31/05/2025
On May 30, 2025, the Stimulation and Therapeutic Activity Center (STAC) successfully conducted a Visual Learning Session participated in by 30 children with disabilities (CWDs) accompanied by their parents or guardians. The session was held at the STAC therapy room and focused on Stage 1: Sensory Awareness and Attention, which is vital in the early cognitive development of children with disabilities.
Goal of the Activity:
To provide structured visual learning experiences that stimulate the sensory pathways of CWDs and enhance their attention span, visual tracking, and early awareness through the use of developmentally appropriate videos and follow-up hands-on activities.
Rationale:
CWDs, especially in their early developmental stages, benefit from structured visual input to support their sensory processing, attention regulation, and cognitive engagement. Through stage-based learning sessions, particularly beginning with Stage 1: Sensory Awareness, children are introduced to high-contrast images, rhythmic motion, repetitive patterns, and auditory-visual integration that help lay a foundation for higher learning. The visual materials are especially helpful for children with limited mobility or speech, as they allow non-verbal engagement and multisensory learning.
Session Highlights:
The session began with the viewing of a structured video from the “Hey Bear Sensory” and “Baby Sensory” series. These videos featured slow-moving colorful shapes, rhythmic music, and high-contrast visuals to catch the children’s attention and stimulate their visual and auditory senses.
Following the video session, children participated in guided hands-on activities that supported and reinforced the sensory inputs from the video:
Bubble Blowing and Popping – children watched, followed, and popped bubbles, promoting visual tracking, hand-eye coordination, and auditory responsiveness to the popping sound.
Sensory Bottles – children were given plastic bottles filled with water,pebbles, and glitters. These encouraged tactile exploration, visual focus, and cause-and-effect learning as they shook or rolled the bottles.
Impact and Effects:
The visual learning session produced positive and observable responses from the participating CWDs:
Increased eye contact and sustained attention to the video
Improved engagement during hands-on activities
Enhanced parent-child interaction as parents guided their children through each activity
Sensory stimulation supported calmness and focus among children with behavioral regulation needs
Parents expressed appreciation for the structured yet enjoyable activities and observed that their children showed heightened interest and alertness during and after the session. The activities also served as a model for home-based learning routines.
Conclusion:
This visual learning session was a meaningful and developmentally appropriate approach to early learning for children with disabilities. By combining structured visual stimuli with interactive, sensory-rich activities, STAC continues to promote the holistic growth and development of its children—laying a solid foundation for their future learning milestones. Further sessions targeting the next stages of cognitive and functional development are planned in the coming months.