Some Binghamton students have been skipping and jumping their way to success in the classroom. 

Kids at MacArthur Elementary have been taking part in a motor lab program. 

The lab consists of nine centers with activities that each stimulate a different section of the brain that is essential to development. 

Students take part 1 to 5 times a week and every two weeks the activities change to become more challenging. 

Occupational Therapist Kimberly Wiggins says the program has played a big role in helping students learn by improving their attention span and motor skills. “It’s providing them these activities that they don’t typically play with anymore because we are in the age of technology. We’re seeing a decrease in motor skills which a lot of kids are now required to do more academic skills. It’s challenging then it ever has been. So we end up seeing a higher instance of needing occupational therapy.”

Wiggins says she’s already seen improvement across the board in handwriting along with letter recognition for kindergartners.

The program began five years ago at Franklin Elementary and has since been implemented at MacArthur and Roosevelt Elementary.