Sensory Rooms Help Children Learn

This past fall, we shared news of a Therapeutic Child Care Grant that participants branded Building Blocks for Success. All school year-long, administrators of the five participating sites have been meeting monthly to learn more about trauma-informed care for all students at their site and how the lessons can be integrated into their site’s Tier One Services.

For Erica Hicks, director and preschool teacher at St. Albert the Great, the need could be best met by creating a sensory room. Partnering with Ashley McCoy, Occupational Therapist for Montgomery County Educational Service Center, the pair chose equipment that will allow the greatest variety of sensory input to help the most children. 

Why a sensory room?  A sensory room for preschoolers is vital for self-regulation, providing a safe space to de-escalate, reduce anxiety, and manage sensory overload. These spaces support development by fostering focus, motor skills, and social interaction through controlled tactile, visual, and auditory experiences, helping children learn to calm down and engage better with their surroundings Only when children are regulated are they ready to learn. The room is available to all preschool classrooms at St. Albert.