FAQ

A sensory path is a series of floor and/or wall graphics that encourage purposeful movement through activities such as jumping, hopping, balancing, stretching and other physical movements.

Sensory paths provide an easy way to incorporate movement into everyday environments while supporting body awareness, coordination, self-regulation and active learning.

Sensory paths aren’t just for young children!

Our paths can be designed for users from approximately age 3 through adulthood. Graphics, movements, difficulty levels and themes can all be adapted to suit the age group and abilities of the people using the space.

Whether we’re creating a playful path for preschoolers, a more challenging movement path for older students or something appropriate for adults, we can customize the experience to suit the users.

Almost anywhere you want to encourage movement!

Sensory paths are commonly installed in:

• School hallways
• Classrooms
• Libraries
• Resource and sensory rooms
• Gymnasiums
• Childcare centres
• Community centres
• Healthcare facilities
• Waiting areas
• Other indoor community spaces

Graphics can also incorporate both floor and wall activities, depending on your space and goals.

Not sure whether your space will work? Send us some photos and measurements and we’ll be happy to help.

There’s no single “right” way to use a sensory path.

Schools may incorporate them into scheduled movement breaks, hallway transitions, self-regulation breaks, indoor recess, physical education activities or other structured programming.

They can also simply become part of everyday school life.

A student heading down the hallway to get a drink of water might hop, jump or balance their way through part of the path before returning to class.

That’s part of what we love about sensory paths—movement becomes naturally integrated into the school day.

Movement can play an important role in learning, regulation and overall well-being.

Sensory paths give students an accessible opportunity to move their bodies throughout the day without requiring a gym, special equipment or a scheduled physical education class.

Even a short movement break can provide an opportunity for students to use their bodies, challenge their coordination and return to what they were doing feeling refreshed and ready for what’s next.

Movement breaks may help students regulate their energy, refocus and return to classroom activities more ready to learn.

Every student is different, and a sensory path isn’t intended to replace individualized educational, behavioural or therapeutic supports. Instead, it provides another movement tool educators can make available throughout the day.

Sensory paths can support a wide range of abilities and movement needs.

Activities can be adapted or customized for the students or users of your space. If a particular movement isn’t appropriate, we can often substitute another activity or develop graphics that better suit your needs.

We believe movement opportunities should be as inclusive as possible, which is one of the reasons customization is such an important part of what we do.

That depends entirely on your space—and that’s okay!

Our sensory paths are made up of individual graphics rather than one giant piece. This gives you flexibility when laying out your path. Graphics can be positioned closer together in smaller areas or spaced farther apart when you have more room.

You can follow our suggested layout, modify it yourself, or contact us and we’ll help determine what will work best in your space.

Have an unusual hallway or area? Send us measurements, photos or even a hand-drawn layout. We work with unique spaces all the time.

Absolutely.

Anything can be customized.

We can adjust colours, graphics, activities, movements, themes and layouts, or create something completely custom for your organization.

Some customizations are included at no additional charge. More extensive changes or completely custom artwork may require additional design time and could have an additional cost.

If you have an idea, talk to us. We’ll let you know what’s possible and whether any additional artwork charges would apply before we begin.

Yes!

Custom design is a big part of what we do.

If you send us photos, measurements, floor plans or even a hand-drawn sketch, we can help create a path that works with your available space.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before contacting us. Sometimes all we need to get started is an idea.

Our sensory paths are digitally printed on professional-grade 3M vinyl and protected with a durable anti-slip laminate.

We use 3M materials because of their print quality, adhesive performance and durability in demanding environments.

The laminate protects the printed graphics while also providing an appropriate walking surface for everyday use.

Right here in Canada.

Every Sensory Paths Canada path is produced in-house at our print production facility in Milton, Ontario.

We don’t outsource our sensory paths or have someone else manufacture them for us.

We handle the process ourselves—from preparing the artwork to printing, laminating, contour cutting, packaging and shipping your graphics.

