I have been approached by many families, educators, faith-based groups, and community centers asking how they can set up sensory areas in their own environments in order to help those they love with self-regulation. The simple idea that molding the sensory environment can help reduce anxiety and improve emotional well-being is a huge step in the right direction for with Sensory Processing Disorders.
Let’s get started building an economical sensory room!
Identify the space you will use. Ideally, this will be a location that is always set up as a sensory space, so that your child will consistently have access to it. Individuals who have SPD tend to crave reliability and consistency, and avoid unpredictability and change. This does not need to be a huge area, but it does need to be situated away from commotion and additional noise. Ideal spots would include a rug in the back of a classroom, or a small (10×10 or so) room in a larger center. In this case, small and cozy is good. Bigger is not necessarily better.
Tents help make the space cozy. If you are utilizing a small space within a larger room, I definitively recommend getting a child-sized tent to help block out the sound, lights, and movement from the room as a whole. Even if you are using an entire small room as a sensory room, I still like to utilize the coziness of a small tent. Indoor tents tend to be much less expensive than outdoor tents. I’m seen indoor play tents for as little as $25.00.
Mini trampolines are best recommendation for vestibular/proprioceptive input. This is often one of the first, best, and only pieces of equipment that I tend to recommend for families. Yes, there is a ton of equipment out there marketed for kiddos with SPD, but a mini trampoline is a great amount of input for the money, and many families can even find them for $5-10 at garage sales or thrift stores. The benefit of jumping on a mini trampoline is that the jumping can provide calming proprioceptive input while simultaneously providing alerting vestibular input, therefore creating the perfect state of calm and ready to learn. You can get a mini trampoline like this one, new, for around $50 at most sporting good stores.
NOTE: The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly discourages any use of a standard trampoline (5). I only use a standard trampoline in the clinic setting with watchful, 100% supervision. A recent AAP report states that netting around the trampoline does not reduce injury rates. And in fact, the kiddos I work with just see the nets as something to bounce off of. Very dangerous! The ONLY type of trampoline I recommend to families is a mini trampoline that is meant for indoor exercise, and even then, only with close, adult supervision.
Carefully manage the visual input in your sensory space. Tents can diffuse and soften overhead lights, or in a small space you can turn off the lights. Why? Overhead lighting, particularly halogen lighting, can be too strong and overwhelming for individuals with SPD. If you turn off overhead lights you need to then add some low, calming light. This can be achieved with a simple strand or two of Christmas Lights. They’re even better if you can adjust the setting on the lights to where they slowly transition from one color to the next (but NOT the rapid “chasing” pattern, which is too alerting for most kids). You can also add in low, calming light with a lava lamp, star projector, jellyfish light, etc. that can generally be found for around $20-25. I like models best when the lights slowly move from one color to the next. Regardless, do take note of quality reviews as there is a range in quality for economical sensory lights.
It is a bit more expensive, but our clinic uses a projector and it is amazing!
Proprioceptive input tends to be universally calming. This means you need to ensure that you have several forms of proprioceptive input for a calming sensory space. The mini trampoline is good for proprioceptive and vestibular input and should be placed outside the tent or in one corner of your small room. Inside the tent or in a separate corner of the room, you will need a selection of bean bags, large pillows ($30-$50, have also found great deals on these as pet beds at Sam’s Club), throw pillows, throw blankets ($15-100), large stuffed animals, etc. These are generally utilized by the individual himself, so that he can personally customize the sensation to what he is craving. Examples include: laying on top of the pillow pile, piling all the pillows/blankets on top of himself, wrapping up his body in a blanket like a burrito, etc. There really are not many specifics to the pillows/blankets/bean bags provided and you can generally find some of these items in old linen closets or on special clearance sales. However here is an example:
Bean bag chair ($25-$150)
For auditory input, just as each person has a different taste in music, each person with SPD has a different preference in sounds. Preferred music, white noise machines, ocean waves, rain/nature, and lullabies can be calming. But others may find less traditional sounds such as the vacuum cleaner calming. Luckily in this day and age, most adults have a smart phone, and most of us therapists simply use Pandora or YouTube to locate our client’s favorite calming sounds. If a child will be using this space more independently, you may want to utilize an old CD player to provide calming music. (I try to avoid iPads because most of my clients become too attached to them and have great difficulty transitioning away from the iPad. If you must use an iPad for auditory input, I strongly suggest keeping it in an inaccessible location or locking out the other programs.)
