# data[].attributes.body
National Council of Special Education on sensory spaces in schools & libraries

# data[].attributes.body
Penn State University- sensory rooms as supportive spaces in schools & libraries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Libraries piloting sensory rooms as supportive spaces for neurodiverse students | Penn State University

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The University Libraries, as part of the LibWell initiative, is currently piloting three sensory rooms, located within Penn State Berks' Thun Library, Penn State Brandywine's Vairo Library, and in Pattee Library on the University Park campus, to assist students with sensory impairments and neurodiversity.

# data[].attributes.body
American Libraries Magazine- Examples of new tech/tools used in sensory spaces in libraries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Good Vibrations | American Libraries Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Three library workers share their experience with library sensory space products including chairs, interactive floors, and benches.

# data[].attributes.body
National Autism Resources- Components of sensory rooms & areas to consider when creating sensory spaces

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is a sensory room?
Sensory rooms are now common in schools, hospitals and community centers. These rooms use sensory equipment to create a controlled sensory-focused environment. These environments allow sensory experiences to be individually tailored to meet the specific needs of an individual.

Good sensory rooms are well structured so that the amount and intensity of a sensory experience can be easily controlled and monitored. This is essential when using a sensory room to manage overstimulation and stress or to provide sensory integration therapy to individuals with sensory processing challenges.
What is the purpose of a school sensory room?
These rooms can serve multiple purposes. They can promote self-organization, be a calming area, provide leisure, help with sensory integration, or act as skill training centers. They also provide great inclusion spaces that all students can explore together.
Who do sensory rooms help?
A well designed room can also serve people of all ages, multiple disabilities, as well as facilitators, teachers, parents, caregivers, and therapists.
Why have a sensory room?
Those with multiple disabilities often have sensory impairments. By controlling sensory input in the room it is possible to eliminate distractions and assist people to attend to specific objects that may help them make sense of their external environment.

A sensory room can also provide these additional benefits:
- Modulate the environment so that you can reduce the opportunity for over-stimulation.
- Creates a safe space with tools students can use to self regulate and manage anger, over-stimulation and stress.
- You can create a controlled space to assess the type of environment a student is most comfortable in and the sensory activities a person is most responsive to.
- You can create a comfortable space for students to relax in to help them interact with others.
- Provide a safe crisis and de-escalation area.
What is the research on sensory rooms?
Research on sensory rooms is ongoing. So far studies have shown they are useful for reducing and managing stress and aggression. Therapists have also used the room for "supporting reflective learning during critical incident debriefing" 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 They can also reduce stereotyped/repetitive behaviors in adolescents and adults. 3, 5, 6 Use of the room can also increase attention and focus. 8
How do schools and mental health facilities use sensory rooms?
- Reduce Stress
- Reduce Stereotyped/repetitive Behaviors
- Reduce Aggression (9)
- Increase focus
- Motivate Learning
- Increase interaction
- Assist with sensory integration therapy.
How do you set up a sensory room?
Before designing the room it is important to consider:

1. The individual needs of the clients who will use the room. What are the ages, abilities, and needs of the individuals who will use the room?

2. How many individuals will need to use the room at the same time?

3. How the room will be used. Will the room be a calming area? Will it be used for therapy sessions including occupational therapy, speech, sensory integration therapy, or one on one instruction?

4. Keep in mind the long term use of the room. If all of your equipment is static, students can become bored. A good goal is to create a flexible space that allows you to create different scenes or moods depending on the emotional, cognitive, and physical needs of the students. How will the room be adapted to meet changing needs and keep it interesting?

Common Components of a Sensory Room Why Do Sensory Rooms Have Bubble Tubes?
A common component of many sensory rooms is a bubble tube. It is often placed in a corner with two mirrors installed to give the illusion that there are actually three tubes instead of one. Usually a platform is built around the tube so that students can sit near the tube and touch it.

Bubble tubes are installed in sensory rooms for a variety of reasons:

Sensory stimulation- bubble tubes provide visual sensory stimulation. They often have LED lights that change colors and watching the bubbles float up through a variety of lighting effects provides sensory input. Some bubble tubes also have a vibrating component that allows for a multi-sensory experience.

Calming visual focal point- A common calming activity is to find somewhere to place your attention while you relax and center your mind. Often students will be prompted to focus on their breath, heartbeat, or "visualize" something. Often students have an easier time focusing their attention on an external object. A bubble tube's rhythmic bubble motion provides a concrete, calming visual focal point.

Meet IEP or learning goals- some bubble tubes come with switches that allow students to change colors, turn on and off, or change light patterns. Teachers will use these switches to teach a variety of IEP goals including cause and effect, colors, or other attributes such as on and off.

Do you have to have a bubble tube in a sensory room?
Most assume that if you are going to have a sensory room you must have a bubble tube. This assumption is not true. A bubble tube should be placed in a room based upon the goals of the facility.
What color to paint the room?
Traditional thought is to paint a sensory room white. This allows different visual effects to show up better when they are projected on a wall. A note about an all white room. Some sensory rooms are completely white with white walls and white soft flooring. This can be a challenge for those with visual impairments. It limits the number of visual cues making it difficult to differentiate between the walls, floor, door, and doorframe. Also this can make keeping the room clean difficult!
More Set up Tips

Make sure that you have adequate space between equipment so that students can move freely. Quiet and uncrowded spaces are essential for managing overstimulation and stress. (10)

Before ordering equipment make sure you have budgeted money for installation. Check to make sure the room is set up with adequate electrical outlets. Depending on the equipment you order, you may need to include a contractor and/or electrician in your budget.

When designing the layout of your room pay attention to where the electrical outlets are located. You can save a lot of money by simply placing equipment near an existing outlet.

Smaller areas within a larger sensory room can be created that give students an opportunity to explore objects and people close to them. You can divide up the space using sound sponge dividers or hanging curtains with different materials.

Windows may need to be darkened if light effects are going to be used. You can cover them with dark paper, use blackout curtains, or install blinds.

Think about your floor coverings. Some room designs cover the entire floor with wall to wall mats. However, this creates an unstable surface that can be difficult for some individuals to move independently and may limit wheelchair access.

Carpet: go for plain colors if the floor is highly patterned it will detract from other features in the room and could cause overstimulation. For those prone to sensory overload it is important to provide a blank place to look at.

Any equipment with a heat source should be positioned where there is plenty of ventilation so that the equipment does not overheat.

Staff Training is a Must
Unfortunately, chaotic and unpredictable environments are sometimes created when a room is poorly designed or personnel are not trained how to properly use the room. It is essential that the support personal understand how to use the room itself, not just the equipment inside it.

It is more important how you use the space not what you have in it. One of the most common mistakes is to go into a sensory room and turn on every piece of equipment. This can be very over stimulating for some. If used incorrectly students can exhibit self-injurious or aggressive behavior. Remember the equipment is only as good as the person using it.

National Autism Resources would love to help you set up your next sensory room. Please call us toll free at 877-249-2393 for a free consultation.
References:

1. Brosnan J, Healy O (2011) A review of behavioral interventions for the treatment of aggression in individuals with developmental disabilities. Research in Dev. Disabilities, (2):437-46.

2. Champagne, T & Stromberg, N (2004). Sensory approaches in inpatient psychiatric settings: Innovative alternatives to seclusion and restraint (CE Article). Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 42(9), 35-44.

3. Forsyth AS, Trevarrow R (2008) Sensory strategies in adult mental health: A qualitative exploration of staff perspectives following the introduction of a sensory room on a male adult acute ward. Int J Ment Health Nursing, (6):1689-1697.

