Some of you may be thinking "What in the heck is a sensory friendly classroom?"! That was me not to long ago. Until I started to come across students who are easily overwhelmed by a myriad of things. Sounds, colors, textures, smells, temperatures... you name it and it can be overstimulating, and when kids are overstimulated nobody is having fun! So here a few easy do's and don'ts that will make your classroom a sensory friendly place.
Don't... Cover every surface with colorful anchor charts, posters, bulletin boards and other random teaching paraphernalia! Just because your classroom looks like Pinterest exploded in there, multiplied and bred like rabbits does not mean it's conducive to learning.
Do... Keep it simple. Only have things on the walls that you really need for teaching. The boards in my room are cute, neat and simple. The colors are subdued and calming. I only keep up the anchor charts we're currently using, and store the others away for later. Others are simply SMART board slides that I put up when needed. Less is more!
Don't... Make everyone sit in desks
Do... Offer differentiated seating options. You don't have to makeover your whole classroom to do this. Add a couple tables at varying heights where kids can stand or kneel when they need to. Offer some wiggle cushions like these and a few wobble chairs that kids can choose from here. A basket of clipboards and some inexpensive pillows for those who want to work on the floor are also a good option! However if you really want to makeover your classroom...check this out.
Don't... Keep the lights on all the time! Florescent lights give lots of people headaches or cause vision anomalies that make focusing difficult.
Do... Use as much natural light as possible. Natural light is calmer and less stimulating than florescent lighting. Open up those blinds and curtains and let the sunshine in! If you don't have natural light try some lamps with dimmers!
Don't... Make the classroom silent. Silence can be deafening at times. When it's completely quiet minds may wonder of kids may try to fill the silence with noise of their own.
Do... Keep the noise low and productive. Discuss and model appropriate voice levels with your class. Teaching them about purposeful talk is also important. I also like to play quiet calming music during seat work times. Our favorite is Acoustic Instrumental Music For Kids. You can find it on Amazon here or iTunes here. You can also add sound blocking headphones for those who need the quiet!
Don't... Use strong perfumed plugins they can really irritate those with olfactory sensory issues as well as allergies.
Do... Utilize essential oils in an air diffuser. They're all natural, and the scents can help with all kinds of behaviors. Most oils don't bother those with scent related allergies. Do some research on which blends will work well for your needs. We used this one.
Don't...Tell kids to stop fidgeting or playing with things. Some people need to move and fidget in order to listen. I for instance am only listening if I'm doing something else.If I look like I'm listening to you I'm somewhere else in my head. My principal is the same way!
Do... Give them the appropriate tools to fidget productively. I have a whole box of fidgets that kids can use. We've talked about the correct way to use them, and that they are tools NOT toys!! They also make for a good discussion on who needs them and who wants them! Here are two of my favorites...here and this one.
Don't... Make kids with sensory needs feel singled out or different! Having one cushion, one fidget, one pair of sound blocking headphones, one stool really isn't all that helpful because it makes kids with sensory needs feel different and kids without them feel jealous.
Do... Make sensory friendly options open and available to everyone. Find the funding to buy several cushions, fidgets, sound blocking headphones, stools, pillows etc. so everyone can benefit!
Everyone can benefit from a little sensory love so give a couple of these ideas a try today!
