection.

Designed for Every Child

Every child learns differently.

Some need movement before they can focus.

Some benefit from visual supports.

Some need opportunities to reset during challenging moments.

Others simply thrive when learning is active and engaging.

Our goal has never been to create products for only one type of learner.

It's to create movement experiences that help every child succeed.

Why Schools Choose Sacred Steps

Schools across the United States and Canada are choosing Sacred Steps because they want more than a colorful hallway.

They want intentional movement.

They want practical tools.

They want products grounded in clinical expertise and designed for everyday use.

Most importantly, they want solutions that help children thrive.

That's the Sacred Steps difference.

And it's why every product we create starts with one simple question:

"Will this actually help children?"

What Is Executive Functioning —and How Movement Helps Kids Build It

OT-designed floor sensory path installed in a school hallway featuring a purple PATIENT station with the instruction "Take your time, count and jump, then pause to regulate," followed by alternating black star-burst JUMP markers and purple pause symbol circles extending down the hallway, targeting inhibitory control, sequencing, and self-regulation.

If you have ever watched a child melt down because their routine changed, struggle to start a task without reminders, or completely fall apart when asked to wait their turn — you have seen executive functioning challenges in action.

And if you work with kids, you have probably seen it a lot.

Executive functioning is one of the most talked-about topics in education and pediatric therapy right now — and for good reason. These skills shape how children learn, behave, relate to others, and navigate daily life. But here is what most people do not know: movement is one of the most powerful tools we have to build them.

Let me explain.

What Is Executive Functioning?

Executive functioning is the term used to describe a set of mental skills that act like the brain's command center. They help children plan, focus, remember instructions, manage emotions, and adapt when things do not go as expected.

According to Harvard's Center on the Developing Child, the three core components of executive functioning are:

1. Working Memory

This is the ability to hold information in mind while using it. Think of it as the brain's mental sticky note. When a teacher gives three-step directions and a child can remember and follow all three — that is working memory at work. When they can only follow the first one and forget the rest, working memory is struggling.

2. Inhibitory Control

This is the ability to pause, think, and resist the urge to act impulsively. It is what helps a child wait their turn, stop themselves from blurting out an answer, or walk calmly down the hallway instead of running. Inhibitory control is deeply connected to emotional regulation.

3. Cognitive Flexibility

This is the ability to shift thinking, adapt to changes, and see things from a different perspective. It is what helps a child handle a schedule change without falling apart, or switch from one task to another without a meltdown.

These three skills do not work in isolation — they work together constantly, in almost every moment of the school day.

Why Are So Many Kids Struggling With Executive Functioning?

This is the question educators and therapists are asking more than ever — and the answer is complex.

We know that executive functioning develops primarily in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for reasoning, planning, and self-regulation. This area of the brain continues developing all the way into a person's mid-twenties — which means children are quite literally still building the hardware they need.

We also know that children with ADHD, autism, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, trauma histories, and other neurodevelopmental differences often experience significant executive functioning challenges. These are not behavior problems. They are neurological differences that deserve a neurological response.

But here is the piece that often gets missed: executive functioning is not fixed. It can be built, strengthened, and supported — especially in childhood, when the brain is most plastic and responsive to intervention.

And one of the most effective ways to do that? Movement.

How Movement Builds Executive Functioning

Research consistently shows that purposeful, cognitively engaging physical movement improves executive functioning in children. A 2025 meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that exercise interventions — particularly those that combine movement with cognitive demands — significantly improve core executive functions including working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility in children and adolescents.

A separate systematic review published in Frontiers in Psychology found that school-based physical activity programs that balance physical intensity with cognitive and emotional engagement are especially effective for building executive function skills.

In other words, it is not just any movement that helps. It is intentional, structured, cognitively rich movement — the kind that asks the brain and body to work together at the same time.

Here is why that works so well:

Movement activates the prefrontal cortex.

The same part of the brain responsible for executive functioning lights up during purposeful physical activity. Movement essentially warms up the command center.

Sequenced movement builds working memory.

When a child follows a series of movement activities in a specific order — hop here, balance there, reach up, push down — they are actively practicing holding a sequence in mind and executing it. That is working memory training in disguise.

Motor planning strengthens cognitive flexibility.

Navigating a movement path requires the brain to plan, adjust, and respond to new information in real time. Every twist, jump, and balance challenge is a mini lesson in flexible thinking.

Proprioceptive and vestibular input regulate the nervous system.

When the sensory system is regulated, the brain has far greater access to its executive functioning resources. A dysregulated nervous system simply cannot plan, focus, or manage impulses effectively. Movement — especially heavy work and balance activities — brings the nervous system into a state where executive functioning is possible.