4. Novak T, Scanlan J, McCaul D, MacDonald N, Clarke T. (2012) Pilot study of a sensory room in an acute inpatient psychiatric unit. Australas Psychiatry, (5):401-6.

5. Hill, Lindsay; Trusler, Karen; Furniss, Frederick; Lancioni, Giulio (2012) Effects of Multisensory Environments on Stereotyped Behaviours Assessed as Maintained by Automatic Reinforcement. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, v25 n6 p509-521.

6. Novakovic N1, Milovancevic MP2, Dejanovic SD3, Aleksic B4. (2019) Effects of Snoezelen-Multisensory environment on CARS scale in adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder. Res Dev Disabil. Jun;89:51-58.

7. Case-Smith, J. (2009). Relationships among Psychology, Stress, Behavior, and the Environment. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 29, 146-147.

8. Thompson, C. (2011). Multi-Sensory Intervention Observational Research. International Journal of Special Education , 26, 202-214.

9. Price O, Baker J, Bee P, Lovell K. (2018) The support-control continuum: An investigation of staff perspectives on factors influencing the success or failure of de-escalation techniques for the management of violence and aggression in mental health settings. Int J Nurs Stud. Jan;77:197-206.

10. Oostermeijer, S., Brasier, C., Harvey, C., Hamilton, B., Roper, C., Martel, A., ... & Brophy, L. (2021). Design features that reduce the use of seclusion and restraint in mental health facilities: a rapid systematic review. BMJ open, 11(7), e046647.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is a sensory room? Sensory rooms are now common in schools, hospitals and community centers. These rooms use sensory equipment to create a controlled sensory-focused environment. These environments allow sensory experiences to be individually tailored to meet the specific needs of an individual.

# data[].attributes.body
Occupational Therapy Blog- All about sensory spaces

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sensory Rooms in Schools - The OT Toolbox

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sensory rooms in schools series. Explore the benefits, why have one, things to consider, cleaning, supervision, use by teachers/aides

# data[].attributes.body
School Library Connection (via Greenwood Library) Organizing & creating an adaptive library to meet unique student needs

Rausch, S. (2017, February). The adaptive library. School Library Connection. https://schoollibraryconnection-com.proxy.longwood.edu/content/article/2061170

# data[].attributes.body
School Library Connection (via Greenwood Library) Using Technology & space to create an inclusive learning environment

Holzweiss, K. A. (2020, October). Empowering students with an inclusive environment. School Library Connection. https://schoollibraryconnection-com.proxy.longwood.edu/content/article/2252093

# data[].attributes.body
School Library Connection (via Greenwood Library)- Sensory story time & adapting collection

Baucum, H. (2019, February). Different, not less: The world of autism and adapted library practices. School Library Connection. https://schoollibraryconnection-com.proxy.longwood.edu/content/article/2148480

# data[].attributes.body
American Libraries Magazine- inclusive programming space for patrons (public library)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Sensory Wonderland | American Libraries Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Louisville (Ohio) Public Library is one of the first public libraries to offer a free multisensory environment with its innovative Sensory Space, which provides teen sensory relaxation sessions, adult sensory exploration, sensory storytimes, and other activities for patrons on the autism spectrum.

# data[].attributes.body
ALA Programming Library- sensory space & programming. Creating a sensory space in your library

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Believe it or not, the origin story of Ocean County Library's Sensory Space begins with the "Real Housewives of New Jersey." A few years back, Jacqueline Laurita, cast member of the New Jersey franchise of Bravo's hit show, posted a video on social media of her 8-year-old son with autism being asked to leave a library for having a brief meltdown.

"I wish everyone understood #Autism," Laurita captioned the video. "Time to go back and educate them! Time for inclusion." When Sara Siegler, avid "Real Housewives" viewer and assistant director of New Jersey's Ocean County Library, saw the viral video, she asked herself what she would do if something like that ever happened at her library and how she could help prevent it. That's when the idea of a Sensory Space came to mind.

I spoke with Siegler and the team at Ocean County Library who opened their Sensory Space in October 2021. Givane "Gigi" Hayes, assistant branch manager, Wendi Smolowitz, information services librarian & autism resources librarian, and Meredith Silvestri, sensory space assistant, discuss how the space is run and why every library should offer sensory-friendly programs.

Tell me about the community that Ocean County Library serves and the types of programs you offer.

Siegler: Ocean County Library is New Jersey's largest library system. We serve a population of over 630,000 people on the Jersey Shore. Many veterans and seniors live here year-round, and our population increases ten-fold in the summer months during the vacation season.

Hayes: We have a very supportive community that expects high-quality and well-researched programs from us. We offer a little bit of everything: concerts, author visits, movie screenings, story times and teen programs, just to name a few. We also have large-scale events throughout the year, like our own version of Comic Con, gospel festivals and our annual Autism Resources Fair.

Siegler: We host our Autism Resources Fair every April. It's been a wonderful way to connect with local organizations and get people connected to resources that they might have not known about before. Our service area has a higher-than-average population with autism. One in 35 in the state of New Jersey is diagnosed with autism compared to the nationwide average of one in 45.

So, what is a Sensory Room?

Smolowitz: A Sensory Room can be useful for everyone but particularly to those with developmental disabilities, PTSD, and people who have difficulty dealing with sensory issues like harsh, bright lights and loud noises. A Sensory Room is a quiet, chilled-out space with equipment made to help these individuals calm down. Sensory spaces are now becoming popular in airports and many other public facilities.

Silvestri: It's a place to relax, decompress and add some calmness to the day. For example, our room has LED lighting, a musical touch wall, a ceiling covered in flouncy fabric, and a calming waterfall feature with a mirror to promote a relaxing environment. We have beanbags and other soft objects as well.

When did you see the need arise for a Sensory Room at your library?

Smolowitz: For years we have hosted programs such as sensory story times and other similar programs. We felt the need to do more than that. The idea for the Sensory Space took off from our experiences with hosting our annual Autism Resources Fair.

Siegler: After the story of the Housewives incident went viral, I was confident that my staff would not be the type to kick a child out of the library. However, I thought that even though we provide excellent customer service, is that enough? We offer great programs like sensory story time, but all in all, it felt like it wasn't enough, but it did get the ball rolling.

A restaurant opened nearby that has a quiet area for people who might have sensory issues, and a local hospital's emergency room has a calm area. Sensory spaces are meant to take the anxiety out of stressful situations and promote a sense of safety and calm. The fact that other local institutions had areas like this really put the idea in my head that these spaces are important to offer. We want our customers to have a great library experience, so why not also have our own Sensory Room at the library?

How did you get started on the creation of your space?

Hayes: Something we often do at the library is community scans. Branch managers will go into the community, drive around, look at census data and review who is coming to the library and who is not. The first step for us was knowing what kinds of people make up our community and what they want to see from us. This led us to start the Autism Resources Fair, which eventually led to the creation of the Sensory Space.

It's evident that our community has really benefited from the space already. Because our library is in the downtown area, the room has become a calm haven for people who are attending festivals downtown and need a place to decompress. I've had families tell me they would've had to cut their outings short and go home if it wasn't for the space to regroup. Stories like that really show that we are reaching important segments of the community.

Siegler: Once we got the "yes" from the county commissioner to make the space, we decided right away that this Sensory Room was not going to take the place of an occupational therapist's office. We're librarians, right? We're not looking to play the role of an occupational therapist. We had to ask ourselves if we buy the equipment that we need to in order to make this space work, what are we then asking our staff to handle? Are they handling items that a trained professional would use, or are these things that anyone can use? It was important for us to pick items for the space that were appropriate for library staff to provide for a library customer.

