Some Sensory Ideas

Having students with sensory deficit disorder is a very big challenge, and it was not until I became a teacher that I truly began to realize the importance of sensory diets/activities for children with these needs. It is a lot simpler than it sounds, kids like to touch, taste, feel and smell all sorts of things.

The problem with some of our kiddos is that some sensory experiences that we may fine pleasurable they may not like, and vice versa.  I suggest to anyone who has a child like this in their classroom that they speak with their occupational therapist; these people are full of wonderful ideas!

Sensory experiences and equipment can become alarmingly expensive if ordered from catalogues, but here's the secret: you can make your own sensory items/routines for very cheap!!

Here are some idea's I've used and as the school year comes around I will provide some pictures

1. Mirrors (the non-glass kind)--this provides an interesting experience for children, to be able to look at themsevles and others through the mirror

2. Hanging items on the mirror/placing stickers/foam letters/pictures on the mirror--My students love this, it gives them a neat perspective of being able to hold items in their hands while viewing them in the mirror

3. Christmas lights (non-blinking)--Strining lights on the ceiling in a particular area is a neat sensory experience and it makes your classroom look colorful.

4. Haning Cd's and other shiney objects on the celing around the christmas lights: Place two CD's together so the shiney side faces out and glue them together, then suspend them, and other shiney objects (pie tins work good) around the lights--they catch the light and glint and make patterns

5. Wall paper/textured paper--Velcro/staple/tape these to the walls or floor for a touch experience

6. Stuffed animails

7. Squishy balls, nerf balls (avoid those that light up in case of seziure disorders)

8. Ball pit

9. Play in sand/rice/beans/cooked noodles/water (hide items within for a fun surprise)--allow the child to place their hands and/or their feet into the mixture--the feet, I've found, are espeically fun for kids because most teachers don't think to deal with a childs stinky foot :)

10. Laminated book pages--Many of my students with sensory needs love to look at books but are very rough on them, I took to finding brightly colored picture books and laminating the pages, that way they can rough them up however they want

11. Velcro (soft and hooked sides) placed around the student's desk or around the walls

12. Fabric of varioud textures: Hang in strips, weave together, tie to posts/doors around the room

13. Bubbles

14. Brushes/hair curlers (buy them at the dollar store)--the rough texture is soothing to some students

15. Floor mat/rugs

16. Rain-sticks, vibrating toys

17. Chew rings

18. Marti Gras beads (chocking hazard)

19. “Chewlery”—like a telephone cord necklace that the child can chew on

20. The telephone cord type ring that people put keys on and put them around their wrist can be placed through a belt loop for a stimulating activity that is discrete (for that matter you can try all sorts of items looped through a belt loop)

21.  Where cheap plastic beaded jewelry that you won’t mind if it gets broken—if you have a child who needs to hold your hand around the community or in school they love to rub on the beads

22.  Fruit snacks

These are just some of the ideas that I used last year....I'd like to create a sensory room but most students can become very rough with these items so if they don't last long that is okay, remember to rotate items around so they do not become bored, I have a sensory tub stored and we swap out sensory activities weekly.

My best and most fun advice is to go to the dollar store (the real one where things are actually a buck!) and walk around and feel things, touch them, rub them, put them up to your face, look at them from all angles, my husband and I did this, and while you may look crazy, it really gives you an idea of what these children experience and how important it is to them.

Don't shy away from them, don't spend all day trying to make them stop touching/tasting/feeling things--their sensory experiences are their world, so join in. This is how some of these children interact and communicate, so if they struggle to learn our language, maybe we should extend ourselves and learn theirs. There is nothing more fun for me than getting down in the mulch on the playground with a student and rubbing my hands and arms though it with them, pour it over their legs, and laugh. You may come up dirty, but you may learn a language that you never knew.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnylM1hI2jc&noredirect=1



If you watch this and still don't get it, you may never understand.