Have you ever asked or been asked this question: What are the best strategies for helping children with bathing or showering who have Sensory Processing Disorder? Forget everything you know about traditional bathing routines. The future of bath time isn’t about getting clean—it’s about creating sensory magic in an often-challenging space (that just happens to … Read more
Visual Processing in the Classroom Classrooms are often visually stimulating environments, intended to engage students and create a positive learning atmosphere. However, for some autistic students, these environments can be overwhelming and pose challenges to their learning. This blog post focuses on the visual processing differences experienced by autistic many students and offers strategies for … Read more
Transforming Therapy Provision for Autistic Students in Special Schools I have worked in education with a specialism on Autistic students for 17 years, In schools with brilliant resources and those with more limited budgets. Therapy provision goes beyond mere compliance with legislation; it’s about fundamentally transforming lives. The challenges of delivering effective therapy in special … Read more
Integrating Sensory Activities to Improve Children’s Focus In a swiftly evolving educational landscape, teachers continually explore innovative strategies to enhance student learning. One such approach that has gained considerable attention is the integration of sensory activities. This practice, rooted in neuroscience, can significantly impact focus, comprehension, and retention among learners of all ages. The sensory … Read more
Reducing Chewing Behaviours in Autistic Children: A Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach Chewing behaviours are common among autistic children and individuals with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). These repetitive actions, such as chewing on clothing, biting pens, or random objects, often serve as a self-soothing mechanism. As educators, parents, and caregivers, it’s essential to understand the underlying reasons behind … Read more
Vestibular Stimming: Self-Regulation and More Vestibular stimming, also known as vestibular self-stimulatory behaviour, is a type of repetitive movement that provides sensory input to the vestibular system, which is responsible for our sense of balance and spatial orientation. Many individuals, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or sensory processing … Read more
Proprioception vs Vestibular What are the Differences? Proprioception and vestibular senses are both crucial components of our body’s sensory system, but they serve distinct functions: Proprioception: Vestibular Sense: Key Differences: Understanding the differences and interplay between these senses is crucial in fields such as physical therapy, sports training, and treatment of balance disorders. Exploring the … Read more
Simple Sensory Activities for Autistic Teenagers at Home What Are Sensory Activities? Sensory activities engage the senses, including sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, motion, and balance. These activities can vary from simple exercises like listening to soothing music to more complex setups like sensory circuits. They are beneficial for autistic teenagers as they aid sensory … Read more
How Many Senses Do We Have and How Do They Enhance Learning? As teachers, we know that our students learn best when they are engaged and motivated. Regular visitors to this site will know my favourite way to achieve this is to create a multisensory learning environment. Learning for children with SEN can be enhanced … Read more
Sensory Processing Disorder Links to Childhood Behaviour As behaviour lead one of the most frequent questions that I often get asked is: “How does sensory input impact behaviour?” To answer this question I need the support of Sensory OTs and assessment tools. To support the child we need to delve into the intricacies of sensory … Read more
Autistic Nesting: What Does It Mean & What Is It For? Autism, a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by differences in social interaction and communication, is often accompanied by unique sensory experiences. One such behavior that has attracted limited attention but makes perfect sense is ‘Autistic Nesting’, a fascinating aspect of the autism spectrum experience. This article … Read more
Aphantasia and Autism: Insights, Research, and Considerations for Supportrs. Understanding neurodivergence is key to effectively supporting children with diverse cognitive processing. This article looks into aphantasia (the inability to form mental images) and autism, two cognitive phenomena gaining increasing attention. We’ll explore how these experiences might intersect, offering parents comprehensive insights and practical ways to … Read more
Why Tactile Sensory Activities Matter Tactile sensory input is one of the first senses babies experience. As children grow, hands-on tactile sensory activities facilitate brain development as new neural pathways form. Tactile play builds nerve connections between the brain and the rest of the body. These pathways transmit sensory information that helps children understand and … Read more
Sensory Processing Differences and Classroom Design ‘Sensory processing’ refers to how a person’s nervous system responds to sensory information and how they react to it. autistic individuals often find it challenging to prioritise the stimuli to process in their environment, making it difficult to focus on a single stimulus. Atypical sensory processing in autism involves … Read more
Tips for Supporting Your Child After a Diagnosis We have three children with different diagnosis. Getting a diagnosis for your child can feel overwhelming at first. Whether it’s autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, or another neurodiversity, the news brings many emotions. This article covers key steps to support your child after receiving a diagnosis. Seek … Read more
Understanding Sensory Overload in Children with SPD When a child with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) becomes overwhelmed and overstimulated, having a toolkit of proven strategies can make all the difference. These sensory processing disorder classroom strategies and home interventions have been shared by parents and carers who support children with SPD daily. Whether you’re implementing … Read more
Understanding Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder. As a teacher, it is important to recognise that every child is unique. While there are certain commonalities in the needs of autistic individuals. Reactions to sensory stimuli can play a significant role in how engaged in learning a child will be. Reducing sensory overload can improve a child’s … Read more
The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones for Autistic Children. Kids ear protection is vital. This post is a follow-up to our main post on Noise Sensitivity. I work with many children with noise sensitivity who use some sort of ear defenders to reduce the noise in the school environment. There are two types of noise-cancelling earplugs: … Read more
This blog is going to explore how just with a poundland power-bank we can create simple and affordable sensory lights. We can use these as a 1 off activity or to integrate into your multi-sensory storytelling. As we all know if you put “sensory” on the front of any product you can double the price. … Read more
Our Spitfire VE Day sensory story forms the third of a collection of sensory stories written to be delivered during the week of the 75th VE day celebrations in May 2020, Now Updated for the 80th Anniversary of VE Day in 2025 with a sound board that contains the sounds for our sensory story you … Read more
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