Introduction
The psychological impact the sensory room has on children is soothing and safe. The design solutions involve open spaces with organizers, comfortable furniture, natural lighting, and sound insulation. The sensory room under consideration will be for children who have special visual or emotional needs, including children diagnosed with Autism. Children diagnosed with Autism generally demonstrate sensitivity to noise and light and might experience anxiety around others.
Discussion
When it comes to the approaches that need to be considered, the first is the choice of light, which will be natural. Fluorescent lighting can be visually stimulating due to the bright lights continual flashing (Kelly, 2015). Moreover, the children will need to have access to soft textures, and teachers can set out plastic containers and boxes filled with sand, beans, and grains (Ray, 2017). In terms of other textures that can be soothing are blankets and pillows, which can be snuggle-weighted types. Another aspect to consider is the choice of soothing colors in the room. For instance, while soothing and calming colors are white or blue, triggering colors are red and yellow and must be avoided.
As for environmental safety and the feeling of protection, noise must be eliminated. In this case, insulation can be introduced by offering children noise-canceling headphones, which can help settle fidgety hands (Kelly, 2015). It is necessary to have a space where a child may escape when they are becoming overwhelmed and have privacy and feel safe. A perfect option would be a space with fewer sensations and comfortable furniture, such as bean bag chairs or lots of floor pillows (Kelly, 2015). When considering spaces to crawl under, the places should be able to either be fully enclosed or visually enclosed (Pearlman-Avnion & Lowinger, 2019). Finally, round shapes should be present in the rooms, such as round-shaped toys. It is advised to separate toys into small containers or separate storage boxes (Kozlowski, 2021). Therefore, in sensory rooms, there must be no triggers, and the environment must be welcoming.
Conclusion
Hence, the sensory area provides a calming and secure psychological impact on children. Open areas with organizers, comfortable furniture, natural lighting, and soundproofing are some of the design choices. Children with special visual or emotional needs, including those with autism, will use the sensory room. To prevent sensory overload in such a circumstance, it is essential to pay attention to the predictability of the surroundings and the absence of triggers.
References
Kelly, D. (2015). 6 sensory room ideas to help your child. Center for Children and Youth. Web.
Kozlowski, C. (2021). How to create a sensory room for kids with autism. Autism Parenting Magazine. Web.
Pearlman-Avnion, S., & Lowinger, S. (2019). Autism in adulthood. Springer International Publishing.
Ray, B. (2017). Sensory room 101. Edutopia. Web.