SPECIALTY SPACES
sensory
To the average person, a sensory space might seem like a playground full of colorful lights and unique toys. But to students with sensory issues this fanciful space can be a quiet soothing place. While it can be a calm space where the student can regain control of their emotions, a sensory room can also provide a low-stress, fun environment for an individual to work through their emotions and reactions to certain stimuli. While the sensory room cannot necessarily take away a student’s brain’s sensitivity to certain stimuli, the room can train their brain to overcome its sensitivity and develop coping mechanisms that will serve them well. Every brain is different, and everyone’s response to stimuli is also different. This change from the normal world leads to exploration and calm. Having multiple ways to explore a space that utilizes all five senses in diverse ways provides unique opportunities. These spaces allow the brain to be positively stimulated in multiple ways with different textures that are soft, hard surfaces, and flexible jumping surfaces. Sensory can happen in a quiet corner of a classroom and a specialty designed space.
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The lighting is a critical component to sensory spaces having the abilities to change the light colors to allow students in staff to find comforting levels of light allows their brains to process information differently. Ideally, the environment should offer multiple light sources that will flexibly meet the needs as the tasks within the room change. Giving the student the ability to be control of their environment is enough to be restorative.
AERO Therapeutic Center
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