5 Multi-Sensory Room Must-Haves

Today I’m going to be sharing my 5 multi-sensory room must-haves. These are 5 items that I have personally chosen as my top 5, from seeing them in action and their benefits on my students.

When it comes to creating a multi-sensory room, it’s important to ensure that the space is calming, engaging, and safe. A multi-sensory room is designed to provide a range of sensory experiences, such as visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory, that can help individuals engage with their environment and develop new skills.

1. A Bubble Tube

A bubble tube is a vertical tube filled with water and bubbles that rise to the top. These can be a natural color or they can be multi-colored. Some come with both options. You’ll also have some that come with glitter and fish inside them too.

Bubble tubes provide a calming and satisfying visual experience, which can help children to relax and focus. These tubes come in different sizes and colors, and some even have interactive features that respond to touch or sound.

2. Fiber Optic Lights

Fiber optic lights are a great addition to any multi-sensory room. They provide a calming and soothing visual experience, and can be used for both relaxation and stimulation. Fiber optic lights come in various shapes and sizes. The lights can either be placed on the floor or hung from the ceiling. We love to use the string ones. Students like to pull them through their hands, as they are often satisfying to touch and feel.

3. Sensory Swing

This was not something that I had had in my multi-sensory rooms until recent years. I was a little skeptical to start that perhaps the swing may work in the opposite way and over stimulate students. But, it actually works really well! Sensory swings can provide your students with a safe and calming space. This will allow the individual using it to relax and de-stress. The swings come in various shapes and sizes.

One thing I love about the swings is that they can either be hung from the ceiling or placed on a stand. My last school were very apprehensive about hanging anything from the ceiling – health and safety! But, when we found one that came on a stand – it was perfect! It did take up a fair bit of room in the multi-sensory room.. But we were very lucky that we had a real nice sized room and the students absolutely loved it!

Sensory swings provide a sense of security and comfort, and can help to improve balance and coordination.

4. Soft Play Area

A soft play area is a great addition to a multi-sensory room. Soft play areas provide a safe and comfortable space for students to play and explore. They can also help to improve their physical skills and coordination. Soft play areas come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can even have them personalized to fit the needs of the students who you are creating the room for.

5. Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a great way to create a calming and relaxing atmosphere in a multi-sensory room. Essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, and peppermint can help to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. Aromatherapy can be added to a multi-sensory room by using diffusers or sprays. When introducing things like aromatherapy, I like to start by creating sensory profiles on my students. I don’t want to accidentally introduce something into a multi-sensory room that may be a trigger for a particular student and may affect their wellbeing and sensory needs in a negative way.

When you’re creating a multi-sensory room for students, I recommend taking time to really think it through. Write and draw up plans. Think of the pros and cons for every piece of equipment or item you intend to put in there. Think about the students who will be accessing it and what they will benefit the most from.

For me, the 5 must-have items that I think are needed in a multi-sensory room are a bubble tube, fiber optic lights, sensory swing, soft play area, and aromatherapy. What items are in your top 5?

I hope you found this blog post helpful. If so, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues on social media.

Nikki

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