Sensory Challenges
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Possible Reasons for Sensory Challenges
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Sensory Box
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What Is It?
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A sensory box is designed to assist children with sensory development by exposing them to a variety of different colors and sounds. They can be designed with a variety of different materials and may include: water, toys, lights, shells, measuring cups, sand, rocks, beads and other shiny objects. The boxes are designed to provide children with ongoing opportunities to engage with these objects and spend time exploring their colours, texture, weight, sound and smell.
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The Purpose & Benefits
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Children are given the chance to encounter and experience a variety of materials they can touch, see, and smell in a controlled environment. Giving students with Down syndrome access to sensory boxes provides them with the opportunity to continue to practice and develop a variety of sensory skills. Boxes can be consistently updated with new materials (and more advanced) as the student becomes familiar with the current objects in the box.
The use of a sensory box will make students more likely to explore and apply sensory skills learned from using the sensory box with other objects and items in their environment. It gives students with Down syndrome a chance to have fun while playing with sensory objects that might otherwise cause them stress and discomfort in an uncontrolled environment. |
How to Use It
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References:
WhebieJ, Hong CS (2006) Apparatus for enhancing sensory processing in children. Int J Ther Rehabil 13(4) 177-81
Sensory Environments for Deafblind Children and Adults. Retrieved from http://www.sense.org.uk/sites/default/files/Sensory_environments_for_deafblind_children_and_adults_0.pdf. July 10, 2015.
Image 1: How to Create Fall Sensory box. Retrieved July 10, 2015. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1017871/how-to-create-a-fall-sensory-box.
Image 2: 13 Sensational Spring Sensory Bins. Retrieved July 12, 2015. www.mpmschoolsupplies.com.
Image 3: Christmas Lights. Retrieved July 16, 2015. www.sanantonio-christmaslights.com.
Sensory Environments for Deafblind Children and Adults. Retrieved from http://www.sense.org.uk/sites/default/files/Sensory_environments_for_deafblind_children_and_adults_0.pdf. July 10, 2015.
Image 1: How to Create Fall Sensory box. Retrieved July 10, 2015. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1017871/how-to-create-a-fall-sensory-box.
Image 2: 13 Sensational Spring Sensory Bins. Retrieved July 12, 2015. www.mpmschoolsupplies.com.
Image 3: Christmas Lights. Retrieved July 16, 2015. www.sanantonio-christmaslights.com.