Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A brightly painted sensory path now offers Greenville Elementary School students a playful way to learn, thanks to the Butler County Extension office and Alabama Extension’s Live Well SNAP-Ed program. 

“Terronda [Fields] and I applied for a grant through SNAP-Ed for initiatives that enhance nutrition and physical activity education,” said Butler County Extension Coordinator Sharlean Briggs. “The Butler County Extension office partnered with Greenville Elementary School to install a sensory path on the playground. Children can have fun and release energy on this brightly painted path by leaping like a frog, crawling like a crab, marching like an ant and much more.”

The sensory path encourages students to use their entire bodies in a variety of exercises, all designed to promote both physical health and cognitive skills. The activities on the path also contribute to emotional regulation, fine motor skill development and social interaction. 

The path, installed on the school’s playground, is part of the Body Quest program that teaches healthy eating and physical activity.

“To me, the Sensory Path provides kids with a fun way to engage in physical activity through play, while also helping them develop essential fine motor skills,” said Terronda Fields, the Greenville Elementary School SNAP-Ed educator. “Watching them have fun and learning at the same time brings me joy!”

Each year, Greenville Elementary School’s third-grade students participate in the program, which emphasizes healthy eating and the importance of regular exercise.

The sensory path installation brought together various community members and local resources. Greenville High School’s KEY Club members along with Ms. Sarah Smith, joined forces with Krystal Clean’s Jeff Cummings, who prepared the sidewalks, and Michelle Black from A Color Affair, who contributed her artistic skills to bring the path’s colorful designs to life. The Butler County Extension office also extended thanks to Butler County School Superintendent Joseph Eiland and Greenville Elementary Principal Belinda Cook for their support in the initiative.

By engaging children in dynamic movement through imaginative play, Greenville Elementary’s new sensory path seeks to inspire students to embrace physical activity as a joyful part of daily life.