You could spend a lot of money on the equipment that an occupational therapist could buy, but that's not the purpose of our library's room - nor should it be. We did have an occupational therapist come out and evaluate our equipment, and she gave us input on how to be safe and provide good experiences for users.

What types of programs are ideal for a Sensory Space?

Silvestri: In general, relaxed and slow-paced programs are great for a Sensory Room. You can host meditation and yoga classes for all ages and abilities or just leave out some coloring pages for a mindful, passive program.

Once a month, our Sensory Space runs programs with our Makerspace to combine sensory projects with Makerspace projects. For example, we've made sensory bracelets and stress-relief balls. A lot of families and groups that regularly come to the room also come to the Makerspace craft programs. It's a great introduction to the Makerspace and other elements of the library's programming.

We also do a sensory-friendly movie series. We don't watch the movie in the Sensory Room, but I bring down bean bags, soft mats and other portable equipment. We had a family tell us that their child had never sat through an entire movie until they came to our sensory movie time!

In the Sensory Space, we also offer sensory processing programs with our youth services librarian that incorporates storytelling with movement and teen programs for our YA librarians to play chill music with activities geared toward teens. We are also exploring the possibility of offering the Sensory Space to our Memory Café program which is held to support people with early-stage memory loss and their care partners.

What advice would you share with libraries that want to create their own Sensory Room but don't have the space and/or budget?

Hayes: If you don't have the immediate availability of space, you can still do sensory programs for this community. Adjust your existing programs to be sensory-friendly, do your research, and reach out to other libraries to get ideas and tips for how they do their sensory programs. We looked at Louisville (Ohio) Public Library's Sensory Space for inspiration.

Siegler: Even putting lights on a dimmer and playing some soothing music is a great program option! Sensory programs can be really cost-effective. We have a little video projector we bought for $35 that is a lot better than a $2,000 one. we passed on buying.

I would also say it's important to have all staff members come into your Sensory Room or get them acquainted with any equipment you might have so everyone on staff can explain to library users what things are and how they work.

Silvestri: Anyone can do sensory programs even without a dedicated room. I see a lot of the families and users of our room every day who offer up their own ideas for programs. Start small and then talk to the people who are coming to your sensory programs and listen to them for guidance.

Any closing thoughts you would like to share?

Hayes: Because of the role that libraries play in communities, when we do programming for the disabled community, autistic community, for anyone experiencing PTSD and other segments, we are normalizing it.

Smolowitz: This really needs to be acknowledged and recognized, not just by libraries but by society in general. When we coordinate programs for the developmentally disabled, we are reaching out to another component of the community, and it is really appreciated.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Place of Comfort and Calm: Creating a Sensory Space Inside the Library

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Believe it or not, the origin story of Ocean County Library's Sensory Space begins with the "Real Housewives of New Jersey." A few years back, Jacqueline Laurita, cast member of the New Jersey franchise of Bravo's hit show, posted a video on social media of her 8-year-old son with autism being asked to leave a library for having a brief meltdown.

# data[].attributes.body
TED talk- social and sensory barriers for play in public spaces (framework for sensory spaces)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Exploring social and sensory barriers that impede play in public spaces | Chad Kennedy | TEDxModesto

# data[].attributes.body
School Library Connection Resources

# data[].attributes.body
Dynamic Spaces-Conference flyer (SLIB 620)

# data[].attributes.body
Dynamic Spaces presentation (SLIB 620)

# data[].attributes.body
Personal Sources to reference

# data[].attributes.body
Edutopia- how to use sensory activities to elevate reading skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Reading lessons can involve more than just our eyes and ears. Here's how you can promote reading skills using all five senses.

Joaquin Corbalan pastor / Alamy Stock Photo

As educators, we know what it is like to work with children who catch on quickly. The light bulb moments happen fairly easily for them, and they will likely progress despite what we do. We teach them their letter sounds and review flash cards a few times, and from then on those students know and apply them as they learn how to put those sounds together and read.

Try Adapting Your Literacy Teaching Methods

What can be done for children who are taught those same letter sounds, have seen those same flash cards countless times, and still can't remember which letter makes which sound? Sometimes those children eventually catch on, but what if they don't? Often, we assume those children aren't as smart as the other children. But what if the issue is that their brains are wired in a particular way, and how they are taught needs to be adjusted instead of just repeating the same methods over and over again in the same way?

Recent research has shown that the brain can adapt and make new connections even into old age. Our brains are ever-changing as we take in new information and new experiences. When we discover that a child doesn't respond to and recall information in the traditional ways, it is important to consider how the brain receives information. The brain is exposed to a stimulus (hearing a phone ring or tasting spaghetti), at which point it analyzes and evaluates the information. Our five senses (sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste) send information to our brain, which is designed to recognize sensations, initiate behaviors, and store memories.

Multisensory Activities Reinforce Strengths and Improve Weaknesses

So, what does knowing how amazing our brains are mean for us as preschool and early elementary teachers? Well, we can consider very practical ways to incorporate multisensory activities into our literacy instruction. Multisensory activities benefit all students and can be implemented daily in our classrooms. However, the key is to use more than one sense at a time in order to cement the concept. A sight-based activity alone isn't enough; pair visual learning activities with another type. When a lesson uses multiple senses at once, it reinforces students' strengths and strengthens their weaknesses.

Sight: Students see stimuli with their eyes. In class, this includes labels on classroom furniture and other items, word walls, anchor charts, or big books. For individual students, it could be flash cards or graphic organizers like Read It, Build It, Write It. With this tool, teachers would dictate or display a word, and students would build the word using letter tiles, and then students would write the word.

Hearing: Students hear stimuli with their ears. This can include hearing letters and letter sounds as you say them, singing rhyming songs, and participating in read-alouds. Shared reading is also a powerful tool for developing literacy. As you read or your students listen to an audiobook, they can interact with the text by underlining sight words or circling the long or short vowels that they hear.

Touch: Students touch stimuli with their hands. This is perhaps the biggest missing piece in our classrooms, but this hands-on approach is crucial for young learners. Students can manipulate letter tiles as they spell words and blend sounds. They can form letters or words with kinetic sand or play-dough, or they can simply trace sandpaper letters with their fingers as they say and hear letter names and sounds.

Air-writing and arm tapping both activate gross motor skills. When air-writing, have your students stand and air-write a word with their dominant arm, moving from their shoulder to promote large muscle movement. When arm-tapping, students tap their arm using their dominant hand from left to right, starting at their shoulder. Saying each sound of the word as they tap reinforces the sounds. Then, have students make a sweeping motion across their arm as they say the whole word, as if underlining it.

The three previously mentioned senses blend seamlessly into the concept of literacy. Smell and taste, however, are much harder to incorporate because they don't return the same response as knowing letters by sight, sound, and touch/writing. In order for students to best learn the intended literacy skill, the following sensory activities are most effective when they are used with at least one other activity from the previous group.

Smell: Students smell stimuli with their noses. For example, students can form their letters in scented shaving cream or use smelly markers when tracing or writing-perhaps making the letter S with a marker that smells like sweet strawberries. Younger children can read a scratch-and-sniff book, or even make their own book using smelly stickers.

Taste: Students taste stimuli with their mouths. This is the most popular type of activity. You can give students their own portion of letter-shaped crackers, cookies, cereal, or pudding to spell words-they can write letters with their fingers or spell words on crackers using Cheez Whiz. And then, of course, they get to eat their creation.

The best part about multisensory activities is that they usually feel like play to children. But because of what we know about how the brain makes connections and stores memories, these strategies are powerful in helping our children learn how to read. Multisensory literacy activities provide necessary intervention for the students who need it, while making learning more fun for all of our students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Multisensory Activities Enhance Reading Skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reading lessons can involve more than just our eyes and ears. Here's how you can promote reading skills using all five senses.

