Ideas for Sensory Integration for students with Autism.?

Question

I am a special ed teacher. I am always looking for new ideas on adding more sensory intergration to my classroom. My students out grow my ideas so fast.

I am as working a writing a grant for a sensory intergartion room for my school so any ideas or websites would be great.

Answer 1

Something that my students have enjoyed doing is practicing writing their names or math facts in shaving cream on their desks, in pudding, or in hair gel. With the hair gel, I put a small amount into plastic baggies. The students could practice writing letters by pressing on the baggies, and wouldn't have to get their hands messy (although some students like getting messy!)

Here are some other resources for autism that have been helpful:

"Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" - http://www.ellennotbohm.com/ten_things_a...

"Positively Autism" (Free newsletter and printable lessons/activities) - http://www.positivelyautism.com/

"Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism" by Temple Grandin - http://www.autism.org/temple/tips.html

Answer 2

My son goes to the League School of Boston,  they have a website at www.leagueschool.com.  I love this school so much, they have worked wonders with my son since 2000.  "Sensory break" is one of his favorite times of the day.

Answer 3

i worked with an autistic child ( i provided aba therapy)  i sat in on a few sensory integration sessions... a popular item was a hammock like chair suspended from the ceiling...close enough to the ground where their feet would touch...a pilates ball, to sit and bounce on. they can lay on their stomach as well on the ball.  

different buckets or bowls filled with dried macaronis, peas and various materials.  

bean bag seats,

if i think of more...i'll come back

Answer 4

First, if you don't have it already get The Out of Sync Child Has Fun. It has lots of games you can do that work on sensory integration for a variety of ages and abilities. I do my own therapy with my child, and one other, and we do a lot of activities.

play-doh

shaving cream, playing in and writing in, scented. That way it works on the sense of smell, too.

whipped cream, playing in and so they can eat it, too, working on taste

finger paints

mix dried beans and rice, hide toys in it for them to dig in and find. When they get used to that, put a little finger paint in it and mix it up. This works on textile issues, because they often don't like the rice sticking to their hands.

walking on balance beams placed on the floor so they don't get hurt works on proprioceptive and vestibular senses

give lots of quick hugs to warm kids up to people touching them.

Basically, anything that I find is a sensory problem for these kids, I work on, desensitizing them to the issues. That in a nutshell is sensory integration. The more you do it, the more the brain adapts to and eventually accepts the information. I don't give them a choice, they have to try something for at least 30 seconds at a time and we work up from there. That way, their need for control to protect themselves is being worked on as well, they are learning that they don't need to be afraid of whatever it is you're working on, but you're not traumatizing them, either. I never let not working on things be an option, but I work on their individual level, and just keep working them up. The progress in these two boys is remarkable, they each have very few sensory problems at all anymore.