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Sensory Regulation
This is a vitally important part of each child's development. Some of us feel calm and integrated for most of the day but I think that each of us has experienced that feeling of freeze of flight when something doesn't feel right. For our children with sensory dysregulation, this is what a lot of their day can feel like. By the time they get home, they are physically and emotionally exhausted. No wonder this is often the time when it all bubbles to the surface and things get just too hard.
Firstly let's look a the value of sensory play for all children and then let's think carefully about our littlies who are very dysregulated.
Sensory Play for all children
Sensory play provides children with opportunities to regulate their sensory experiences. By engaging in sensory activities, such as touching, smelling, listening, and seeing, children learn to process sensory information effectively. This helps them develop self-regulation skills, understand their own sensory preferences, and adapt to different sensory stimuli.
With sensory play, we are looking for confidence, tolerance, engagement, and joy!
Sensory play and developmental learning
🧠 Cognitive Development: Sensory play stimulates critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. It encourages children to make connections, experiment, and learn about cause and effect.
🗣️Language and Communication Skills: Sensory play provides opportunities for rich language experiences. Children can describe their sensory observations, express their feelings, and engage in conversations with peers or adults.
🖐🏽 👣 Fine and Gross Motor Skills: Manipulating and exploring different textures, objects, and materials during sensory play enhances fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and muscle strength. It also encourages gross motor skills through movement-based sensory activities.
😊😯😓Social and Emotional Development: Sensory play can be enjoyed individually or in groups, promoting social interactions, turn-taking, sharing, and cooperation. It also provides a safe space for children to explore and express their emotions.
👁️👂🏽👃🏽Sensory Integration: Sensory play helps children integrate and make sense of sensory information from their environment. It supports sensory processing skills, sensory discrimination, and sensory modulation.
Sensory Play for regulation
Self-Exploration and Self-Advocacy: Through sensory play, individuals with sensory processing difficulties can gain a better understanding of their own sensory preferences, triggers, and needs. This self-exploration empowers them to communicate their sensory needs effectively and advocate for themselves in various environments.
Sensory play allows a safe and controlled environment for individuals to gradually expose themselves to sensory experiences that may be overwhelming or anxiety-inducing and to engage in sensory activities at their own pace.
· Sensory Integration
· Sensory Modulation
· Desensitization
Body Awareness: often involve movements, body positioning, and proprioceptive input.
Sensory play can improve body awareness and coordination for individuals with sensory processing difficulties, helping them navigate their surroundings with more confidence and ease.
Emotional Regulation:
Sensory play is a channel to express and regulate emotions. It can be calming, soothing, and stress-relieving, helping individuals manage anxiety, frustration, or sensory overload.
Attention and Focus:
Sensory play can enhance attention and focus in individuals with sensory processing difficulties. Engaging and stimulating sensory experiences can help redirect attention and improve concentration skills.
