Sensory Play and Learning
Presented on Friday, 11 March 2011
Sensory work: from passive to active use of the senses
Judy Denziloe
Seeker or Avoider?
Sensory seeker: Not enough sensation (hyposensitive) - need more
Sensory defensive: Too much sensation (hypersensitive) - need less
Children are rarely completely hypo- or hyper-; may be different responses in different senses; may vary and fluctuate depending on mood, health, tiredness, setting, demands being placed on them.
Passive or Active?
Many children (particularly with ASD) need to learn to use their senses actively rather than passively.
| Passive | Active |
| Seeing | Looking |
| Hearing | Listening |
| Being touched by fabrics etc | Feeling and exploring |
| Breathing in smells | Sniffing to get the smell |
| Tasting | Actively savouring and discriminating between tastes |