Exciting Improvements at ELS
Written by Shlomit Ovadia of JCC Denver.
JCC Denver’s Early Learning School (ELS) is proud to announce the opening of their new Sensory Motor Rooms. These new spaces are designed to support children’s development, having been carefully designed to provide a myriad of needs, including supporting gross and sensory/motor skills, socialization, focus, and cognitive development. Rooms 111 and 109 are for this purpose and available for children 30 months of age and older. These rooms have been inspected and licensed by the state, and all teachers have been instructed on equipment use in addition to having attended professional development on sensory needs.
For example, Room 109 staff have learned to create obstacle courses to assist children with motor planning, sequencing, and listening, and have been supplied with several exciting materials to do so; these include tunnels, slides, rings, hoppity balls, swings, a traverse wall, and more. Other new improvements underway include a large slide, heavy tires for proprioceptive input, a ball pit, and a larger climbing structure for Room 111.
The ELS is also using the spaces to induce calming and emotional alertness by offering dimming and softened lights, cozy cubicles with squeeze machines, cushions for deep pressure relaxation, and swings designed for vestibular input in helping children regulate their bodies after lunch or when preparing for nap time.
The ELS team continues to create personalized offerings to meet every child’s needs. Stay tuned for more exciting updates.