Tactile input can be very alerting for individuals with SPD and sometimes that should be avoided. However, many children still crave and seek out tactile input on their own terms. This is why I also keep a sensory toy bucket, containing a wide variety of tactile and fidget toys. The key here is variety. Koosh balls, stress balls, light up toys, slinkys, squishy toys, stretchy toys, toys that spin or vibrate, toys that make silly noises… you get the idea. I am not posting a link here, because honestly, you will get the most bang for your buck if you head to the dollar store/dollar section and fidget with the toys yourself to see what appeals to you. If you really must purchase it all online, I suggest searching for “sensory fidget toys” on Amazon. They offer variety packs of fidget toys for ~$20.
If you only have $10-20 dollars to spend helping individuals with SPD, tactile/fidget toys are where you should spend it! It is amazing how just a shoe box full of a variety of fidgets can help an individual find what he needs to cope with an overwhelming situation. I see it work in the clinic every day.
A simple budget
“But wait!” you may be thinking, “You listed too many choices! I just want a simple list to send to my director in order to request the funds for a simple sensory room. How do I choose what I need?” Don’t worry. I am here to help. Here is a simple budget list to copy and paste into your sensory room request form:
| Small tent | 25.00 |
| Mini trampoline | 50.00 |
| Lighting | 25.00 |
| Bean bag chair | 40.00 |
| 2 bed pillows | 25.00 |
| Throw blanket | 15.00 |
| Fidget toys | 20.00 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $200.00 |
So there you have it! One fantastic sensory room for only $200. No, it is not pennies; however, it is much less than most people expect. If you want more information about providing proper environments, routines, and support for individuals with sensory processing disorder, please check out the resource list at the bottom of this article.
The purpose of my recommendations is to help a school or other community space set up an area to be utilized by a wide variety of individuals with SPD. Often, individuals with SPD can become easily overwhelmed in unfamiliar spaces with groups of unfamiliar individuals. Therefore, the purpose of the majority of these recommendations is for calming, as the individual is likely already in a high alert state. However, I sprinkled in a few items for alerting as well, as these would also be needed in the educational or home setting.
A note to all the parents out there: you know your child. My recommendations are for the general population. If you are setting up a sensory room for your home, you probably don’t need all of these things. Just pick and choose from this list based on your child’s individual needs.
And a final disclaimer: the purpose of this article is for economical sensory rooms. There are many websites and therapy catalogs that will help you spend tens of thousands of dollars on extremely impressive sensory rooms. If you happen to have that much money to spend, fantastic! The fancier equipment is really impressive and you can have a lot of fun designing a state-of-the-art space. However, my suggestions are for those of us who have a much more modest budget with many fewer zeros attached.
Diving into SPD to understand the importance of sensory rooms
Sometimes even before a budget is requested, you may find yourself in a position of needing to justify your sensory room project. Here is a bit of background that may help.
What is sensory processing disorder?
Sensory processing disorder (formally known as sensory integration dysfunction or SID) disrupts the ability to properly interpret the sensations found in the world around us and generate adaptive and appropriate responses to those sensations. Occupational therapist, educational psychologist, and neuroscientist A. Jean Ayres, PhD, was the pioneer for researching and treating individuals with SPD. Dr. Ayres equated SPD to a neurological “traffic jam” that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to correctly interpret sensory information from a person’s surroundings. As a side note, I respect Dr. Jean Ayres and her work so much, that my Betta fish in the clinic is named “Jean”! Disorders of sensory processing can have extreme adverse effects on development. The influence of a disordered system can be so pervasive that the individual demonstrates difficulties in all aspects of his/her life. This might include problems with social skills, behavior, daily self-care tasks, academics, and behavior. (1)
What are the symptoms of sensory processing disorders?
