December 2020

Benef its of sensory
2
TIP: It’s a great bonding opportunity for
parents with one or more children. Playing
with them will help you learn what they do
and don’t like.
rooms for children
They are stimulating
5
Six benefits of sensory rooms
A sensory room is a specially designed,
safe space that provides children and
people affected with autism with the right
environment that helps stimulate their
neural development. For many people,
sensory development is, mostly, fully
achieved by the age of 5. However, children
under this age bracket have a difficult time
managing their sensory information. They
may need these types of safe spaces
to help them get acquainted with and
manage such sensory information.
with autism
These rooms are also great for individuals
diagnosed with any form of autism that
may hinder their ability to perceive and
process sensory information.
Benefits of having a sensory
room
Sensory rooms have been around
since the 1970s in the Netherlands, and
they were known as Snoezelen. Aptus
Treatment Centre for Adults and Children
with Complex Disabilities and many other
institutions found out through studies
that adults with autism and children, by
extension, can significantly benefit from
an environment that offers regulated and
integrated sensory inputs.
Setting aside a playroom for your kid is
great. However, you could also design it
in such a way that your child gets to learn
critical cognitive abilities while having
fun at the same time. Doing this will put
them one step ahead of their peers and,
at the same time, make it a pleasurable
everyday experience. Here are some of the
benefits of having a sensory room as your
child’s play area.
1
Sensory rooms are calming
Noise pollution is a huge deal, especially if
you live around cities. Sometimes the noise
you encounter in your daily routine can be
overwhelming, making you wish you got a
few hours of quiet to get your thoughts in
order. This experience is multiplied tenfold
when it comes to your child.
Children find it very difficult to process
all this information at once and, as a
result, become quite agitated in this type
of environment. Providing them with a
safe space with soft lighting and proper
ventilation can keep them calm and
concentrate more on playing and
problem-solving skills.
TIP: Soundproof your sensory space to
keep out any loud noises that may scare
your child.
While most adults have learned to tune
their attention to these sensory inputs as
they need them, children can’t because
they haven’t learned how to. You could
incorporate a few items in your sensory
room, such as toys that they can play with
and colourful, stimulating lighting patterns
that can help them explore the world
around them.
TIP: Have enough sensory-stimulating toys
in your child’s sensory room to encourage
them to play and keep them occupied.
3
It can improve your child’s
focus
Many children are hyperactive and can find
it difficult concentrating on one task over
an extended period, which is also true for
autistic individuals. Setting aside a sensory
space for children will help them learn how
to interact with the environment, which will
equip them with skills to help them in
real-life situations.
TIP: Guide your children while they play and
help them stay focused until they complete
tasks.
4
Improve socialisation skills
Sensory areas can be great places for
children to interact, socialise, and bond.
They provide a free environment where
children can run around and play safely
with other children while bonding.
Given the right tools, this can help them
improve their motor skills, verbal skills,
hand-to-eye coordination, and many other
skills that will help them become healthier
both physically and mentally.
Help in cognitive development
Sensory spaces expose your child to
cognitively-stimulating experiences that
help them process sensory inputs from
the environment and learn how to react
to them. Acquiring these skills will help
them explore and learn about cause and
effect and how their actions affect the
environment.
TIP: Include pieces that your child can use
to play cognitive games to improve their
cognitive understanding.
6
Motor skills development
Muscle development can be a significant
challenge for people with sensory
problems. Providing a safe space where
they can practice balancing through
jumping, bouncing, and being stable can
be useful for their development.
TIP: Help your child develop motor skills
by encouraging them to perform simple
exercises such as running.
Ava
Wadaby
Ava is a contributing writer for
Autism Parenting Magazine. She
researches and writes about autism
as she works to understand the
challenges of her son who was
diagnosed with Autism and ADHD. She
also regularly conducts activities with
children in her neighbourhood, focusing
on their learning and development.
Conclusion:
Your child’s sensory system is very delicate.
It helps them learn and sort out critical
sensory data to better relate to their
environment. Providing them with access
to a controlled sensory area will help them
have fun safely and learn how to manage
their sensory skills when they get out into
the real world.
30 December 2020 | parenta.com
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