From Swinging to Diving in a Ball Pit: Sensory Room Part II
My students need sensory materials to help them self regulate or to have an adult help them navigate the materials in order for them to become more calm or more alert. These include sensory brushes, a bag of balls, a tunnel, and more.
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
My Students: Ever set next to someone who was smacking away on his gum or he was clicking his pen. Smacking gum and clicking pens are a bit annoying, but the general population tends to accept these little quirks - these sensory needs. Children with autism may have many more little "quirks."
My classroom of kindergartners all have autism.
Their sensory needs vary from child to child. One really enjoys watching lights flicker and objects being blown in the wind or by a fan. Another little guy loves to hold objects in his hands and bounce them up and down. Many of my students love to swing. Some like to snuggle up into tight little places. Our school is in a poverty part of the metro-Phoenix area. It is difficult for the parents to find therapy for their children. We want to meet as many of their sensory needs during their school day, as possible hoping they go home a little calmer and more focused.
My Project
We are so excited that our first project to support our sensory room was recently funded. The tents, we choose,give our students a quiet, cozy place to reset and focus for the next activity in their day. The guppy tunnel gives the sense of a tight hug all over their body. This tightness is very calming for many children with autism. The monkey bar is great for our children because some students love movement. This bar gives them movement above ground and allows them to swing. It builds upper body strength, too. This strength some of our little ones are lacking. The bar can be alerting for some of our little ones who tend to want to sit around on the floor. We want them up and moving. The bag oâÂÂballs can be an alerting or calming activity. The bag can be filled with the balls or other soft objects. A child can lay underneath the bag for a weighted sensation or submerse himself inside the bag. The sensory brushes are very calming. The variety helps meet the needs of different students.
As adults, we know when we need a big hug or a hot bath.
Children with autism often can't verbalize what they need. As teachers, we use sensory profiles and a bit of trial and error to determine what sensory activities are most beneficial to our students. This project and the equipment listed will be a part of a sensory room designed to meet the needs of the growing population of autism students in our district.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Alvarez and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