Routine movement builds inhibitory control.

Following the rules of a movement path — stay on the footprints, do the activity before moving on, wait at each station — is practice in impulse control, every single time a child walks through it.

What This Looks Like in a School Hallway

This is where Sacred Steps Sensory Paths come in.

A well-designed sensory path is not decoration. It is a therapeutic movement tool that targets executive functioning every time a child walks through it.

When a student approaches a Sacred Steps path, they are:

•       Reading and processing the activity at each station (working memory)

•       Sequencing their movements from station to station in order (motor planning + working memory)

•       Regulating their body through proprioceptive and vestibular input (nervous system regulation)

•       Following movement rules at each station (inhibitory control)

•       Transitioning between different activity types (cognitive flexibility)

•       Arriving at their destination calmer, more focused, and more ready to learn

And when faith-based affirmations are woven into those stations — words like "I am brave," "I am loved," "I am God's child" — there is an added layer of identity formation and emotional grounding that supports the whole child.

What Teachers and Staff Can Do Right Now

You do not need a full sensory path to start supporting executive functioning through movement. Here are a few simple strategies:

Build in transition movement.

Use the hallway walk between activities as an intentional opportunity. Give students a movement challenge: walk like a tightrope walker, stomp like an elephant, touch every doorframe with your left hand. These small tasks engage the prefrontal cortex before students sit back down.

Create predictable movement routines.

Predictability builds executive functioning. When students know that every morning starts with three minutes of movement before they sit down, their nervous systems begin to anticipate and prepare. Routine is regulation.

Use movement as a reset, not a reward.

Movement breaks should not be something students earn — they should be something students receive, especially when they are struggling. A two-minute movement break mid-lesson can restore the executive functioning resources that sitting and focusing have depleted.

Add sensory input before demanding tasks.

Heavy work (pushing, pulling, carrying, pressing) before a writing task, a test, or a transition can dramatically improve a child's ability to focus, plan, and self-regulate.

Invest in a permanent movement tool in your hallway.

A sensory path gives every child who walks your hallway access to the therapeutic movement input their brain needs — without pulling a single student from class, without requiring a therapist to be present, and without adding a single thing to your teacher's plate.

The Bottom Line

Executive functioning is not a fixed trait. It is a set of skills — and like all skills, it can be built.

Movement is not a break from learning. It is one of the most evidence-based, neurologically sound ways to prepare a child's brain for the learning that comes next.

When we put intentional, therapeutic movement in a child's path — literally in the hallway they walk every day — we are not just giving them something fun to do. We are giving their brains exactly what they need to focus, regulate, plan, and succeed.

That is what Sacred Steps is all about. 🙏💛

Interested in bringing a Sacred Steps Sensory Path to your school? Browse our full collection at sacredstepssensorypaths.com or reach out at hello@sacredstepssensorypaths.com — we would love to help.

Introducing the Days of Creation Portable Sensory Path — Made Just for K-2 Learners

If you teach or lead a Catholic or Christian preschool, kindergarten, or early elementary classroom, this one's for you.

I'm so excited to introduce our newest product: the Days of Creation Portable Sensory Path — a roll-out movement path designed specifically for our littlest learners, grades K-2.

Why I Designed This Path

As a school-based occupational therapist, I've spent years watching what happens when young children don't get enough movement built into their day. They fidget. They struggle to sit still during circle time. They have a harder time transitioning from recess back into the classroom.

At the same time, I know how much our youngest students love rhythm, rhyme, and repetition — it's how they learn best.

So I designed a sensory path that does both: gives kids the movement their growing bodies need, while reinforcing the story of creation through simple, joyful rhymes they'll remember.

What's Included

The Days of Creation Portable Sensory Path is a 3ft x 10ft rollable mat with 9 stations, taking students through the entire creation story from Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 1:31:

• Day 1 — Light & Darkness: Open arms wide to greet the light, drop down low for the quiet night

• Day 2 — Sky & Waters: Reach up high, bend down low, sky to sea, and back we go

• Day 3 — Land & Plants: Curl up small like a seed in the ground, jump up tall, stretch branches around

• Day 4 — Sun, Moon & Stars: Spin around just like the sun, reach up high to the stars

• Day 5 — Sea Creatures & Birds: Wiggle and swim like a fish in the sea, flap your wings and fly like you're free

• Day 6 — Animals & Humans: Stomp like a bear, growl like a beast, stand up tall — God's masterpiece

• Day 7 — Day of Rest: Soft and still, hands on your heart, rest like God did

Each station includes simple, age-appropriate movement directions paired with bold, colorful icons — designed so even our youngest students can follow along independently.