# data[].attributes.body
Blog- how to incorporate the 5 senses into learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Stimulate Learning by Incorporating the 5 Senses - Karen M. Giuffre

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you wondering how to stimulate learning? Incorporating the 5 senses may be just what you need. Read on and learn more.

# data[].attributes.body
School Library Research

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School Librarians as Ambassadors of Inclusive Information Access for Students with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.body
Neuroplasticity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and adapt due to experience. It is an umbrella term referring to the brain's ability to change, reorganize, or grow neural networks. This can involve functional changes due to brain damage or structural changes due to learning.

Plasticity refers to the brain's malleability or ability to change; it does not imply that the brain is plastic. Neuro refers to neurons, the nerve cells that are the building blocks of the brain and nervous system. Thus, neuroplasticity allows nerve cells to change or adjust.

Types of Neuroplasticity

The human brain is composed of approximately 100 billion neurons. Early researchers believed that neurogenesis, or the creation of new neurons, stopped shortly after birth.

Today, it's understood that the brain's neuroplasticity allows it to reorganize pathways, create new connections, and, in some cases, even create new neurons.

There are two main types of neuroplasticity:

Functional plasticity is the brain's ability to move functions from a damaged area of the brain to other undamaged areas.

Structural plasticity is the brain's ability to actually change its physical structure as a result of learning.

How Neuroplasticity Works

The first few years of a child's life are a time of rapid brain growth. At birth, every neuron in the cerebral cortex has an estimated 2,500 synapses, or small gaps between neurons where nerve impulses are relayed. By the age of three, this number has grown to a whopping 15,000 synapses per neuron.

The average adult, however, only has about half that number of synapses. Why? Because as we gain new experiences, some connections are strengthened while others are eliminated. This process is known as synaptic pruning.

Neurons that are used frequently develop stronger connections. Those that are rarely or never used eventually die. By developing new connections and pruning away weak ones, the brain can adapt to the changing environment.

Benefits of Neuroplasticity

There are many benefits of brain neuroplasticity. Allowing your brain to adapt and change helps promote:

The ability to learn new things

The ability to enhance existing cognitive capabilities

Recovery from strokes and traumatic brain injuries

Strengthening areas where function is lost or has declined

Improvements that can boost brain fitness

Characteristics of Neuroplasticity

There are a few defining characteristics of neuroplasticity.

Age and Environment Play a Role

While plasticity occurs throughout the lifetime, certain types of changes are more predominant at specific ages. The brain tends to change a great deal during the early years of life, for example, as the immature brain grows and organizes itself.

Generally, young brains tend to be more sensitive and responsive to experiences than much older brains. But this does not mean that adult brains are not capable of adaptation.

Genetics can have an influence as well. The interaction between the environment and genetics also plays a role in shaping the brain's plasticity.

Neuroplasticity Is an Ongoing Process

Plasticity is ongoing throughout life and involves brain cells other than neurons, including glial and vascular cells. It can occur as a result of learning, experience, and memory formation, or as a result of damage to the brain.

In instances of damage to the brain, such as during a stroke, the areas of the brain associated with certain functions may be injured. Eventually, healthy parts of the brain may take over those functions and the abilities can be restored.

Brain Plasticity Has Limitations

It is important to note, however, that the brain is not infinitely malleable. Certain areas of the brain are largely responsible for certain actions. For example, there are areas of the brain that play critical roles in movement, language, speech, and cognition.

Damage to key areas of the brain can result in deficits in those areas because, while some recovery may be possible, other areas of the brain simply cannot fully take over those functions that were affected by the damage.

How to Improve Neuroplasticity

There are steps you can take to help encourage your brain to adapt and change, at any age.

Enrich Your Environment

Learning environments that offer plenty of opportunities for focused attention, novelty, and challenge have been shown to stimulate positive changes in the brain. This is particularly important during childhood and adolescence, but enriching your environment can continue to provide brain rewards well into adulthood.

Stimulating your brain might mean:

Learning a new language

Learning how to play an instrument

Traveling and exploring new places

Creating art and other creative pursuits

Get Plenty of Rest

Research has shown that sleep plays an important role in dendritic growth in the brain. Dendrites are the growths at the end of neurons that help transmit information from one neuron to the next. By strengthening these connections, you may be able to encourage greater brain plasticity.

Sleep has been shown to have important effects on both physical and mental health. Some researchers suggest that this is partly due to genetics and partly due to the makeup of the grey matter in the brain.

You can improve your sleep by practicing good sleep hygiene. This includes developing a consistent sleep schedule and creating an environment that contributes to good sleep.

Exercise Regularly

Regular physical activity has a number of brain benefits. Some research indicates that exercise might help prevent neuron loss in key areas of the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory and other functions. Other studies suggest that exercise plays a role in new neuron formation in this same region.

A 2021 study adds that physical exercise also appears to boost brain plasticity through its impact on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, a protein that impacts nerve growth), functional connectivity, and the basal ganglia-the part of the brain responsible for motor control and learning.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercises (such as walking, dancing, swimming, or cycling) per week and a minimum of two days of strength training exercises (lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises).

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness entails completely immersing your mind in the present moment, without ruminating over the past or contemplating the future. Awareness of the sights, sounds, and sensations around you is key. Many studies have shown that cultivating and practicing mindfulness can foster the brain's neuroplasticity.

Games aren't just for kids: Studies show that playing board, card, video, and other games can improve your brain's neuroplasticity.

Problems With Brain Plasticity

Brain changes are often seen as improvements, but this is not always the case. In some instances, the brain's structure and function can be negatively influenced or changed.

For example, brain plasticity can be problematic when it allows detrimental changes caused by substance use, disease, or trauma (including brain injury or traumatic experiences that result in post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD). Even lead poisoning can negatively impact brain plasticity.

There are also some medical conditions that can limit or hinder brain plasticity. Among them are a variety of pediatric neurological disorders such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, tuberous sclerosis, and Fragile X syndrome.

How Neuroplasticity Was Discovered

Beliefs and theories about how the brain works have evolved substantially through the years. Early researchers believed that the brain was "fixed," while modern advances have shown that the brain is more flexible.

Early Theories

Up until the 1960s, researchers believed that changes in the brain could only take place during infancy and childhood. By early adulthood, it was believed that the brain's physical structure was mostly permanent.

In his 2007 book, "The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph From the Frontiers of Brain Science," which took a historical look at early theories, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge suggested that this belief that the brain was incapable of change primarily stemmed from three major sources:

An ancient belief that the brain was much like an extraordinary machine, capable of astonishing things yet incapable of growth and change

The inability to actually observe the microscopic activities of the brain

The observation that people who had suffered serious brain damage were often unable to recover

Early on, psychologist William James suggested that the brain was perhaps not as unchanging as previously believed. Way back in 1890, in his book "The Principles of Psychology," he wrote, "Organic matter, especially nervous tissue, seems endowed with a very extraordinary degree of plasticity." However, this idea went largely ignored for many years.

Modern Theories

In the 1920s, researcher Karl Lashley found evidence of changes in neural pathways of rhesus monkeys. By the 1960s, researchers began to explore cases in which older adults who had suffered massive strokes were able to regain functioning, demonstrating that the brain was more malleable than previously believed. Modern researchers have also found evidence that the brain is able to rewire itself following damage.

Thanks to advances in technology, researchers are able to get a never-before-possible look at the brain's inner workings. As the study of modern neuroscience flourishes, research has demonstrated that people are not limited to the mental abilities they are born with and that damaged brains are often quite capable of remarkable change.