Symptoms of sensory processing disorders can manifest themselves in the form of attention problems, hyperactivity, self-injurious behavior, self-stimulation, frequent tantrums or aggression, unpredictable explosions of emotion, impaired learning, poor social skills, poor balance or motor planning skills, too much or too little response to various sensations, and/or difficulty maintaining an alert but relaxed state.
How common is SPD?
Sensory processing disorders are actually quite common. As you read this article, you might even find that you identify with many of these difficulties yourself. One study from 2004 found that at least 1 in 20 children had symptoms of SPD affecting their life on a daily basis (2), while another study from 2009 suggests that SPD could be as common as 1 in 6 children (3). Based on these numbers, it is very likely that there are at least a couple of children finding difficulties with sensory processing in the majority of our classrooms, even if the teacher or parent has not identified and named these difficulties.
Who commonly demonstrates sensory processing disorder?
Sensory processing problems are linked with impaired neurological functioning and are also commonly seen in individuals who have the following diagnoses:
- Autism and autism spectrum disorders
- Intellectual disabilities
- Cerebral palsy
- Attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder
- Down syndrome and other chromosomal disorders
- Other learning disabilities
While SPD tends to be commonly linked with these formally diagnosed medical conditions, it is important to note that children who do not meet the criteria for a specific diagnosis (or “typical children”) can also demonstrate symptoms of sensory processing disorder.
The SPD controversy
While sensory processing disorder is a real and true difficulty for many individuals, SPD is not currently it’s own “official” diagnosis. In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) came out with a position paper, cautioning pediatricians against treating sensory processing disorder (4). The DSM-5, the code book that allows all medical professionals to bill for services, does not even list SPD as a diagnosis. As treating clinicians, we code it under “Other Disorders of Psychological Development.”
Just because SPD is not formally recognized by the DSM-5, this does not mean that SPD is not real and true, and something that families need to address. I often explain SPD to families using the analogy of a fever. Sometimes a fever can be associated with a serious and distinct medical condition such as the flu, strep throat, or even meningitis. Other times, a fever can be a simple side effect of an infant teething, and not really appropriate for a medical diagnosis. Either way, most parents will at least provide their feverish child extra snuggles and maybe Tylenol, and administer additional intervention for the fever if the situation warrants. Sensory processing disorder calls for a similar, graded response.
Sometimes SPD is a stand-alone difficulty, not associated with a more distinct diagnosis, and just requires slight environmental or routine modifications, not necessarily the skilled intervention of an occupational therapist. Other times, SPD can cause such extreme difficulties with daily living skills, academic participation, social interaction, behavior, etc., that it IS linked to a more specific diagnosis and does require the skilled intervention of an occupational therapist.
Why do children have SPD?
The causes of sensory processing disorder are currently an area of research with not many clear answers. However, most clinicians observe that a large portion of the cause for SPD is simple inheritance. As we work with families and educate parents on what SPD is and how to help their child, I so often hear parents exclaim, “Wait, that sounds just like me as a kid! I wish I would have had occupational therapy to help me through those difficulties, too!” Sensory processing disorders are largely inherited. NO, there is nothing you did to cause this! It is a simple matter of genetic lottery.
There are exceptions for environmental “extremes”. We tend to observe a higher incidence of sensory processing disorder in children who have had an early start in environments with significant obstacles and severe neglect. This would include extremes such as children adopted from overseas orphanages, or children whose home situations have been neglectful/abusive enough to warrant foster care.
What senses does SPD affect?
Yes, sensory processing disorder affects the 5 basic senses that we all learned about in kindergarten: sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound. However, there are two additional sensory systems that you didn’t learn about in kindergarten.
