How to Build a Successful Sensory Room for Greater Sensory Integration and Sensory Awareness

This article provides helpful toys for your child’s or student’s sensory room. Affiliate links are included for your convenience. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a reminder, ILS is not a health care provider and none of our materials or services provide a diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition or learning challenge you may see in your child or student. If you seek a diagnosis or treatment for your child or student, please contact a trained professional who can provide an evaluation of the child.

The number of kids who struggle with sensory processing is rising. Many parents, therapists, schools and teachers ask what items to use for a sensory room. While it may take many months, even years, to acquire the equipment needed for your students, there are a few key items you can add without breaking the bank. All the other items, you can add to your sensory room overtime to help your child or student with sensory integration.

Equipment Items to add to Your Sensory Room

There are a number of sensory items you can add to a sensory room. However, some are more important than others and can target areas of the brain to help with a number of the following:

• Calming
• Self-regulation
• Emotional grounding
• Proprioception
• Vestibular input
• Attention and focus
• Sensory seeking behavior
• Sensory sensitivities

Depending on the needs of your child or student, you can adjust or modify ideas based on the child’s individual needs. Some kids need more equipment in a sensory room that supports sensory seeking behavior. Other kids need a sensory room that helps build sensory integration for sensitivities within their environment that may cause sensory meltdowns.

A few of the more important equipment items we recommend for your sensory room, are as follows:

Floor Scooter

The number one item you want to add to your sensory room is a floor scooter. Floor scooters allow kids to glide in the prone and supine positions.  It builds many areas of the sensory system that can help kids in the following areas:

• Core Strength
• Balance
• Bilateral coordination
• Visual-motor skills
• Hand-eye coordination

All of these areas are important for calming and re-organizing the brain for improved sensory integration and sensory awareness.

Weighted Crash Pad

Another key item to add to your sensory room is a weighted crash pad. Crash pads are very important for kids who display sensory seeking behavior. The brain needs the following to calm the body so they can filter out unwanted sensory stimuli:

• Crashing
• Bumping
• Pushing
• Pulling
• Stomping

Sensory Swings

Sensory swings are a great item to add for kids who are sensitive to sensory stimuli or for those who need more vestibular input. Swinging can calm the sensory system when it’s overloaded and can provide additional emotional grounding. In addition, it provides a “hugging” sensation for those kids who require more sensory input and also becomes a place to “hide” if a child is in fight or flight mode.

Sensory Balls

Sensory balls are very versatile and can be used in many different ways to help kids with sensory integration. Kids can do a number of the following activities with sensory balls:

• Catching 
• Throwing
• Rolling on hands and feet
• Rolling on arms and legs
• Bouncing

Children can also use sensory balls to improve timing and rhythm, especially when they need to bring down their heart rate due to a sensory meltdown. Using sensory balls to count, breathe and track allows the child to calm and self-regulate giving the sensory system time to reset. 

Sensory Room Equipment

For several of our favorite items to add to your sensory room, check these out below. To download a list of 60 ideas for your sensory room, complete the form at the bottom of the page.

Sensory Room Equipment List Download

To download a list of 60 equipment ideas to add to your sensory room, complete the form below. Remember to check your email inbox and your spam or junk folders for the download link. If you don’t receive your free download in your email box, please email us at info@ilslearning.com.

Integrated Learning Strategies is a Utah-based center dedicated to helping mainstream children and children with learning challenges achieve academic success. Our services provide kids with non-traditional tutoring programs within the Davis County, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse, Farmington, and Centerville areas. Areas to find Integrated Learning Strategies include: Reading tutors in Kaysville, Math tutors in Kaysville, Common Core Tutors in Kaysville, Tutors in Utah, Utah Tutoring Programs