Our team brings more than 20 years of experience in the large-format printing and graphics industry, so we’re not simply selling sensory paths—we understand the materials, printing processes and installation techniques behind the product.

Our sensory paths are designed for busy environments and everyday foot traffic.

We use professional 3M materials and protective laminates to help protect the printed graphics from wear and fading.

Like any floor graphic, lifespan depends on traffic, cleaning practices and maintenance. Dragging furniture or equipment across the graphics, harsh cleaning chemicals and excessive machine scrubbing can shorten their lifespan.

With proper care, your sensory path can provide years of movement and fun.

Our sensory paths can work with many common flooring surfaces, including:

• Luxury vinyl tile (LVT)
• Vinyl composite tile (VCT)
• Linoleum
• Laminate flooring
• Hardwood
• Ceramic tile*

We do not recommend installation on carpet or heavily textured flooring.

Some surfaces require different products, layouts or installation techniques. Ceramic tile, for example, may require the graphics to be positioned to avoid grout lines.

If you’re unsure about your flooring, send us a photo. In most cases, we can either find a solution or recommend the best way to approach your installation.

Good floor preparation is one of the most important parts of a successful installation.

Before installing your graphics:

1. Remove dust, dirt and debris from the floor.
2. Clean the area thoroughly with mild soap and water.
3. Allow the floor to dry completely.
4. Make sure there is no standing water or cleaning residue before applying the graphics.

If your floor is waxed, additional preparation may be required before installation.

We provide installation instructions and are always available if you have questions before you begin.

Yes!

Our sensory paths are designed to be DIY-friendly, and many schools install their own paths.

Your order includes the information you need to help guide you through installation, and additional instructions and tips are available on our Installation Guide page.

Take your time, prepare the floor properly and lay everything out before you begin applying the graphics.

And if DIY isn’t your thing, that’s okay too.

It depends on the size and complexity of your sensory path, as well as the experience of the person installing it.

Our experienced installation team can often complete a sensory path within a couple of hours.

For teachers, staff members or first-time installers, we recommend allowing several hours to a full day, particularly for larger paths.

There’s no prize for installing it quickly! Taking the time to carefully lay out and apply each graphic will give you the best result.

Yes.

Tina and Cait personally install many projects within our local service area, and we also work with professional graphic installers across Canada.

If you would prefer to have your sensory path professionally installed, contact us and we’ll determine what installation options are available in your area.

We currently ship throughout Canada and the United States.

Shipping costs and options will depend on your order and destination.

Yes—for eligible Canadian organizations.

We accept purchase orders from Canadian government-funded organizations, including school boards, schools, hospitals, municipalities and other qualifying organizations.

Please contact us if you’re unsure whether your organization is eligible to order by purchase order.

Purchase orders are not accepted from U.S. customers.

U.S. customers can purchase pre-designed sensory paths through our online store or contact us directly for assistance with an order.

Payment must be made online for pre-designed products or by credit card over the phone when ordering directly through us.

Please note that although our website can display pricing in U.S. dollars for convenience, transactions are processed in Canadian dollars.

We do not accept purchase orders from U.S. customers.

Once installed, sensory path graphics should be cleaned using mild soap and water.

Do not allow standing water to remain on or around the graphics. Any standing water should be cleaned up promptly.

Automatic floor scrubbers can be used, but frequent machine scrubbing can shorten the lifespan of floor graphics.

If your facility regularly uses automatic floor-cleaning equipment, waxing over the graphics provides additional protection and is recommended.

Yes.

Waxing over the graphics provides an additional layer of protection and can be particularly beneficial in schools and facilities where automatic floor scrubbers are used regularly.

Always allow newly installed graphics adequate time to bond to the floor before applying wax.

Yes!

If a graphic from a Sensory Paths Canada path becomes damaged, you don’t necessarily need to replace the entire path.

Contact us and we can reproduce individual graphics from paths that we originally printed and supplied.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide replacement pieces for sensory paths manufactured by other companies because we do not have their original artwork or production files.