A Guide and Resource Book

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Recipes and Ideas8

Preparing:

The Stock Cupboard:

Getting into ‘The Zone’:

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What is a Sensory Room?

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A sensory room is a specifically designed therapeutic space used to develop or stimulate a person’s senses and/or provide respite and relaxation from the chaotic outside sensory world. A sensory room can be one or more of the following:

- A white room – utilising light, shadow and usually warm soft textures and sounds to create a safe space to relax in

- A dark room – to create intense light displays or total darkness for either relaxation or stimulation

- A multisensory room – usually for stimulation purposes this room will have a variety of colours, textures, sounds to work with a person on a sensory level

When creating a sensory space you do not have to have a seperate room, you could increase sensory elements of an existing room such as a bedroom or bathroom. However the first step is to ask yourself two questions:

What does this space need to do – stimulate or relax or flexibility to do either?What does this person/group of people like when stimulating or relaxing?Note down your answers on the Sensory Room Plan template at the end of this section.

Sensory rooms do not have to be expensive, however they do take planning and a bit of effort. On the following pages you will find some pictures, links and ideas to get you started.WHITE ROOMS AND RELAXATION:

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Key elements: A snuggle corner

with lots of cushions, blanket and bean bag

Dimmer switch on lights or individual lamps to control amount of lighting

Stereo and selection of CD’s

Fairy lights

Low Budget suggestions:Photo wall paper: Cover one wall with photo wall paper to give a stunning relaxing scene. This costs about £36 per metre squared from Ebay but can be a central feature of the room and still achievable in budget.

Strings of fairy lights threaded through

Chiffon or 12

Organza also give the soft waterfall of lights. However do remember to risk assess, as fairy lights are not as robust as fibre optic strings. Cost: Lights up to £30 on ebay, material £4-6 a metre (get a pale colour)These other lighting solutions are under £25 each:

Mood pillow - £7.50, star projector - £10.99, infinity tunnel lamp - £14.99,

mood lights - £22.99, led strip - £24.99, mood cube - £17.99

Dark Room and Visual intensity

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A dark room can be used for relaxation and some people will benefit from an absence of all visual stimulus enormously. However there is also the option of really utilising a black light and doing some UV and fluorescent visual work with people.

A true dark room needs to be painted a dark colour, could be black but dark green, purple, maroon all seem to work just as well. Again a comfortable space to sit or lie and relax is necessary but you need to ensure that fabrics are also dark and plain. LED lights can be used with striking effects as can fairy lights in this environment. However the adventurous can aim for a black light or UV lamp – these vary in size and price but can be picked up for under £100 on Ebay especially around Halloween. If you have a UV lamp you can use UV paints on the walls, on balloons dangling from the ceiling, dripped into warm water in a paddling pool or UV face paints can provide a visual feast for all.

Paints cost around £3.50 a tube, face paints are a similar price.

UV water – recipe in our play section

Glow sticks to make dark room bowling – recipe in our play section

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UV paint on walls and people for dramatic effect

If you want the best of both white and dark spaces, you could also consider a pop up dark tent. This is a mini environment big enough for 1 or 2 people at a squeeze, it could be in a white room or any other room. Amazon are selling these between £68 and £119 depending on size required.

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OTHER IDEAS

The sensory bath:Bathing is a multi sensory experience and one many people enjoy. Utilising a spa mat that produces jets of water, changing the light bulb to a blue colour, pay attention to scented bath products and using a special waterproof wireless speaker, can mean that you can create a sensory room feel with a bath thrown in for extra sensory input!

Wireless speaker – Amazon £5.99

SPA Bath mat - £81.99 Amazon

Bath bubble maker

£17.99 – Amazon

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Multi colour change led light bulb and remote control - £2.54 Amazon

BIG SENSORY EXPERIENCES:

Parachute – from £19.99

Bright interactive curtain – home made from plastic recycled bottles cut into various shapes and strung on nylon thread.

And don’t forget swings, hammocks, slides, roundabouts, water slides, pools and trampolines – depending on your budget!!!

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