Sensory Play Therapy: A Path to Healing for Traumatized Children

Key Components of Sensory Play

Sensory play involves activities that stimulate the senses and promote exploration and learning. Here are the key components:

1. Tactile: Activities that engage the sense of touch, such as playing with textured materials.
2. Auditory: Sounds and music can stimulate the sense of hearing.
3. Visual: Visual stimulation involves activities that involve colours, patterns, or lights.
4. Olfactory: Smell can be stimulated through activities with scented playdough essential oils.
5. Gustatory: Taste can be involved in sensory play through safe, edible activities like tasting different flavours or engaging in food play.
6. Proprioceptive: Activities that involve body awareness and movement, such as jumping, swinging, or using weighted blankets.
7. Vestibular: Activities that involve balance and spatial orientation, such as spinning, sliding, or rocking.

These Play-based sensory activities can be incredibly effective in helping traumatised children regulate their emotions by:

1. Grounding: Children stay grounded in the present moment, reducing anxiety and fear.
2. Self-Regulation: Emotional regulation is achieved from the deep pressure of weighted vests, calming scents from essential oils and soothing sensations from soft textures.
3. Safe Expression: Figurines play, drawing, building and creating provide a safe platform for children to express how they are feeling in a safe, supported environment.
4. Relaxation: Playing with textured materials, listening to calming music, or using fidget toys can promote relaxation and reduce stress.
5. Connection: Children develop a sense of connection and trust with caregivers or therapists, as they learn to trust themselves, others and the safety of their environment.