A sensory room is a specially designed room which combines a range of stimuli to help individuals develop and engage their senses. At Bishopston, our sensory room includes lights, colours, sounds, sensory soft play resources and aromas, all used within a safe environment that allows the person using it to explore and interact without risk.

Benefits of a Sensory Room

There are a whole host of benefits of a sensory room for those who require them. Some of these include:

Sensory stimulation

Encouraging the user to engage with and explore the environment can have positive effects on their ability to understand, react and interact with the larger world around them.

Enhance learning through play

Sensory rooms for children should be designed with learning and fun in mind. Sensory play helps children to develop their senses, encourages problem-solving and can build nerve connections in the brain. This is a great benefit of a sensory room as it engages different areas of the brain, helping children absorb and retain more information. 

Improve balance and movement

Sensory rooms can help develop users’ visual processing abilities as well as their fine and gross motor skills, facilitating day-to-day living. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with physical difficulties or cerebral palsy. 

Develop communication skills

For some individuals, particularly those with autism, both verbal and non-verbal communication is a challenge. Interactive sensory rooms can help to engage withdrawn individuals, and can be especially helpful in encouraging vocalisation. 

De-stress

Sensory environments can be highly absorbing, providing a moment of comfort and calm for overactive and distressed individuals. 

Improve focus

Some individuals find it difficult to focus. In fact, this is a common trait for those with ADHD, who may struggle to regulate their focus. Sensory equipment is designed to help users concentrate on the activity in hand and, what’s more, the atmosphere of a well-designed sensory room should help to enhance focus. This is an important skill for children to develop so they can cope with real-world environments where calm and concentration is key. 

Promote social skills

A great benefit of sensory rooms is that they can be used by individuals or in groups. Using a sensory room with others can help to promote social skills in a safe, calm and stress-free environment.