Spending time in a sensory room can help a child improve auditory, visual, and tactile processing. Additionally, there can be improvement in fine and gross motor skills.
Beggs Public Schools has incorporated a sensory room for students with the help of bond funds and a generous donation from CP Kelco.
According to Beggs Public Schools Director of Special Services Vickey Jones, BPS is in the process of creating a sensory room/space at each of our three sites this year.
"We are in the beginning stages for these spaces and are excited and thankful to see them come together," she said.
" Right now, our sensory rooms are being used primarily by our special education students, however sensory rooms/spaces are not just for disabled students," she added.
"These spaces can be used as a relaxing, calming space for any student who needs a break; this allows the student to remove themselves from stress or pressures of everyday school life," she shared.
According to Jones, some of the benefits of utilizing sensory rooms in schools are:
- Help create a safe space.
- Provide opportunities for calming or alerting the nervous system.
- Increase skill acquisition for social-emotional development.
- Facilitate prevention and de-escalation strategies.
- Improve communication.
- Promote self-care/self-nurturance, resilience, and recovery.
- Nurture students' increased independence and educational success.