Vestibular input: Any movement of the head in space stimulates the vestibular system. Input from this system gives the body information about what direction it is moving in order to help the body better interact with its surroundings. Examples of vestibular input can include swings, roller coasters, riding a bike, running, spinning, somersaults, etc.
Proprioceptive input: This sensation is largely detected in the body’s joints, muscles, and tendons, and helps body parts perceive how they are positioned in relation to each other. This sense also tells you how much force you are exerting or is being exerted on you. Examples of proprioceptive input include deep bear hugs, weight-bearing tasks such as jumping (jumping provides both proprioceptive and vestibular input), push-ups, a baby’s sensation when being swaddled, or most yoga poses. In most cases, proprioceptive input is considered to be universally calming.
Are there different types of sensory processing deficits?
Absolutely! Every individual with SPD reacts to sensory inputs in his or her environment in a completely different way, even identical twins. Some individuals seek out certain types of input. Others strongly avoid and are even fearful of certain inputs. And yet other individuals may seek out a sensation one day, and then be avoiding of that very same sensation a different day.
Most individuals find proprioceptive input to be a universal calmer. We see this in everyday life, in hugging someone who is upset or when swaddling a baby. However, a child with SPD might tend to avoid tactile input as it can be too alerting (e.g., “The tag in my shirt feels like a spider crawling down my back!!”). The calming proprioceptive input of a deep hug may be avoided, because he can’t gauge the tactile and proprioceptive input of the hugger. But this same child may seek out burying himself under pillows and blankets to provide the same kind of deep pressure. In addition, a child may strongly resist tactile grooming tasks such as hair washing or nail clipping, but may seek out rubbing his hands over various textures in the environment when he is the one more in control of the situation.
Again, every individual will have his/her own patterns of seeking/avoiding, and individuals can be both seeking AND avoiding of different sensations within the same category. For example, many of my patients will seek out strong flavors such as spicy chips, Hot Tamales, sour candy, etc., but will overall be a very picky eater.
Sensory processing disorder is a very complex disorder and could be discussed for many more pages. In fact, there are dozens and maybe even hundreds of books discussing SPD. To find more in-depth information on SPD, please check out the additional materials in the resource section.
The information provided above is a simple overview in order to help parents, educators, and community leaders to understand the basics prior to setting up a dedicated sensory space meeting the sensory needs of those they love.
Resources:
(1) The Star Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder (Downloaded October 2018)
(2) Prevalence of Parents’ Perceptions of Sensory Processing Disorders Among Kindergarten Children. American Journal of Occupational Therapy. (2004)
(3) Sensory Over-Reactivity in Elementary School: Prevalence and Social-Emotional Correlates. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. (2009)
(4) AAP: Don’t Use Sensory Disorder Diagnosis. Medpagetoday. June 1, 2012
(5) AAP: AAP Advises Against Recreational Trampoline Use. September 24, 2012
Additional Resources for Learning About Sensory Processing Disorder
The Out Of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz and Lucy Jane Miller
Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder by Lucy Jane Miller
The Everything Parent’s Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder: The information and Treatment Options You Need to Help Your Child with SPD by Terri Mauro and Jenny L. Clark
The Sensory-Sensitive Child: Practical Solutions for Out-of-Bounds Behavior by Karen A Smith and Karen R. Gouze
Star Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder
About the author:
Melissa Foster is a Nationally Board Certified Occupational 
Therapist who received her Masters in Occupational Therapy from University of Central Arkansas in 2004. She came to TEAM in 2013 with a wealth of treatment experience in settings that range from NWA to Kansas to New York. Her primary interests are treatment of children on the Autism Spectrum, treatment of children with ADHD and treatment of children with sensory processing and behavioral disorders. Melissa is an active public speaker in the NWA community on topics related to Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder. She has authored several resource materials for parents on topics such as sleep and picky eating. Her blog for parents addresses a new topic every Monday and has become a popular resource for families. Melissa loves spending time with her husband and their two children. On warm summer days she enjoys sitting on her patio with a good book and a glass of iced tea.