Category Archives: Sensory

Investigate evidence-based sensory integration strategies and therapeutic tools designed to help individuals of all ages regulate sensory input, enhance emotional regulation, and improve behavior, attention, and participation across a variety of environments.

Everyday Sensory Solutions

September 12, 2023Sensorysensory strategiesGuest Blogger

Sensory-Friendly Environments

When creating sensory-friendly environments, the emphasis is on minimizing overwhelming stimuli and providing sensory solutions that promote regulated and organized responses to sensation. The goal is to create an environment that benefits individuals with sensory differences. Here are a few examples of how to reduce irritating auditory, visual, or tactile stimulation and ways to offer calming deep touch, movement, auditory, visual, and muscle work options to create your own sensory-friendly environment.

Auditory Stimulation:

everyday sensory solutions HUSH BUDDY EARMUFFS

Provide noise-canceling headphones or earbuds to reduce or eliminate loud or overwhelming sounds.
Offer a quiet area or soundproofing measures to create a space with reduced auditory stimulation.
Use white noise machines or calming music to create a soothing auditory environment.

Visual Stimulation:

Use soft, neutral colors on walls and furnishings to create a calming visual atmosphere.
Provide adjustable lighting options, such as dimmers or natural light.
Use curtains, blinds, or fluorescent light covers to regulate incoming light and reduce glare.
Create visual points of interest, such as calm and nature-themed artwork.
Avoid overcrowding walls with visuals.
Leave some walls blank or with very minimal visual input.

Tactile Stimulation:

Offer sensory-friendly materials, such as soft fabrics, textured surfaces, or materials that can be held or manipulated and aren’t scratchy and irritating.
Create sensory bins or tactile centers with various materials like pinto beans, rice, or soothing textured objects for tactile exploration.

Calming Deep Touch and Movement:

Give options for deep pressure touch, such as weighted shoulder wraps, laps pads, weighted blankets or compression tubes.
Provide spaces for movement, such as sensory swings, rocking chairs, Bin Chairs, or ball chairs.
Movement in straight lines; forward/backward, up/down or side to side is generally more regulating than rotary or irregular movement.

Muscle Work:

Provide visual options for ways to use muscles; wall push-ups, chair push-ups, squeeze balls, resistance bands, resistive compression tubes, bear walking or crab walking.
Provide other visuals options for ways to move that require muscle work such as kids yoga cards.

Remember that each individual may have unique sensory preferences, so it’s important to offer a variety of options and allow for personalization. By considering these strategies and tools, you can create a sensory-friendly environment that caters to the sensory preferences of individuals, promotes regulation, and enhances their overall well-being.

weighted Puppy Shoulder Wrap — Sommerfly Snuggle Bin Collection

It is important to note that all occupational therapists are trained in sensory processing and many have extensive experience and deep understanding in this area. Whenever possible, seek guidance from an occupational therapist for individualized sensory recommendations.

Stay tuned for our next installment of Everyday Sensory Solutions by Sommerfly.
For more information about Sommerfly Products visit Therapro.com.

Guest Blogger: Kristi Langslet, OTR/L

Kristi Langslet, OTR/L is the proud owner of Sommerfly, a company dedicated to providing individuals of all ages with sensory needs unique product designs that are meticulously crafted in the USA for optimal quality and construction. Most importantly, Sommerfly’s passion is to serve those who use our products.

Everyday Sensory Solutions: Sensory Breaks

August 15, 2023Sensoryoccupational therapy (OT) tools, sensory strategiesGuest Blogger

In this Everyday Sensory Solutions post, we are covering an essential topic, sensory breaks. Sensory breaks are an essential component of therapeutic strategies for children, particularly those with sensory processing difficulties. Creating a designated space where children can take breaks when feeling overwhelmed can greatly support their regulation and emotional well-being. This area should be quiet with reduced distractions, providing a calming environment that allows children to self-regulate. Equally important is the inclusion of sensory tools that cater to their specific preferences, helping them find comfort and manage overload effectively.

