What Makes an Ideal Sensory Room?
If you could create a sensory space at your home or school what would it include?
Most of the time when parents, teachers, and therapists use the word “sensory” they are either thinking of fidgets or movement. Activities that affect the senses we have that detect movement (vestibular and proprioceptive systems) are most commonly recommended as a result, so sensory rooms in schools and clinics are often indoor playgrounds with things like mini trampolines and swings. However, swings and trampolines can pose safety risks, and they may not be providing the sensory input that a child actually needs at the moment.
I think that the best sensory space should do two things:
1) provide a variety of options for self-regulation*
2) help teach self regulation*
(*Notice I didn’t say “sensory.” This is because self-regulation is the ultimate goal, and sensory input isn’t always what children need to self-regulate.)
Self-Regulation Materials I Would Include to Meet a Variety of Needs
Proprioception (sense of a still body in space)
- Opportunities to move heavy things around
- weighted items
- Vibration mat
Vestibular (sense of the body in motion or changing positions)
- Rocking chair or something similar that provides linear movement
- Movement options
(Spinning tends to be more dysregulating than not, so I would not want a spinning option to be accessed by untrained staff and would not include it here)
Visual
- Very little visual clutter–items in storage, minimal information or pictures hanging on the walls
- Bubble tube or something similar that is calming to look at
- Different lighting options
Auditory
- White noise machine
- Music options available
(headphones are great too, but should be assigned individually)
Olfactory (smells)
- Scent-free environment unless scents were requested
- Small containers with essential oils
Oral Motor
I generally think these should be individually assigned, but it may be worth having straws, pinwheels, or bubbles handy
Tactile
This may be hard to implement, but cold and warm washcloths can be soothing to some children
Seating
- Comfortable seating such as bean bags, compression canoe
- Enclosed space like a tent or large box
Activities that help them feel they have a sense of control
- Toys that stack, puzzles, etc.
See this blog for other ideas
Toys
Not all children will transition well from a sensory space if they have open-ended toys like play doh and Legos, so consider including toys that have a clear ending or have options for making toys like Legos have a clear ending–like copying a specific design.
How to Use a Sensory Space to Teach Self-Regulation
When children learn what works for them they may learn that they have a tool they can use for the rest of their lives. They also learn that they have some autonomy when it comes to self-regulation.
We can teach children in several ways.
- Have them check in as they arrive in the room. You may want to have them check their energy level (I use an energy meter I made using Alert Program concepts for this)
- Have them check their mood (have pictures of faces with different moods)
- Have pictures of their options (make sure to include an extra with something that may not be on the list in case they have another idea that can be implemented in the space). I would recommend having each picture attached by a piece of Velcro so you can remove options that don’t work, take too much time, or if the item gets broken.
- Have them determine how long they need to be there (limit choices “do you need 4 minutes or 5 minutes”)
- Have them check in with their emotions and energy levels again.
- Reflect on what they did during that time. Did it work for them? Would they be open to trying something new next time to see if they can find other solutions? Make a plan for next time.
Have opportunities for them to choose what helps them and reflect on what did and didn’t help them can help them advocate for themselves.
The ideal sensory room is going to be a place where children can go before they have a meltdown. If it is used as a space to educate them about what works and what doesn’t to calm their minds and bodies it can be more meaningful for them.
