The world is filled with sights, sounds and smells that the brain must process and respond to. Some children and adults have sensory processing disorder, a condition where the person has difficulty processing certain sensory inputs.
Many people with functional needs (commonly referred to as special needs) benefit from engaging their senses through sensory products. Sensory toys give users the sensory input they need to regulate their senses to feel relaxed, soothed, stimulated or acclimated. This regulation offers therapeutic benefits — users with sensory processing disorders can focus better, improve communication and enjoy many other benefits.
Five Types of Sensory Products for People With Disabilities
There are many sensory toys to help people with disabilities engage their senses. These products can be organized by the sense they engage, including:
1. Visual
Visual sensory toys are designed for individuals with visual processing needs or disorders by:
- Increasing visual attention.
- Preventing visual overload.
- Helping the user become more comfortable with visual stimuli.
- Increasing tracking.
Some of our visual sensory products include:
- Disco Ball: The Disco Ball swirls soft-colored lights around the room to encourage visual attention and improve visual tracking.
- Fiber Optic Sprays: Fiber Optic Sprays light up and display six colors for a calming visual experience. The spray can change between the color options or show one static color.
- Spinning Light Show: The Spinning Light Show increases visual attention and stimulates the senses through a multicolored light show. Users activate an external capability switch, and the device displays swirling, flickering lights.
- Aura LED Projector: The Aura LED Projector calms and soothes with projected lights and images. You can buy Projector Wheels separately to display animals, balloons, fireworks and other captivating images.
2. Textures
Touch and tactile sensory toys are designed for people with tactile sensitivity or hypersensitivity. They help users:
- Explore various tactile surfaces.
- Regulate tactile processing.
- Increase tactile awareness.
Our tactile sensory products for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sensory processing disorder and visual impairment include:
- Textured Marble Fidget Board: The Textured Marble Fidget Board encourages users to touch and explore the smooth, mirrored texture. The brightly colored marbles move when the user touches them.
- Gel Pad Activity Center: The Gel Pad Activity Center has three gel pad switches. The green switch plays music and blows a fan, the yellow switch plays music while glitter swirls in the dome, and the red switch activates music and a spinning light.
- Fish Play Mat: The Fish Play Mat is a large gel mat with six fish that the user can move around to encourage tactile experiences.
- Cosmic Liquid Tiles: Cosmic Liquid Tiles have bright colors and color patterns that change when the user touches or steps on them. You can get one tile or a set of four to create a mat.
3. Auditory
Auditory sensory toys for people with auditory processing disorders help develop auditory processing skills and improve auditory attention. Popular auditory toys and devices include:
- Boom whackers: Boom whackers are colorful tubes that make a noise when whacked. Children can play with them to develop auditory processing and learn about sound.
- Earplugs: Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs reduce or block out noise to control auditory stress. Individuals who are hypersensitive to sound can wear these earplugs to feel more calm and focused in noisy environments.
- White noise machines: White noise machines make calming sounds to help reduce anxiety and stress from overstimulation. Listen to waterfalls, fans, cricket chirps and other sounds.
- Drums: Our Drum makes a beat when the switch is activated. The rhythm increases auditory development through a fun, musical toy.
4. Taste and Oral Motor
Oral motor toys provide proprioceptive input — knowing where your body is in space — through chewing and sucking. Children and adults can use their jaw muscles and lips to suck and chew, giving them sensory stimulation. Users who need oral motor input can chew on the toy instead of other objects not designed for this purpose. Popular products for this category include:
- Sky High Bubble Blower: Play under a canvas of bubbles with the Sky High Bubble Blower. Seven bubble wands create dozens of bubbles that float into the air. Your child can use their mouth and breath to blow the bubbles around.
- Whistles: Whistles make for fun play while encouraging the use and development of the lips and facial muscles.
- Chewelry: Chewelry is wearable jewelry made from food-grade material that is safe to chew. Children that need oral motor input or stress relief can chew and suck on chewelry instead of potentially unsafe items.
- Electric toothbrush: An electric toothbrush teaches and encourages oral hygiene habits while stimulating the senses of touch, sight and taste.
5. Smell
Aromatherapy sensory toys stimulate the user’s sense of smell, so they can become used to and engage with new smells in their environment. A few olfactory products include:
- Scented chewies: For children who like oral and olfactory stimulation, scented chewies develop both senses.
- Scented dough: Playing with scented dough can stimulate or calm children while developing their sensory-motor skills.
- Scented markers: Scented markers help children connect scents and colors and encourage them to draw and color.
- Scented pencils: Scented pencils help users recognize scents while encouraging writing or drawing. Scents you can find in pencils include bubble gum, black cherry and watermelon.
What Sensory Toys Should I Buy?
With all these sensory toy options available, occupational therapists (OTs), parents and teachers may not know how to decide which product is best. Consider these questions when browsing sensory toys:
- What types of activities does your child need help with? Consider the sensory activities your child likes, avoids or has difficulty with, especially disruptive activities. An example of something to note would be if your child likes quiet environments and covers their ears in noisy areas.
- Are there any time- or environment-related patterns with your child’s sensory needs? After considering the sensory activities that disrupt or stimulate your child, look for patterns within these activities. For example, does your child seek quiet areas in the morning, or do they like having something to fidget with at school? These patterns can help you determine which type of toy is best.
- Which sensory system needs soothing or stimulating? If you’ve noticed any patterns in the activities your child engages in or avoids, select a toy that addresses that sensory need.
- What are your child’s abilities? Every child has different play abilities and preferences for toys, which you can consider when choosing the right option.
Shop Sensory Toys From Enabling Devices Today
Enabling Devices creates sensory toys and other products to help children and adults with functional needs participate more fully in the world around them. Browse our sensory products to see our options for each category and learn more about the best sensory products.
