Sensory rooms in school
Sensory rooms in school
Sensory activities benefit all children, whether they have special needs or not. Creating a sensory room in your school is an excellent way to provide children with a sensory experience that will help regulate their emotions.
Consider your classes sensory needs when designing this space for him or her. Some children require more visual stimulation, such as optic lights, while others require a variety of experiences.
Sensory seekers enjoy climbing, jumping, and exercising their gross motor skills. They have plenty of energy to expend.
Believe it or not, people of all ages benefit from sensory spaces. Most people find that changing textures, fidget toys, or listening to loud music helps them self-regulate.
Why are sensory rooms important?
Sensory rooms in schools are still uncommon, particularly in mainstream schools, but they serve an important purpose for many children.
- They offer a therapeutic setting for children with autism and other special educational needs
- Sensory equipment can be used to help children develop a variety of physical skills
- The sensory room can provide a relaxing environment for students who are experiencing emotional or behavioural issues
- Sensory rooms can help children learn to manage their emotions in a safe environment where they do not feel isolated or punished.
What to include in a sensory room
Pick the right flooring
When considering sensory room ideas, make sure the flooring is soft enough for your child. Chances are your kid will fall or crash several times, and the right flooring reduces injures. If you put this space somewhere with a concrete floor, like a basement, you want to make sure you have plenty of padding.
There are plenty of options.
Gel floor tiles are great and make the overall experience better. These are an area your child can sit, step on the tiles, or jump, watching the colours ooze and move together.
Sensory lighting
You want to include some type of lighting for your students to enjoy, but sensory lighting is not the same as regular lighting. Rather than simply illuminating the space, these provide visual sensory input.
The use of appropriate sensory lighting enhances the overall experience by creating a calming environment. These lights are captivating and help to prevent meltdowns. Avoid using bright fluorescent lights in classrooms because they overstimulate children.
Here are some sensory lighting options:
Add sensory seating
Make sure to include some special seating for your classes; it’s one of the top sensory room ideas. There are several kinds of sensory sating to consider, such as seats that provide compression.
Another option is a bean bag chair; these are big and durable enough that your students can jump into it and climb over it without it acting only as a seat.
Tactile media
Children need tactile sensory input, so include a low table with some storage containers to serve as sensory bins. You can rotate out the items whenever you want, but there are plenty of things to include for tactile experiences.
Here are some things that belong in sensory bins:
- Sand
- Rice
- Beans
- Kinetic sand
- Pasta
- Shaving cream
- Play-Doh
Soothing sounds/music
Some children on the spectrum like listening to repetitive sounds, while others prefer soft music. Whatever your students like, there are dozens of sensory equipment for creating a sense of calm and peace in the classroom.
For playing sounds and music, a regular CD player would do. However, there are white noise machines if this is more suited to your child. If your child does not want to hear loud noises coming from outside the school, noise-reduction headphones might help.
Sensory room toys
Children with autism take a while to wind down and play after a busy day.
Unlike other toys your students might have, sensory toys are designed to ease tension in children and increase focus and awareness. A weighted stuff animal is great for putting on a child’s lap while reading a class story, while a relaxing fidget toy like the tactile tangle relax makes for a quick, quiet hand activity.
Train your staff
One teacher cannot keep the sensory room running. You need peer support to provide special attention to each student’s senses. Therefore, train teachers to assist others in the sensory room.
To ensure your sensory rooms in school are perfect for your classrooms, follow these steps to help your students. Making a sensory room in your school is a great way to give your children a sensory experience to help them regulate their emotions.
For more information and tips on what sensory products to provide for your school, check out our previous blog here.
