08/07/2025
What’s in your emergency sensory toolkit? 🤔👜
Many families find that just having noise-cancelling headphones in their child’s bag provides a sense of security—like a visible safety net in unpredictable environments. And when children do use them, research shows significant drops in stress and auditory sensitivity (Ikuta et al., 2016).
Build your own mini-kit with:
• Noise-Cancelling Headphones – Mute loud sounds before they become overwhelming
• Sunglasses – Soften harsh lighting indoors and out
• Chewy Snack/Necklace – Satisfy oral input needs on the go
• Crunchy Snack – Provide crisp bite feedback to calm a busy mouth
• Fidget Toy – Redirect restless hands into soothing movement
• Travel-Size Wet Wipes – Wipe away sticky textures or offer a gentle tactile break
• Water Bottle – A quick sip brings immediate calm and helps reset internal cues
• Weighted Scarf, Lap Pad or toy – Offer gentle, grounding pressure wherever you are
These items can transform a potential public meltdown into a manageable moment—headphones at the mall, a chewy snack in a long queue, or a fidget toy at the restaurant.
Interested in learning how to assemble and use your own sensory supports? Join us on 26 July for UNDERSTANDING YOUR SENSORY SENSITIVE KIDDO. You’ll walk away with a clear plan, hands-on demonstrations, and the confidence to support your child in any setting.
📅 26 July | ⏰ 09:00–14:30
👥 R850 in person | 💻 R700 online
🔗 Register now: www.learningforlife.online/sensory-sensitive
Reference
Ikuta, N., Iwanaga, R., Tokunaga, A., Nakane, H. & Tanaka, K. (2016) ‘Effectiveness of earmuffs and noise-cancelling headphones for coping with hyper-reactivity to auditory stimuli in children with autism spectrum disorder: a preliminary study’, Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy, 26(1), pp. 10–17.