A Word From Verywell

The brain has an amazing ability to change throughout the course of our life, allowing us to learn new things or recover after sustaining a brain-based injury. Still, there are limits to how much the brain can adapt.

Constantly challenging ourselves, making sleep a priority, and getting regular exercise can also help improve brain plasticity. Avoiding certain substances is beneficial as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is neuroplasticity important?

Without neuroplasticity, it would be difficult to learn or otherwise improve brain function. Neuroplasticity also aids in recovery from brain-based injuries and illnesses.

What is an example of neuroplasticity?

Research has found that children with blindness have increased connectivity and reorganized neurocircuits when compared with children without this condition. This suggests that the brain adapts to the inability to see by changing its structure and function, providing children with blindness a greater ability to use the information received from the other senses (such as hearing and touch).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Brain Neurons Change Over Time From Life Experience

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is the brain's ability to change as a result of experience. Learn how it works and how the brain can change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Frontiers | Dynamic Brains and the Changing Rules of Neuroplasticity: Implications for Learning and Recovery

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A growing number of research publications have illustrated the remarkable ability of the brain to reorganize itself in response to various sensory experience…

# data[].attributes.body
School Libraries Worldwide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Expanding the Educational Network for Students with Autism Partnering with School Librarians

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Trauma-Informed Practices

A variety of exercises that promote self-regulation can function as elements of a safe and supportive learning environment.

During craft time, an alarming hush overtook the second-grade classroom. A student, usually cheerful and self-assured, sat under a desk, head lurching side to side, emanating distress that unnerved the class. No amount of empathy or encouragement from the teacher elicited a response from the child. After the class was sent outside for recess, the trauma-informed school psychologist collected the student and walked the child to the counseling office.

To the teacher's surprise, the student returned to the classroom smiling and animated after only 80 minutes with the counselor.

"The transformation is unbelievable," the teacher said. "How in the world did you do that?"

"We walked around the playground, then drew sailboats," the psychologist said. " Talking helps with trauma. Getting a child to do something physical also helps."

Trauma and Common Classroom Interventions

Sustained toxic stress-ongoing and repeated exposure to situations that overwhelm a child's ability to cope-can cause a child to stay on high alert indefinitely. The nervous system becomes dysregulated, excessive cortisol is produced, and the hippocampus shrinks. As a consequence, memory and concentration problems severely degrade academic performance and negatively impact peer-to-peer and peer-to-teacher relationships.

Whether or not the educator has observed survivor behaviors associated with trauma (such as overwhelming fear and social withdrawal), teachers can support traumatized students by taking the following steps:

Communicate care (Example: Celebrate student successes, big and small, and listen to children to get to know them.)

Provide a predictable, respectful, and safe classroom environment (Example: Communicate expectations for how students should treat each other, and model how to build relationships.)

Be transparent and build trustworthiness: Be open about your own teaching practices, goals, and beliefs, and follow through on these priorities.

Expand on students' competence and empowerment (Example: Encourage students to make choices about what and how they will learn, and relate new learning to students' strengths and experiences.)

Connect students to classmates and counseling resources (Example: Invite the school counselor to model to your class how to build peer-to-peer relationships.)

Help students make sound choices (Example: Provide students with options for what they read, and let them choose based on interest.)

Foster cultural connections (Example: Invite diverse leaders in the community to discuss their cultures, or explore curricula to authentically include culture within instruction.)

Teach self-calming techniques (Example: Show students how to engage in progressive muscle relaxation.)

Incorporate laughter and joy into the school day (Example: Children can perform skits based on content they've learned.)

Beyond those recognized approaches, teachers can safely and confidently incorporate stress-reducing physical activities into the school day, even without formal training in trauma-informed practices.

Physical Activities and Classroom Motor Tasks Help Lower Stress

Unsurprisingly, the effectiveness of using exercise to complement clinical approaches for alleviating trauma symptoms is well documented. Physical exercise produces endorphins, reduces the fight-or-flight response, and improves physical confidence, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Teachers can offer students the following specific physical practices that lower the stress hormone cortisol:

Intentional movement activities that students enjoy, such as painting or working with clay

Low-intensity walks, ideally performed in nature

Belly breathing

Yoga and stretching (see "5 Poses to Calm Overwhelmed Kids" from Class Yoga Kids by Helen Clare)

These activities and other exercise breaks benefit every student, not just those surviving trauma. After your class participates in these activities, you may see their energy mellow in just a few minutes.

According to a 2019 study of 71 elementary school students, increasing motor skills also improves children's chronic stress response. The researchers theorize that reducing the mental load of coordination frees up cognitive resources to negotiate complex emotions. Also, focusing on a concrete physical task can afford students a much-needed distraction. The following classroom activities involve motor skills and help students regulate their emotions:

Pouring juice into cups during snack time

Sponging off desks or cleaning whiteboards

Using flash cards or playing card games

Coloring

Opening containers and distributing items

Playing rhythm and rhyme games

Participating in a nondominant-hand drawing challenge (for fourth grade and up)

Some physical education routines can be modified for use in the classroom, such as pinpoint, magic cauldron, on the edge, and cooperative (wadded paper ball) tennis. Dan Batty describes all four games in his short video.
Classroom strength activities
Do Strength Activities Lower Stress?
Playground or gym strength activities
Strength exercises (not the same as powerlifting) have a positive impact on physical and psychological manifestations of trauma. For kids as young as age 7 or 8, light resistance, body-weight exercises, and controlled movements work best, but don't overtax the same muscle groups for more than one day in a row. Here are some strength exercises to try:

Passing out heavy textbooks

Squats or wall sits

Heel-raise sticker game

Tennis ball squeezing

Rearranging desks and/or chairs

Squats

Climbing on playground equipment

Rope climbing

Superman exercise

Parachute cooperative play

Tug of war

Total body resistance exercise (TRX)

Jane Clapp, a trauma-recovery coach specializing in movement, recommends balancing exercises such as standing on one leg or crawling because they trigger the nervous system's "righting reflex" to foster better self-regulation. However, discourage children from building human pyramids as many schools have banned them for causing serious injuries.

Implement These Practices Under Advisement

When combined with general trauma-informed interventions and trauma-sensitive practices, integration of movement into the school day supports emotional regulation and reduces students' stress, especially when these activities incorporate play. Always consult with your school counselor, administration, and parents when applying practices and routines that could affect traumatized students. Some children experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder or other traumas may be exercise avoidant, so start slowly with gentle movements.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using Movement to Help Reduce Students' Trauma Responses

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A variety of exercises that promote self-regulation can function as elements of a safe and supportive learning environment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Trauma-Informed Practices

Students can develop the core competencies of social and emotional learning with the support of strong relationships with teachers.

How do we best support all students in developing the social skills needed for life in our schools and classrooms, especially if our students have experienced trauma? Social and emotional learning (SEL) and trauma-informed educational practices are commonly on top of the list of solutions. Although these two educational practices are directly aligned, examining the synergistic intertwining of how both fit together to produce improved outcomes for students' health, well-being, social interactions, and academic success is crucial.

Aligning SEL With Trauma-Informed Practices

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines SEL as "the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions," which translates into five core competencies or outcomes that support students' needs:

3. Responsible decision-making

Alex Shevrin Venet defines trauma in Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education as "an individual and collective response to life-threatening events, harmful conditions, or prolonged stressful environments." The large body of research also clarifies that trauma is not the event(s) itself but the impact physiologically, neurologically, psychologically, and emotionally. Shevrin Venet goes on to define trauma-informed education " as practices that respond to the impact of trauma on the entire school community and prevent future trauma from occurring."

