At first glance, it looks like playtime. But for students at The Phoenix Center in Nutley, every tap, swipe and step inside their classroom is part of a carefully designed therapy session.

The school is using a motion-activated gaming system called Obie Mobile Pro, which turns any surface, such as a wall, floor or table, into an interactive activity.

“We are using the Obie gaming system, and we can project it onto the wall, onto the floor, onto the table, and it’s portable, so we can use it all the way in the building,” said Molly Monteleone, a speech therapist at the school.

The system arrived at The Phoenix Center last summer thanks to two grants. Since then, therapists say it’s been transforming the way students with special needs learn and connect.

“It is a multi-sensory approach, so we have bright, beautiful pictures and colors. We have sound and we have physical moments,” Molly explained.

Staff say the short gaming sessions aren’t just fun for the children. They’re also creating opportunities for collaboration among therapists.

“It also increases collaboration between the therapists, between TO - occupational therapists - physical therapists, speech,” said occupational therapist Gershon Kravetz. “We can all sit there together while the speech therapist can work on their goals and the other physical therapists can work on their goals as well.”

Students are also responding with excitement.

“I like painting games and bingo,” one student said.

Because the Obie system is portable, therapists can bring it from room to room without disrupting classes.

Obie is currently used in more than 80 countries, often found in waiting rooms, day cares and play areas.

Staff at The Phoenix Center say it’s become an innovative tool that blends therapy with play, and it is helping students engage, communicate and grow.