In a break space for children, various tools may include items such as weighted blankets, compression wear or stuffed animals for deep pressure and proprioceptive input, sensory tools like soothing hand fidgets, visual aids like lava lamps or calming images, and noise-canceling headphones to reduce auditory input. By personalizing the break area and offering a range of tools, children can engage in activities that support their needs and help them regain a sense of calm. This dedicated space acts as a sanctuary where children can take a break, recharge, and regain their focus, ultimately facilitating their overall well-being and promoting a more positive experience.

Sommerfly Relaxer Travel-Sized Weighted blanket and example of an Everyday Sensory Solutions Breaks — Sommerfly Relaxer Travel-Sized Weighted blanket for day use

Sommerfly Wristful Fidgets as an example of an everyday Sensory Solutions Breaks — Sommerfly Relaxer Travel-Sized Weighted blanket for day use

Stay tuned for our next installment of Everyday Sensory Solutions by Sommerfly.
For more information about Sommerfly Products visit Therapro.com.

Guest Blogger: Kristi Langslet, OTR/L

How to Build a Sensory Room at Home, Tips from the Experts

March 14, 2023Sensoryoccupational therapy (OT) tools, parent resources, self-regulation, sensory strategiesAllyson Locke, M.S., OTR/L

Porch, the home services platform, recently reached out to Therapro for help with their latest article, How to Build a Sensory Room at Home, Tips from the Experts. The question needing an answer was, what are the best tactile sensory tools to include in home sensory rooms? Therapro’s team of experts had a lot to say on this topic! Read on to see what Therapro shared and be sure to check out the full article.

Tactile sensory tools offer a rewarding experience. There are many options to choose from. Therapro’s top picks include:

Assortment of tactile sensory tools for home sensory room

Fidgets: Fidgets are small, portable and versatile tactile sensory tools that are a great edition to home sensory rooms. Fidgets can offer calming or alerting input depending on their characteristics. To help users better decide which fidget is best for them, the team of occupational therapists at Therapro has put together a free handy guide, Find Your Fidget that is available for download at therapro.com! Pro tip: Fidgets are also a great transition object to help with the move into and out of the sensory space!

Happy senso tactile sensory gel in
a bottle and sensory gel in the palm of two hands

Happy Senso: Happy Senso is a sensory gel that offers a unique multisensory experience. It can be sprayed directly into the palms of the hands or on a flat surface (like a table). Squish, press, and slide hands along the cool gel and listen to the crackling and popping sounds it makes. It is available in four different scents and colors for an enhanced sensory experience.

Green gel filled tactile sensory tool with fingers pushing small black chips inside the gel pad through a maze

Gel Activity Pads: Gel pads are exactly what they sound like, gel filled pads that can be pressed and squished with the hands, fingers, or even feet! Available in four different styles, activity ideas are endless; play games (like tic tac toe) or simply enjoy the combined visual and tactile sensory experience. As an added bonus, these gel pads offer slight weight and so can double as a weighted lap pad!

Theraputty Microwavable Exercise Putty: Exercise putty is a great fidget option that can offer a calming/ grounding experience to users. Theraputty Microwavable Exercise Putty is a unique putty that is microwavable allowing users to experience a calming warmth sensation while they knead, roll, or squish the putty.

The system calm strips, five rectangular strips with dark blue background and the planets arranged in a line

Calm Strips: Calm Strips are textured sensory stickers with a special reusable adhesive that are designed to be picked, touched, scratched, and peeled over and over again. These tactile sensory tools are a perfect addition to home sensory rooms. They can be adhered to any surface to add an additional tactile sensory experience and help regulate restless energy.

When it comes to building your sensory space, Therapro is the resource for families and professionals, be sure to check out all of Therapro’s sensory resources at therapro.com!