There is a delicate but necessary symbiosis between SEL and trauma-informed education. It is essential to align the two by looking at trauma-informed education as a lens that adults can utilize to provide appropriate supports and interventions to build students' capacity to acquire the five core competencies of SEL. Trauma-informed education is genuinely about the educators/adults in schools thoroughly understanding the impact that stress and trauma play on students' physiological, psychological, neurological, and emotional responses.

Embracing the Paradigm Shift From Punishment to Support

This understanding leads to developing practice, policy, and procedures built to teach and support everyone and prevent or mitigate the perpetuation of traumatization inside and outside schools. This movement is a paradigm shift from the behavioristic idea that has been in education for centuries, which prioritizes punishment to extinguish undesired behavior.

For example, I have heard educators many times in my career say, "All I asked them to do is get their pencil out and get ready to work. The next thing I knew, the child was throwing objects and running out of the room." Without an appropriate trauma-informed lens, this response could appear on the surface as a choice to avoid work or defiance. However, suppose we understand the impact of when the nervous system's stress response is overstimulated. In that case, we can then truly support the student in building their capacity in the five core SEL competencies by providing support, not punishment, when we see students showing signs of dysregulation.

It's important to get to the cause and not simply focus on the symptoms. A great example of this process is Dr. Ross Green's Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS). The CPS model is a departure from using punishment to extinguish behaviors and moves into the idea of working with students collaboratively to build their skill set (five core SEL competencies) and self-awareness of their nervous system's stress responses. It takes strong adult-student relationships along with collaboration and support so that students can become problem solvers and skill builders.

Involving the Whole School Community

Schools across the globe are utilizing unique strategies to marry both SEL and trauma-informed education. Fall-Hamilton Elementary uses many trauma-informed approaches to build SEL competencies. For example, BeWell in School helps to proactively build students', faculty, staff, and parents' agency to decrease their nervous system's stress response symptoms. It teaches ways to mindfully understand the signs that our brains and bodies produce when we feel overwhelmed or stressed by utilizing the power of breath and movement to self-regulate.

Relational connection-Ensure that every student is known, seen, and valued through the strategy focused on building a connection with adults and the school community.

Predictability-The brain likes and settles down with predictability. It's important for students to know the routines and expectations of the school and classroom.

Empowerment-Education is not something we do to kids; we do it with kids. All kids possess genius, and it is our job as educators to help students identify their geniuses and build their capacity to discover their passions.

As you might have noticed, the supports included everyone, all stakeholders. Again, for students to build their capacity in SEL, it's important to utilize a trauma-informed lens to ensure that their stress responses are manageable.

As schools journey into SEL and trauma-informed work, there are many overlapping neurodevelopment-aligned practices that can be used to support students' collective and individual social and emotional growth. Here are a few to consider implementing in your own school:

As educators continue to explore how SEL and trauma-informed education exist synergistically, it's important that relationships be the cohesive basis to align all practices. The Science of Learning and Development is very clear that safe, stable, positive, nurturing relationships serve as the primary driver for effective student support. As the paradigm shifts in education to move from compliance to connection, schools must dig deeper into how stress and trauma impact students and use the power of relationships to ensure that students have the appropriate supports and interventions to build their capacity in the five core competencies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Harnessing the Synergy Between Trauma-Informed Teaching and SEL

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students can develop the core competencies of social and emotional learning with the support of strong relationships with teachers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Trauma-Informed Practices

While teachers don't need to know the details of preschoolers' adverse experiences, offering appropriate care and support is crucial.

Early on in my social work career, I read the book Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence, by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley. Through case histories and research, the authors explain why some children commit violent crimes-connecting the dots between their subjects' earliest life experiences and what is known of them in the present. The knowledge I gained from this book became the foundation for a guiding principle in my work: that early life experiences matter.

Educators don't always have the benefit of knowing what our students' earliest experiences were like. Children don't necessarily develop explicit memories until toddlerhood, so our young learners don't have the ability to tell us what they've been through. I've learned over time, however, that we (educators and other support staff) don't need the details of what a child's infancy and toddlerhood were like if we're being faithful to the concept of trauma-informed care in our classrooms. This includes developing an awareness of the impact of preverbal trauma and how it may present in the classroom while understanding that a young student may have some ghosts of their own.

Understanding Preverbal Trauma

Preverbal trauma occurs when children experience abuse, neglect, or other adverse childhood events during early childhood, prior to developing speech/language skills and explicit memory. Our youngest children are particularly at risk for experiencing preverbal trauma because they are completely dependent on caregivers for survival.

According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, it's estimated that over half of all children aged 2-5 have experienced a severe stressor in their lifetime, including physical abuse, exposure to parental substance use and mental health issues, domestic violence, community violence, disrupted attachment, and neglect.

The Body Remembers What the Brain Might Not

It can be difficult to acknowledge that bad things can happen to young children. My colleagues and the families I work with look to me for reassurances that children have forgotten their negative experiences or hope that their young age acts as a protective shield. The hard truth, however, is that age isn't a protective factor. Bessel van der Kolk, MD, discusses this truth in his book The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.

What Van der Kolk, an expert in the field of trauma and post-traumatic stress, means by the phrase "The body keeps the score" is that the body always remembers what the brain might not. Our bodies hold on to the imprint of trauma, fear, and the other physiological sensations we experience in those moments; they are stored within our muscles. Because bodily memories are created from the emotional and physiological sensations experienced during traumatic events, young children, despite not having developed the ability to visually recall what happened to them or the words to associate with the traumatic event, may experience the fight, flight, or freeze response when triggered and have no idea why.

This can be confusing and frustrating for everyone involved because it's not always obvious what triggered a child in the first place. Many children have experienced chronic trauma, neglect, or toxic stress, even at a very young age. Because of this, their body's alarm system is constantly in work mode, dumping cortisol and adrenaline into their nervous systems even when they're safe. Their fight, flight, or freeze response has been turned on too much with no opportunity to turn it off and move the stress hormones out of their bodies.

To make this easier for others to understand, I compare this process to the smoke detector above my oven that is so sensitive it wails at the slightest wisp of smoke, letting the neighborhood know I've burnt dinner again. There is no real risk, and yet it thinks the house is going to burn to the ground. This is how many of my students come to school each day-ready to fight, wanting to flee, desperately needing all of us adults to understand something they don't understand themselves.

Apply Trauma-Informed Support Strategies

Many of my students are described as defiant, a behavior problem, or worse. I understand why, because when a chair is thrown across the room or they are hitting or yelling or running out of the classroom, it's easy to forget that they're young children who aren't able to "use their words." When it comes to trauma that's experienced preverbally, words are meaningless.

Young children just don't have the words to describe abuse and neglect or what they're experiencing within their body when triggered. Understanding and remembering this during charged moments in the classroom can be effective in de-escalating students who are in fight or flight mode and help classroom teachers and staff respond rather than react to certain behavior.

1. Implement a consistent and predictable routine, incorporating movement such as animal walks or yoga.

2. Have "heavy work" stations in the room to provide proprioceptive input and help encourage calmness through physical activity.

3. Offer activities that provide a sense of rhythm and attunement (mirroring games, rolling a ball back and forth, calming songs that rhyme).

4. Provide a quiet, soothing space for students to go to in the classroom.

Responding thoughtfully instead of reacting from a place of heightened emotion is never easy. It can also be difficult to have empathy in charged moments, especially when you or another child is on the receiving end of a child's aggression and your own fight, flight, or freeze response is set off. Recognizing when this happens and using coping skills such as deep breathing, counting to 10 before responding, muscle relaxation (making a tight fist, then releasing), or even asking for support from a co-teacher or other staff are small but powerful ways to co-regulate rather than co-escalate.

