The back-to-school season often brings a mix of excitement and anxiety for children and parents alike. This transition is particularly challenging for sensory-sensitive children as they navigate new environments, routines, and social dynamics.
In this article, we will explore how sensory play can be a valuable tool to ease the transition and get input from Holly Goritz, MSW, a school counselor specializing in sensory processing that has seen its success in the past with her students!
Understanding Back-to-School Stress
The start of a new school year is an exciting yet also stressful time for any child. Everyday stressors include adapting to new environments, meeting new people, and facing academic pressures. However, for children with sensory sensitivities, these stressors are amplified. The crowded hallways, unfamiliar textures, and loud noises are often overwhelming, leading to heightened anxiety and discomfort.
Holly Goritz, MSW, highlights, "Families often do what works for them, such as flexible seating and mealtime routines that may differ from school settings. The structured nature of schools, with period bells and the need to ask for simple things like going to the restroom, can be jarring for sensory-sensitive children."
She advises parents to consider their child's specific challenges and to prepare them for navigating the school environment, potentially with the support of tools like headphones or fidgets.
What is Sensory Play?
Sensory play involves activities that stimulate a child's senses, aiding their development and helping them explore and understand the world around them. It includes various forms such as tactile (touch), auditory (sound), visual (sight), olfactory (smell), vestibular (balance), and proprioceptive (body awareness) play.
According to Goritz, "School environments, new routines, and increased sensory input can be dysregulating for children. Over time, exposure to sensory play and activities focused on sensory regulation can help children become more comfortable with sensory experiences and better at managing their own stress and anxiety."
The Benefits of Sensory Play for Stress Relief
There are several benefits of sensory play, which include:
- Calming Effects: Sensory play provides soothing sensory inputs to help children relax and reduce anxiety.
- Regulation of Sensory Input: Through sensory play, children learn to manage and regulate their sensory experiences, which can help them feel more in control and less overwhelmed.
- Increased Awareness of Sensory Triggers: Sensory play helps children identify and understand their sensory triggers so they can either avoid them or learn to cope with them.
- Development of Coping Skills: Sensory play encourages the development of skills for self-soothing and managing stress in various situations.
- Enhanced Focus and Attention: Engaging in sensory play helps improve concentration and focus, making it easier for children to transition back to school tasks.
Goritz shares, "As a school counselor, I often work with dysregulated students. Engaging with sensory materials like kinetic sand or water, listening to music, or playing catch helps bring students back to a calm state. This process helps them identify what is affecting them and find ways to cope, which is essential for their ability to function in a learning environment."
Practical Sensory Play Activities for Back-to-School Transition
To help ease the back-to-school transition, parents can incorporate a variety of sensory play activities:
- Tactile Activities: Playdough, kinetic sand, or textured balls provide comforting sensory feedback and allow their mind to focus on something different than their stressors.
- Auditory Activities: Listening to calming music or nature sounds or using white noise machines can soothe auditory sensitivities.
- Visual Activities: Lava lamps, sensory bottles, or light tables can offer calming visual stimuli.
- Olfactory Activities: Scented playdough or essential oil diffusers with calming scents can help ground children and give them positive sensory input.
- Vestibular & Proprioceptive Activities: Activities like swinging, jumping on a trampoline, or yoga can help children manage their balance and body awareness
Goritz emphasizes, "It's important to offer various options and observe what works best for each child. Sensory play is not only about calming; it can also be stimulating and engaging, fostering peer interactions and community building."
Creating a Sensory Play Routine
Children thrive on routine, and sensory play is no different. To enhance its benefits, work it into your schedule:
- Integrate Sensory Play into Daily Routines: Incorporate sensory activities into morning or evening routines to help children prepare for and unwind from the day.
- Prepare for School with Sensory Play: If your schedule allows it, use calming sensory activities before school to reduce anxiety and set a positive tone for the day.
- After-School Sensory Play: Offer activities that help children decompress and relax after the school day. This is especially helpful before activities like homework.
Goritz notes, "Transitioning from school to home can be challenging as children adjust from structured school norms to the more relaxed home environment. Sensory play helps with this adjustment, offering a time for children to engage with open-ended materials and relax."
Tips for Parents
How and when to incorporate sensory play will be different for every child. To ensure the most benefit:
- Observe Your Child's Needs: Pay attention to how your child responds to different sensory activities and the time of the day they are most responsive, and tailor the play experiences accordingly.
- Create a Sensory-Friendly Environment at Home: Set up designated spaces for various types of sensory play, ensuring the environment is safe and accommodating.
- Collaborate with Teachers: Work with your child's teachers to incorporate sensory-friendly practices in the classroom, such as providing access to calming tools or flexible seating options to help them throughout the school day.
Goritz advises, "If sensory play doesn't go as planned the first time, that's okay. Be flexible, manage your expectations, and consider joining as co-explorers. This can model appropriate engagement with sensory materials and provide valuable bonding time."
Create a Positive Back-to-School Experience for Your Child!
Sensory play is a powerful tool for easing the back-to-school transition for sensory-sensitive children. Parents can help their children manage stress and anxiety by incorporating sensory play into daily routines, making the school experience more enjoyable and less overwhelming.
For easy and fun options, check out our sensory kits, which are themed and perfectly curated to meet your child’s needs with minimal effort!