How to Create a Sensory Playroom
Play is how a child learns about their world. Giving a child a safe environment where they are allowed to play and explore is crucial for their development. For children with sensory issues like Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), sensations that they experience through play are not always interpreted correctly. Some children may appear fearful of certain sensations while others may seem to crave more. The goal of a sensory playroom is to provide a child with a safe environment where they can learn to explore and interpret sensations.
Things You'll Need
- Sensory appropriate toys
- Sensory appropriate furniture
Instructions
Designate a room in your home for your sensory playroom. Ideally, this is a room that your child feels comfortable in and that is easily accessible to your child. Design the playroom around your child's specific sensory needs. Every child with sensory issues has different needs. Work with your child's occupational therapist to determine what type of sensory needs your child has. For example, some children may need a sensory playroom that allows a lot of room for physical movement, such as jumping or climbing. Create sensory stations within your playroom, and dedicate each station to a particular sense. For instance, if your child craves vestibular input, you can have a corner with a little exercise trampoline or a Sit 'N Spin or balance disc that can help them. For proprioceptive input, try creating a corner with beanbag chairs, big pillows or hammock. Designate an area for messy play. Playing with substances like play dough, fingerpaints, cornstarch and water solution can provide for all sorts of interesting sensory experiences but can be a pain to clean. Designating messy play to one area will help minimize the clean-up effort. Spreading a large, waterproof sheet underneath can also make clean-up easy.