What Goes In a Personalized Sensory Box

One of the strategies used to calm or to stimulate the senses, is the use of a personalized Sensory Box. A Sensory Box is just a container where you place items with a medley of sensations. Occupational Therapists often recommend the use of personalized sensory boxes for children who have problems regulating their responses to sensory information. It would be a good idea to have one at home and one at school.

What Goes In a Personalized Sensory Box

Items for sensory boxes are as varied as special needs children. The items you will use in your child’s box will be to satisfy his needs and be recommended by his professional advisors.

Just to give you an idea what can be made or bought for sensory boxes, here is a list of some sensory items. Please note that not all are appropriate for school.

* Light emitting/ reflecting objects

*Items that make contrasting sounds

*Textured objects(soft, hard, squishy, smooth, bumpy…)

*Fidgeting toys or aids

*Messy, sticky, gooey items

*Chewable items

 *Items that displace air (straws, hand held fan…)

*Things that move or vibrate

*Scented objects

Safety First for Sensory Box Items

With so many recalls because of safety issues in Toyland, parents and teachers should make sure what is placed in the Sensory Box complies to all safety regulations.

Every item/toy should be non-toxic, bpa, phthalate, pvc, lead and latex free. Look for items with a CPSIA compliance certificate. The objects to be placed in the mouth must be safe with no toxic materials and no breakaway pieces. Also avoid small objects that could be placed into ears, nose or swallowed. Dishwasher safe for hygiene reasons is another prerequisite.

Decide who is responsible to clean the items, remove the worn items and buy and replace new items. Maintaining these boxes takes commitment and organization, but is well worth the effort.

A Personalized Sensory Box for Oral Hyposensivity

For an example, I will write about a child with Sensory Processing Disorder who has oral hyposensitivity. When talking about SPD and mouthing, we refer to the sensory seekers or sensory cravers who are hyposensitive to oral input and who need more sensory stimulation than others to feel satisfied. These are the kids who always have something in their mouths: fingers, hair, clothes, toys, string…

For such a child, more oral stimulation activities and appropriate items to chew must be provided for him to feel calm and organized. Some of the following items could be included in this child’s sensory box:

* Chewnoodles, Tri-Chew, Berry Scented Textures Grabber, Chewable Retractable Bite Buddies from http://www.got-autism.com

* ChewEase, Chewnoodle, ChewEase Pencil Topper, Chewable Zipper Circle Pendant from Pacific Pediatric Supply http://pacificpediatricsupply.com/  

*Kid Companions Chewelry from http://www.chewelry.ca/  and also from the above two sites. 

-Yes, Kid Companions Chewelry passed all the safety tests and they do have a place in any Sensory Box.

-Kid Companions feature a dark colored, hard, embossed dot surrounded by a lighter colored, rubbery heart or circle. Kid Companions Chewelry has lots of textures going on offering a medley of sensations.

- An abstract pattern of dots on the back makes good use of both sides of the pendant.

-The heart shaped Kid Companions also have a worry-stone like indentation in the front.

-The circled Kid Companion is available in three smart colors and the heart shaped one comes in five colors.

-The Kid Companions Chewelry is worn like a necklace or the clipped version can be clipped to clothes, belt, school bag… no more lost, thrown, forgotten chewables.

What went in this child’s personalized sensory box are simple tools but they will help with sensory regulation and oral seeking behaviors. These oral-motor tools are a positive, effective replacement for those chewed in-edibles.

Does your sensitive child use or need a Sensory box?

What objects do you put in your box?

Related posts:

What Is a Personalized Sensory Box

*Picky, Picky Pete ~ A Boy and His Sensory Challenges Written by Michele Griffin and published by Future Horizons. Review here  

*Sensitive Sam ~ Sam’s Sensory Adventure Has a Happy Ending! Written by Marla Roth-Fisch and published by Future Horizons. Review here

*The Goodenoughs Get in Sync ~New Edition~ 5 Family Members Overcome their Special Sensory  Future Horizons Inc. Review here

*What Is a Sensory Diet

*Holidays Ring "Hollow" For Some Special Needs Kids

What Is a Personalized Sensory Box

Children with Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD) have difficulty interpreting information through one or more of their senses. As a result, these children have problems regulating their responses to sensory information. For these children and their parents, each day brings overwhelming challenges which lead them to seek professional help. Usually they will be sent to an Occupational Therapist, to address sensory integration / sensory processing needs.

One of the strategies used to calm or to stimulate the senses, is the use of a personalized Sensory Box. A Sensory Box is just a container where you place items for your child to explore with his senses. Simply stated, sensory boxes provide a medley of sensations ~ smells, feels, movements, sights, sounds, textures… to increase environmental awareness, relaxation and cognitive stimulation. Parents should have a sensory box at home and also one for their child at school.

Sensory Box Goes To School ~ What To Do

Following the recommendations of your occupational therapist, work with your child’s classroom teacher, child’s teacher assistant and/or special needs teacher and decide what would be best to place in your child’s individualized sensory box to be left in his classroom. 

Be sure to personalize the box with your child’s name and have a convenient, easily accessible spot to place it in the classroom. Or better still, have the child help you decorate and make the box HIS. Decide who is responsible to clean the items, remove the worn items and buy and replace new items. Maintaining these boxes takes commitment and organization, but is well worth the effort.

Have a plan on how the other students will be told about the sensory box and how to prevent other kids from using the items. When explaining this to the class, it would also be an optimum time to discuss why some children need sensory boxes or other special needs aids. Moreover, bring out and read to the students the special needs picture books on Sensory Processing Disorders. List and links to reviews below.  

At first, the adults working with your child will initiate the use of the items but the goal is for your child to learn to self-regulate and use these items when he needs them.

If all is done correctly, when your child gets an item from his box, the other students should see it as natural as getting a tissue to blow his nose or going to the pencil sharpener.

A personalized sensory box…so simple but oh so effective.

How have you made use of a sensory box?

Related posts:
*What Goes In a Personal Sensory Box

*Picky, Picky Pete ~ A Boy and His Sensory Challenges Written by Michele Griffin and published by Future Horizons. Review here *Sensitive Sam ~ Sam’s Sensory Adventure Has a Happy Ending! Written by Marla Roth-Fisch and published by Future Horizons. Review here

*The Goodenoughs Get in Sync ~ Five Family Members Overcome Their Special Sensory Issues Written by Carol Kranowitz and published by Future Horizons. Book review here

*Special People, Special Ways ~ Each page portrays positive images of children with various disabilities Written by Arlene Maguire and published by Future Horizons. About here