School sensory equipment to buy online

You will often find sensory rooms at commercial children’s play venues and even inside interactive museums. But one of the growing trends is for schools to add a multi-sensory room to their premises and make it part of the curriculum for younger children. There are many benefits of multi-sensory rooms to children, such as:

    • Facilitating relaxation and relieving stress
    • Improves problem-solving skills
    • Enhances social skills and working with others
    • Provides an opportunity for cognitive development
    • Can improve some motor skills

These are some of the generic benefits of sensory equipment among school children, but the sensory room itself can be directly beneficial to the school and its hard-working teachers.

Some children may become overwhelmed by the daily noises, sounds and sights of a busy classroom. In these cases, the multi-sensory room can become a safe haven where these children can feel at ease in a calming space. Moreover, the sensory room may also be used as a de-escalation environment for children who have misbehaved and need time to calm down.

Thus, a multi-sensory room can be used by teachers who need to handle challenging situations but aim to reach a positive outcome.

Specialist Special Needs Sensory Equipment

Sensory equipment may be a fantastic inclusion for the development of children, but its advantages can go even further those with additional needs. Extensive research has already been conducted to identify how sensory stimulus can benefit children with special needs through various outlets.

Some children suffer from a condition known as Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and it is common for example in children with autism. It prevents them from interacting with objects, light and smells in the effortless way that other children do. Sometimes these things can even be painful for them.

But by using sensory play, these children can slowly adapt and become more comfortable with their senses, which continues to benefit them outside of sensory-stimulating environments. Naturally, special needs teachers need to be trained on how to use specific sensory equipment with special needs children to ensure the equipment is suitable for their needs.

This is why sensory curriculums are now the norm within special needs schools.

As sensory rooms are all inclusive, it is no surprise that sensory rooms are becoming increasingly popular within special needs education centres and schools. An alternative option that has also been researched frequently is the use of sensory gardens. These gardens work with the same principles but incorporate elements of nature as well, which can be apt for tapping into the sense and use of smell.

How Sensory Equipment Meets Children’s Needs

Children, especially those at a very young age, are highly sensory orientated. Most of their early experiences and thoughts are commanded by what they feel, smell, see, hear and taste. It shapes how their brains develop and how they react to different materials, colours and more.

Sensory equipment is a safe way of introducing children to many different objects and getting them to use their senses frequently. As the aforementioned benefits suggest, this is crucial for their mental wellbeing and their cognitive and social development.

For very young children, introducing new textures and shapes is also a way for them to identify concepts such as danger and teach them how to respond to stimulus safely.

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