SENSORY: BAGS AND BOTTLES AND BALLS AND BINS! Sensory learning is an important aspect of growth and de- velopment for all children. Information taken in through see- ing, hearing, touching, tasting, and moving help children learn about the world around them. For certain children, sensory ex- periences are inaccessible due to differences in the way they hear, or see. For others, sensory experiences are aversive. There are many ways to provide sensory experiences so that children can receive the cognitive, language, fine motor, or social ben- efits sensory play provides. Play doughs are often associated with sensory play yet children with sensory sensitivities may not be able to tolerate the overall feel, texture, or scent of the dough, and ingredients in some commercial and homemade doughs may trigger allergic reactions. Options for providing successful dough experiences include introducing it gradually, trying homemade (and even edible) doughs, having the child participate in making the dough, covering the dough in plastic, or placing it in a bag so the child does not have direct contact with the dough, and adding a preferred or calming scent to the dough. Expanding sensory experiences can also be accom- plished through the creation of sensory bags. Sensory bags are a way for children who mouth objects or resist coming in contact with certain items or surfaces to safely explore differ- ent textures, colors, and sounds. Simply type “sensory bags” in your browser for hundreds of ideas. Here are forty-eight quick sensory bags to make for your kids to get you started. Along the same line, sensory bottles are other ways to display and ex- plore objects of interest and can serve as tools that can help children self-regulate. Sensory balls are created with balloons and fillings such as flour, lentils, or play dough. Sensory bins also serve as containers/confiners for structured exploration. They can be purchased from school supply or craft stores or created from plastic totes and lids. Add a PVC frame and you have a height adjustable sensory table which can be disassem- bled and stored in the tub (Image 7). There are wonderful free resources online such as rules for using sensory tables, sensory bin scavenger hunts and checklists, I Spy language activities, and more. The OT Toolbox website has a virtual sensory room that can be downloaded. When you click on the sensory ob- jects in the sensory room, you will be directed to different on- line sensory tools. ADAPTING BOARD GAMES There are many ways to adapt board games so that every- one can play. If the board game is too difficult, the rules can be changed, and the number of choices, spaces, or cards can be reduced. Game boards and cards can be scanned to enlarge them, then laminated for durability. Add a foam piece or felt furniture pad on the corner of each game card to separate them or build up the entire card with sticky back fun foam. Velcro can be added to game boards and game pieces so that
Image 7: Height sensory table constructed from PVC pipe, connectors, and a plastic tub with lid can be filled with a variety items. Table can be disassembled and stored in tub.
Image 8: Make game pieces easier to manage like a hands free card holder froma pool noodle or a di shaker plastic jar.
pieces remain upright and in place and provide a multi-sensory way to count spaces, and spaces can be highlighted for visibil- ity and borders. Textures can be added to dice, spinner, game- boards, and game pieces using puffy paints, Wikki Stix, fun
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