Being able to co-regulate in different ways with young children will help turn off their body's alarm system. Here are examples of some effective strategies that educators and support staff can implement to help children become regulated:

Early childhood educators and support staff are in a unique position to start building up a child's resilience by cocreating safe, supportive relationships with their young students. Knowing that their teacher is an adult who cares about them, can handle and tolerate their big feelings, and will welcome them back with open arms after difficult moments creates an important sense of safety for young children. This is a gift that will eventually lead to young children understanding that they can control their ghosts, and not the other way around.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching Young Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Trauma-Informed Practices While teachers don't need to know the details of preschoolers' adverse experiences, offering appropriate care and support is crucial. Early on in my social work career, I read the book Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence , by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An administrator shares ideas for giving students a place of their own within the school to use when they need an emotional break.

# data[].attributes.body
School Libraries Worldwide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School Library Design, Facilities and Resources

# data[].attributes.body
School Libraries Worldwide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Librarians Enact Innovative Activities

# data[].attributes.body
School library research

# data[].attributes.body
School Library Research- HAVE NOT PRINTED

# data[].attributes.body
The use of multi-sensory environments with autistic children-ERIC

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Daring Spaces- creating multi sensory learning environments

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sensorial Contemporary Arts  Mindfulness and Play for Children s Post‐Pandemic

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Beyond critical pedagogy of place  sensory-embodied learning through the university campus

# data[].attributes.body
Educators perspective on the role of early childhood education and care environment.

ERIC

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Contact Improvisations as a force for expressive reciprocity with young children who don't speak

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC-Taxonomies & Vocab for learning space

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC-KQ

# data[].attributes.body
ERIC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Role of Movement and Sensorial Stimuli for therapy

# data[].attributes.body
ProQuest Dissertation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Exploring the Usefulness of a Multi Sensory Environment on Sensory Behaviors

# data[].attributes.body
The Mental Health of Minority and Marginalized Young People: An Opportunity for Action

# data[].attributes.body
PROQUESt not a dissertation

# data[].attributes.body
Dissertation- Experience of Classroom Teachers/Autism

# data[].attributes.body
Dissertation-Perception of school librarians,

# data[].attributes.body
dissertation

self regulation in classrooms

# data[].attributes.body
Dissertation-self regulation & math & pandemic

# data[].attributes.body
social emotional learning dissertation self regulation

# data[].attributes.body
Dissertation-GEn Z & wellness & pandemic

# data[].attributes.body
Dissertation The Influence of Multisensory Environments on College Students’ Perceived Anxiety and Stress

# data[].attributes.body
FOR SAMANTHA- dissertation self-efficacy school librarians

# data[].attributes.body
Confident but Lacking Support: School Librarians and Students with Autism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unlocking Potential: Innovative Library Programs Enhancing the Lives of Autistic Individuals - Library Science Degrees Online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Autism is a neurological disorder that affects social developmental growth. Autism causes behavioral challenges, communication handicaps, and other learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodivergent condition that affects communication, behavior, and learning. Psychologists use the term spectrum disorder because symptoms and support needs vary depending on the child. Although clinically defined as a disorder, having autism does not mean something is wrong or "needs to be fixed" with a child; it means their brain is wired in a different way from what is considered more common or neurotypical.

A few common signs of autism include:

Difficulties reading and reciprocating neurotypical social cues

Intense, repetitive behaviors and interests

Sensitivity to visual, auditory, and/or other sensory stimuli

Autistic individuals make up about 2% of the population, a figure that has risen in recent years as clinicians have gotten better at recognizing symptoms and have integrated conditions that used to be considered distinct like Asperger's syndrome and PDD-NOS into one diagnosis spectrum. This means that about 1 in 36 of the children you teach will be diagnosed with autism.

Want to better support students with autism at your school? Read on to find 24 tips and lesson ideas for supporting children with autism.

Social Skills Activities for Elementary Students with Autism

Students with autism often have trouble interpreting and mirroring neurotypical social cues; the same is true of non-autistic students for interpreting and responding to autistic social cues. While both autistic and non-autistic students often feel empathy for each other, they don't always know how to communicate in a way their peers with a different neurotype understand. This is known by psychologists as the double empathy problem.

The activities below can help autistic and non-autistic students gain social skills that help them empathize with their peers and recognize emotional cues in themselves.

Remember that not all children may be comfortable speaking or sharing in groups. Follow the child's lead to see where their comfort level is.

1. Emotion Cards

These printable cards (available in Spanish here) can help your students learn how to recognize different emotions in themselves and others. Cut out each one with scissors and shuffle them in a deck. Then, go through each card and see if your student can recognize the emotion without looking at the word.

If they get stuck, that's okay-just show them the word and give them context for the emotion shown. If the card is "embarrassed," for example, you could say, "When a person is embarrassed, they might feel like they have done something silly by accident."

You can also use these behavior cards (available in English and Spanish) to help children pair emotions with actions.

2. Sharing Time

Sharing time is a classic elementary school staple, and it can also be a great social activity for kids with autism, who often have passionate interests in specific subjects. Every week, have one student bring in something that they'd like to share with the class.

Remember to lead by example. To get started, show the class something you are interested in.

This activity will not only show students how to discuss their interests with others but also how to practice active listening. And if they're fascinated by something another student brings in (or vice versa), they may even make a friend.

3. What Would You Do?

For a take-home empathy activity you can share with families, try this What Would You Do? game. Families can go through different scenarios together and decide how they would react with questions like "How would you help?" or "What would you say?"

4. Name Game

This fun group communication activity teaches students an essential skill: how to introduce themselves and learn someone else's name. To play this game, gather your students in a circle so they can all see each other. Start by pointing at yourself and saying your name ("I am Mr. or Ms. _____."). Then, ask the child on your right to share their name just like you did and then repeat your name while pointing at you. Have each child take turns saying their name, then pointing at another child in the class and repeating their name.

The Name Game is an especially fun social skills activity for children to do at the beginning of the school year. That way, they'll be able to learn their classmates' names and get a head start on making new friends.

5. "How Would It Feel to Be ____?"

Next time you read a book to your class, try asking your students how it would feel to be the main character in the story. If you're reading a picture book about Cinderella, for example, you could ask how they would feel if they had two stepsisters who were mean to them. Or if you're reading Peter Pan as a class, you could ask them what happy memories they would think about to fly with magic pixie dust.

This can help students practice empathy and see situations in their life from another perspective-a useful skill for communicating with people of a different neurotype. It can also teach them how to recognize emotional cues by encouraging them to put themselves in the perspective of another person.

Sensory Activities for Children with Autism

Children with autism are often over- or under-sensitive to sights, sounds, and other sensory stimuli. Specific sensitivities and accommodation needs vary depending on the individual. Keep these resources in mind as you get to know the students with autism in your class to help support their sensory needs.

6. Fidget Toys

Fidget toys are a well-known sensory tool for helping children with autism stay emotionally regulated and focused. Depending on your available resources, you can either stock your classroom with a few fidget toys or make some of your own.

We Are Teachers has compiled a list of fidget toys you can make on a budget with your students. From classics like fidget spinners to repurposed pipe cleaners or popsicle sticks, you're sure to find something useful for your classroom.

7. Sensory Sound Resources

When the phrase "sensory play" comes up, visual or tactile activities usually come to mind first. Autism Adventures, however, suggests including activities and resources that involve sound or aid in noise reduction-with a few examples to help you brainstorm class activities or accommodations:

Musical chairs

White noise machine

Simon Says

Noise-canceling headphones

Rhythm instruments like shakers, rain sticks, or drums

8. Sensory Bin

Sensory bins can be useful for two reasons. First, they encourage independent play, which can have academic benefits for students. And second, they're a straightforward and accessible sensory experience for students with autism.

