'I Wake Up To Laughter And Donkey Noises' Says Union County Woman

SUMMIT, NJ — A 24-year-old occupational therapist who lives in Summit says that each morning, she wakes up to "laughter and donkey noises" — and that's a good thing.

Elizabeth McIlroy, who has lived in Summit all her life, created a colorful "sensory pathway" in chalk on the sidewalk outside her home, encouraging local children (and adults) to perform tasks as they walk.

The pathway was meant to liven things up during the quarantine, to allow fun while social distancing, and to help children work on various skills.

"The reactions I have gotten are incredible," McIlroy said last week. "I wake up in the morning to laughter and donkey noises, and it is priceless. My favorite part about all of this is seeing entire families come and go through the pathway together ... the fact that I can get people to smile during this painful time means the world to me."

McIlroy works with children at Communikids in Summit, although for now, visits are via telehealth due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"At Communikids, we specialize in sensory integration, which is incredibly important for learning and development in children," she explained. "Our body takes in so much information through all of our different senses. The ability to feel, understand, and organize all the information collected by our senses ... allows us to proceed through our day-to-day activities with confidence."

She noted, "Sensory pathways allow kids to work on gross motor skills, balance/coordination, following instructions, turn-taking and sensory processing. This provides children and adults the sensory input and movement that is so greatly needed."

She said the most recent pathway, a 17-part adventure, was her fourth (they wash away in the rain).

The colorful pathways contain directions, encouraging participants to skip, jump, and make noise.

After she posted photos on Patch last week, residents said how much they had appreciated the gesture.

"My children loved this! They want to go back and go through it again!!" wrote one reader.

"Amazing and so creative," wrote another.

McIlroy, an Ithaca College graduate, posted more photos and tips on the Communitkids Instagram.

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