Why It Works for K-2 Specifically

Older students can read longer instructions and more complex movement sequences. But K-2 learners need something different: short rhymes, clear actions, and repetition they can memorize quickly.

That's exactly what this path delivers. By the second or third time through, most kindergartners and first graders will know the rhymes by heart — which means they're not just moving their bodies, they're also reinforcing early literacy skills and memorizing scripture, all without realizing they're "learning."

Where It Fits in Your School

This portable path is perfect for:

• Classroom transitions and brain breaks

• Hallway movement between activities

• Prayer corners and reflection spaces

• Parish preschool programs

• Religious education classrooms

Because it's portable and rolls up for easy storage, it works just as well in a single classroom as it does moved between multiple rooms throughout the week.

A Joyful Way to Start the School Year

Summer is the perfect time to plan ahead, and this path is an easy, affordable way to bring movement and faith formation into your K-2 classrooms starting on day one of the new school year.

🎉 Launch special: Save $25 through June 30th with code CREATION25.

👉 Shop the Days of Creation Portable Sensory Path

I can't wait to see this little path bring big joy — and a deeper love of God's creation story — to classrooms this fall.

Introducing the Days of Creation Portable Sensory Path — a roll-out movement path made just for K-2 students, featuring rhyming directions and scripture for Catholic and Christian classrooms. (Please note: The above image is an AI-generated mockup and may have small visual quirks. Rest assured the final product is professionally designed and printed — real-life photos coming soon! 💛)

Trisha Klausing, OTR/L, MOT is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 10 years of school-based experience and the founder of Sacred Steps Sensory Paths LLC.

What Are Your Hallways Teaching?

When we think about teaching, we naturally think about classrooms.

We think about lesson plans, curriculum, small groups, and instructional strategies.

But lately I've been asking a different question:

What are our hallways teaching?

Students spend hundreds of hours each year moving through hallways.

They walk to lunch.

They transition between classes.

They head to specials.

They travel to the library, gym, and office.

Those moments may seem small, but they add up.

And every space in a school sends a message.

The Hidden Curriculum of School Spaces

Whether we realize it or not, our physical environments are constantly teaching.

Classrooms teach academic content.

Libraries teach a love of reading.

Playgrounds teach cooperation and social skills.

But what about hallways?

For many schools, hallways are simply spaces students move through as quickly as possible.

But what if they could do more?

What if hallways became opportunities to reinforce the very lessons we want students to carry with them every day?

Hallways That Teach Character

Imagine students encountering messages about:

• Kindness

• Respect

• Perseverance

• Gratitude

• Responsibility

• Courage

Not once during a special assembly.

Not once during a character education lesson.

Every single day.

The power of repetition matters.

The messages students see repeatedly often become the messages they remember.

Hallways That Teach Self-Regulation

As a school-based occupational therapist, I know that many students need movement in order to learn.

Students are being asked to sit longer, focus longer, and manage increasingly complex expectations.

Purposeful movement can help students:

• Refocus attention

• Improve body awareness

• Reduce stress

• Increase readiness for learning

• Transition more successfully between activities

A hallway can become a place where students practice regulation skills instead of simply passing through.

Hallways That Teach Executive Functioning

Executive functioning skills are some of the most important skills students develop.

These include:

• Following directions

• Planning

• Organization

• Flexible thinking

• Self-monitoring

• Task initiation

Movement-based activities can provide opportunities for students to practice these skills in engaging and meaningful ways.

Hallways That Teach Faith

For Catholic and Christian schools, hallways offer another unique opportunity.

Faith formation doesn't only happen during religion class.

Students can be reminded throughout the day that they are:

✝️ Loved by God

✝️ Created with purpose

✝️ Called to serve others

✝️ Never alone

Bible stories, virtues, prayers, and faith-based movement activities can transform hallways into spaces that support both spiritual and physical development.

Making Every Square Foot Count

One of my favorite things about working with schools is helping them see possibilities they hadn't considered before.

An empty hallway becomes a sensory path.

A blank wall becomes a calming station.

A transition area becomes a space for movement, reflection, and growth.

The best part?

Most schools already have the space they need.

They simply need to look at it differently.

A Simple Question

As you prepare for the upcoming school year, I encourage you to take a walk through your building and ask yourself:

What are our hallways teaching?

Are they simply moving students from one place to another?

Or are they reinforcing the values, skills, and lessons that matter most?

Because every space in a school teaches something.

The question is whether it teaches intentionally.

Would you like help envisioning what a "Hallway That Teaches" could look like in your school?

I'd be happy to create a complimentary mockup using a photo of your hallway, wall, library, counseling office, or common area.

Sometimes the most impactful student support starts with a space you're already walking past every day.