Little Bins for Little Hands has put together a few useful tips for making your own sensory bin. Use them as a guide to set up a sensory bin that will best accommodate your students' needs.

9. Sorting with Snacks Activity

This tactile activity for children with autism can be a fun way to engage students during math time. Give everyone in your class food that is easy to sort, like chewy snacks or small crackers. Multicolored snacks are ideal, but you can also use food that comes in different shapes, textures, or sizes.

First, ask them to sort the food by color, shape, or another characteristic. Then, use the snacks to teach students basic math skills like counting, addition, or subtraction. Once they've grasped the concept you want to teach, reward your students by letting them eat the snack.

10. Scientific Slime Experiments

Slime is not only a popular craft for young children but also a great sensory activity for autism in class. There are plenty of simple slime recipes online. Look up your favorite and have fun making it with your students. You can use this as a tactile art activity if you'd like or as a STEM activity for elementary students.

Calming Activities to Help Students with Autism Regulate Emotions

Many people with autism experience difficulty with self-regulation, especially as children. This can lead to moments of emotional or sensory overwhelm known as meltdowns or moments of withdrawal known as shutdowns.

If your student with autism is experiencing distress, these activities can aid them with self-regulation.

11. Coloring

According to a partner article by The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children published by We Are Teachers, coloring pages can be a great mind-body exercise for calming down and focusing on the here and now.

Keep a few coloring pages on hand, and suggest them as a calm-down activity when your students are overwhelmed. For a few free coloring pages to get you started, check out these printable Waterford resources:

12. Calm-Down Cards

If your student with autism struggles with emotional regulation after experiencing strong feelings, calm-down cards can be a helpful resource. A mother of a child with autism created a how-to on creating your own calm-down cards at And Next Comes L.

Each card has a helpful idea for calming down after a stressful moment. Plus, the author notes they can also be useful for children with anxiety.

13. Mindfulness Exercises

Mindfulness is a technique that encourages children to keep their mind in the present and deal with uncomfortable emotions. If your student is struggling to calm down, try mindfulness activities like breathing exercises to help them self-regulate.

14. Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques are designed to help us focus on the present during stressful situations. Here are a few grounding activities for kids with autism to try if they are overwhelmed:

Count to ten or recite the alphabet as slowly as you can

Listen to calming music and pay attention to the different instruments

List five different things that you can see around the room

Try stretching or simple yoga exercises and focus on how your body feels

Hold something tactile like a piece of clay or a stuffed animal

15. Student Retreat Zone

When a student with autism is overwhelmed, giving them a place where they can relax and take a break from sensory stimulation can sometimes go a long way. Designate a corner of your class as the "Student Retreat Zone" and fill it with sensory toys, picture books, comfortable seats, and calming activities that students could do on their own.

Let every student in your class know that if they feel anxious or stressed, they can always take a few minutes to decompress in the Student Retreat Zone. That way, you don't have to single out your student with autism but you can still let them know that it's an option. If your student with autism seems like they could use some time away from class, you could also ask them if they'd like to read or work on homework in the library for a while.

16. Calm Down Kit

Tactile toys can help children with autism calm down if they're overwhelmed. Fill a drawer in your classroom with toys that could help them self-regulate. When your student seems stressed or has trouble focusing, ask them if they would like to pick a toy from the calm down drawer.

Here are a few ideas for sensory toys to put in your calm down kit:

Play dough

Fidget toys

Stress balls

Weighted blankets

Aromatherapy pillows

Effective Teaching Strategies for Children with Autism

You may have heard the phrase, "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism." Every child is different, and the teaching strategies you use will need to take their support needs into consideration. That being said, these strategies can help you be mindful of common accommodations and resources that can help students with autism feel comfortable in class. Many can also be helpful to engage children without autism in your lessons.

18. Bring Special Interests into Lesson Plans

Many children with autism have an intense passion for certain topics or activities. This is often called a special interest. Take advantage of what they're passionate about and use it while teaching students with autism to help them focus in class. If a child with autism loves outer space, for example, you could plan a math assignment about counting the planets in our solar system.

19. Use Visual Learning Aids

Many, though not all, kids with autism are visual thinkers. Renowned scientist and autism advocate Dr. Temple Grandin once said, "I used to think adults spoke a different language. I think in pictures. Words are like a second language to me."

Lessons that include visual aids can help students with autism who have this learning style grasp concepts more naturally. You could, for example, teach children with autism sight words with magnet letters.

20. Create and Share a Daily Classroom Routine

Routines make children with autism feel safe and help them prepare for transitions between activities. Post your daily class schedule in your room for every student to see and, if possible, provide extra transition time to students with autism.

21. Hold a Professional Development Session on Autism for Educators

It's important to teach faculty about supporting students with autism. If you're a school administrator, hold a professional development session on teaching students with autism led by a specialist. Teachers, consider requesting a professional development opportunity so administrators know there is interest in your district.

Activities for Autism Acceptance Month in April

April is Autism Acceptance Month! Use these activities to make sure your curriculum includes autistic representation year-round and to get ideas for observing this awareness month in elementary schools.

22. Autism Bulletin Board

The puzzle piece is a popular autism awareness symbol, but many neurodiversity advocates feel that it spreads the idea that autistic people are missing something or incomplete compared to neurotypical people. Instead, the infinity symbol is used to represent the diversity in experiences of neurodivergent people.

Decorate your classroom bulletin board with a colorful infinity symbol to spark conversation on neurodivergence and help students with autism and their families feel welcome and accepted.

23. Teach Students About Famous and Historical Autistic Figures

Educate students on autistic people in history and the present day to give students with autism curriculum that mirrors their experiences and offer neurotypical students a window into experiences that are different from their own. This is important to do not just in April but throughout the year.

Here are a few well-known autistic people or historical figures believed by psychologists to have autism to get you started:

Greta Thunberg - Climate change activist

Temple Grandin - Animal behaviorist, author, and autism advocate

Thomas "Blind Tom" Wiggins - Nineteenth-century piano prodigy and composer

Sir Isaac Newton - Mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, and author

Hans Christian Andersen - Fairy tale author, artist, and storyteller

24. Read a Picture Book About Characters with Autism

Reading picture books about characters with autism is another way to help autistic students feel seen and give neurotypical students a window into different experiences. Keep these picture books about characters with autism in mind for read alouds or to include in your classroom library:

The Girl Who Thought In Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca

My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete

Different Like Me: My Book of Autism Heroes by Jennifer Elder

This Beach is Loud! by Samantha Cotterill

Trampoline Boy by Nan Forler

Waterford Reading Academy: A Certified Autism Resource

Waterford's early reading curriculum is a Certified Autism Resource (CAR), given by The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. It meets PreK-2 learners where they are and provides scaffolding to help learners gain proficiency in key literacy skills.

Follow the link here to learn more about Waterford curriculum and how it can support neurodivergent learners with explicit instruction based on the science of reading.

Andy Minshew is an educational content writer for Waterford.org. He has developed articles, ebooks, help instructions, and other Waterford resources for educators and families since 2018. He is also an Audiofile Magazine reviewer and a librarian advisor for EBSCO NoveList. He loves visiting art museums, participating as a member of the Tolkien Society, and hiking with his family.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
24 Classroom Activities for Kids with Autism | Waterford.org

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use these activities and teaching strategies to support children with autism in your class with sensory, social skills, and emotional regulation.

# data[].attributes.body
dissertation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
An Exploration of US School Librarians' Beliefs About and Implementation of Culturally Responsive Literacy Teaching

# data[].attributes.body
Dissertation-Biophilic Sensory Healing