Sensory toys are designed to stimulate a child's five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. They might include elements such as bright, contrasting colors, sounds, or different textures. These toys are meant to help children develop their senses in a safe and natural environment using play.
Sensory toys provide a fun source of vital enrichment for neurotypical kids, encouraging them to engage with their environment in new ways. For neurodiverse kids with SPD, ADHD, or ASD, these toys can help regulate and integrate sensory inputs in crucial ways.
Due to sensory sensitivities, someone with autism might: display unusual sensory seeking behaviour such as sniffing objects or staring intently at moving objects. display unusual sensory avoidance behaviours including evasion of everyday sounds and textures such as hair dryers, clothing tags, vacuum cleaners and sand.
Some common examples of sensory toys include squishy balls, fidget spinners, sensory bins filled with objects to touch and manipulate, and musical instruments. Children with sensory processing issues or developmental disorders such as autism may find sensory toys helpful for calming and self-regulation.
So what is sensory play and how does it benefit your child? Sensory Play - includes activity that arouses and enhances children's senses. These senses include touch, taste, smell, movement, sight, hearing and balance.
Many autistic people experience hypersensitivity to bright lights or certain light wavelengths (e.g., LED or fluorescent lights). Certain sounds, smells, textures and tastes can also be overwhelming. This can result in sensory avoidance – trying to get away from stimuli that most people can easily tune out.
For autistic children, engaging in sensory play can retrain the brain's response to sensory information. This helps them cope better when dealing with different sounds, textures, lights, scents and taste.
Sensory play encourages learning through exploration, curiosity, problem solving and creativity. It helps to build nerve connections in the brain and encourages the development of language and motor skills.
Sensory toys nurture their senses, help them develop motor skills and can help with concentration and focus. In other words, sensory development helps children interact with their world. Sensory toys are known for introducing tactile sensations and other different stimuli.
There are the ones we know – sight (visual), taste (gustatory), touch (tactile), hearing (auditory), and smell (olfactory). The three we're not so familiar with are vestibular (balance), proprioceptive (movement) and interoceptive (internal). Let's take a closer look at all eight sensory systems…
Yes! Although they sound similar, sensory processing difficulties can be present without autism. Often children or adults with other neurodevelopmental or psychiatric conditions such as Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability, Anxiety, ADHD, or mood disorders can also exhibit Sensory Processing Disorder.
Provide a calming place with fidget toys, pillows, bean bag and a soft blanket. This can be as simple as a corner in a room or even a small area rug with calming items behind a teacher's desk. Make sure to practice going there so the child will identify it as a safe place.
While many children with autism feel averse to hugging, some children with autism like to be hugged. Some children can swing the opposite way and want so many hugs that they feel hug deprived when they aren't getting enough.
In children and teenagers with high-functioning autism, this can present as a limited social circle, difficulty completing group work, or problems sharing toys and materials. Many people with ASD have sensory difficulties. Certain tastes, noises, smells, or feelings can be intolerable.
Although your son's reaction sounds more severe than most, many people with autism struggle with a range of fears, phobias and worries. These can range from a debilitating fear of, say, spiders or the dark to chronic anxiety about making mistakes or being late.
Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism. However, with early intervention, therapy, and support, individuals with autism can manage these challenges and improve their quality of life.
Sensory play is any activity that stimulates our senses – touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. It helps children interact with and make sense of the world that surrounds them.
Drawing with your feet, or mouth is such a unique sensory experience. Children try to coordinate the gross motor movements of their legs, and fine motor movements of their toes and feet, in order to create art. It puts motor planning skills to the test.
According to health experts, the most common type of sensory disability is taste impairment. Sensory impairments are often genetic. They can also be caused by an infection or an injury.