Ideally, we hope our students experience the school day as an exciting opportunity to learn, play, and grow. But for some of our children, education settings can be incredibly overwhelming. From the busy canteen to the loud corridor, and the expectation of sitting in a chair for many hours, some children may find themselves in a constant state of dysregulation. That is why sensory circuits can be transformative for some children; whether it’s a child grappling with the effects of early trauma, or a young person who struggles to concentrate, sensory circuits can make a huge difference, all of which is explored in our previous blog post.
What Are Sensory Circuits?
We have a previous blog post about sensory circuits here, but generally speaking, a sensory circuit is a structured sequence of physical activities designed to help children regulate their sensory and emotional systems and prepare them for the school day. These circuits typically include three stages:
- Alerting activities
- Organising activities
- Calming activities
A vignette:
Early developmental trauma, such as neglect, abuse, or instability, can disrupt a child’s ability to regulate emotions and process sensory information. These children often live in a state of heightened arousal, making it difficult to focus, stay calm, or engage in learning. For a child like Joe, how can sensory circuits support him?
Sensory circuits help by offering predictable, body-based activities that ground children in the present and help calm their nervous system, building a sense of safety and preparing them for the day ahead. For Joe, alerting activities such as star jumps may ‘wake up’ his sensory systems, helping him to transition into the start of the school day. An organising activity such as ‘army crawling’ through a tunnel or under a table may improve his body awareness and coordination; and finally, a calming activity such as deep pressure activities will be crucial for him to feel grounded and calm before returning to the classroom.
To have a look at more detailed ‘case study’ examples and see how we advise setting up circuits, have a look at our training course, written and delivered by children’s Occupational Therapist Roz Roscoe. The course includes workbooks, quizzes and case studies and offers a deep dive into sensory processing, sensory modulation, and, of course, more information on setting up sensory circuits in your setting.
