Early Years SEN: Sensory System

Why does sensory processing matter?

At birth, children possess these senses; however, they are unable to organise them into sensations. During early childhood, children learn how to move, communicate, play and manage their emotions. Through learning how to interpret and process this information, they can explore their environment and their place in it. This means that when a child's sensory processing system is working well, children can explore with confidence, join in activities with adults and peers and learn new things effortlessly.

How does this impact children with SEN?

We all have sensory processing differences; some may experience information with more or less intensity. Many people enjoy strong tastes, smells and loud music, and others avoid them. If these differences are not impacting our engagement in the things we want and need to do, then no further support is needed. For children with special educational needs (SEN), many experience these senses with varying intensity, which can affect their attention, engagement, behaviour, and overall participation in activities.

The eight sensory systems

The eight sensory systems help us understand and interact with the world around us. The visual system allows us to see what is around us, while the auditory system helps us hear sounds. The olfactory system enables us to smell, and the gustatory system allows us to taste. The tactile system helps us understand how things feel through touch. The vestibular system supports our ability to interpret movement and maintain balance. The proprioceptive system gives us awareness of where our body is in space, including our body position and proportions. Finally, the interoceptive system helps us interpret internal body functions such as hunger, thirst, toileting needs, emotions, and other internal body signals.

How the sensory system works

Proprioceptive system (Heavy work and body awareness)

This helps children understand where their body is, how much force they need to use, and how to feel calm and organised. This system is often supported by using heavy work and deep pressure.

Why this helps in early years

This will support your child in being more regulated throughout the day, sitting during circle time, using gentle hands, sharing their space with others, and learning to focus during motivating and non-motivating activities.

• Pushing hands against an adult's hands.
• Carrying books, toy boxes or household items such as laundry.
• Completing animal walks (crab, elephant, bear or frog)
• Playing tug of war with a scarf or rope.
• Rolling a big ball or gym ball over the body when lying down, both front and back.
• Hanging from monkey bars.
• Wheelbarrow walking. Can we complete this by rolling a large ball or by having an adult hold the legs whilst walking?
• Jumping and crashing safely into cushions.
• Completing wall push-ups. Make this into a game by sticking items on the wall and asking them to push particular items.
• Completing heavy work activities or providing your child with deep pressure are among the best ways to help them feel calm both before and after trickier activities.

Vestibular System (Balance and movement)

This will help your child to improve their balance, move more confidently and know where their body is in space. This supports your child in running, climbing, sitting still when needed, and joining in with peer play.

• Easy movement activities
• Jumping on a trampoline or on a coloured spot
• Bouncing on a peanut ball
• Climbing on the climbing frame
• Using a swing
• Using a slide
• Simple obstacle course using props such as cushions, tunnels and other household items
• Using tape on the floor to create a line to ‘balance’ on
• Using a scooter board indoors by lying on their belly or sitting and pushing with their hands

If your child becomes tearful or overly excited after this activity, pair it with proprioceptive activities, such as deep pressure or heavy work.

Tactile system (Touch and texture)

This will help your child understand textures, discriminate between hot and cold, and understand pressure when completing activities. Practising tactile activities will support fine motor activities such as handwriting and increase confidence during play. This will help your child become desensitised to textures they may currently find difficult to explore.

Exploring new textures will assist your child with mark-making activities, washing and dressing, exploring new materials and textures in play and during eating and feeling comfortable with these new textures.

Touch activities:

• Using shaving foam, paint or sand to draw.
• Using water play with sponges, cups and bottles.
• Using sensory trays with rice, pastes, beans and or other textures available in the household.
• Using a box to hide toys and asking them to guess the items by touch.
• Using jelly to hide small objects.
• Using playdough to squeeze, roll, pinch, and hide items to discover.
• Supporting your child to brush their hands, arms and legs with a small brush.
• Using a vibrating massager on hands, arms, legs and back. Please ensure this is not battery-powered, as it may pose a choking hazard.

Exploring new foods with similar textures next to familiar foods at mealtimes. Please ensure this is introduced playfully with no demands.

Please ensure these activities are playful and pressure-free, as some children will require more time than others to explore and process new textures. If your child is struggling with introducing new food textures, please consult an occupational therapist for individualised support.

Auditory system (involves listening and processing sounds)

This may help your child to listen and engage in activities, filter out background noise and understand speech. Some children find busy environments overwhelming. This may help your child engage by tuning out certain noises and tuning in to the right ones.

• Use pictures and gestures alongside verbal instructions.
• Provide extra time for your child to process what is being asked of them.
• Prepare your child before entering noisy environments.
• Offer your child ear defenders or calming music when in loud environments, depending on their preference.
• Let your child engage with everyday activities that allow noise, if possible, such as pressing buttons on lifts. This may help them to feel in charge of the noises they struggle with.
• Using instrumental toys such as a xylophone to explore noise in a play-based way

Oral motor input