Multi-sensory products & equipment

Starting a Sensory Room

The initial stages of a starting a Multisensory Room can be a difficult task. Knowing what the clients sensory needs are, and how they can motivate and improve their sensory awareness is most important.

As the name implies a multisensory environment is one in which a client maybe able to experience the use of one or more of their senses i.e. touch, smell, sound and sight. Such use maybe for education or simply relaxation.

A Multisensory environment can be a space or area set aside for using Multi-Sensory products or it can be a special room dedicated for Multisensory use.

Inclusive Learning Space, Neuro-Inclusive Space, Cognitive Diversity Space, or Diverse Learning Hub—are purpose-designed environments that support neurodivergent and neurodiverse individuals by engaging the senses in a structured, calming, or stimulating way. These spaces recognise that people process sensory information differently and provide opportunities for regulation, learning, exploration, and emotional wellbeing.

Sometimes known as a Sensory Space, Discovery Room, Wonder Room, Exploration Space, or Sensory Studio, these environments are designed to gently stimulate or reduce sensory input depending on individual needs. Through intentional use of light, sound, movement, texture, and visual elements, users are able to explore their senses safely, build body awareness, and improve focus and emotional regulation.

A sensory room may also be described as a Sensory Retreat, Calm Room, Regulation Room, Reset Room, Wellbeing Room, or Mindful Space, highlighting its role in helping individuals self-soothe, de-escalate, and reset. These spaces are particularly valuable in schools, therapy settings, and inclusive environments where emotional regulation and wellbeing are essential to participation and learning.

Equipment within a Multi-Sensory Environment (MSE) or Sensory Learning Space can be tailored to meet a wide range of needs. Common inclusions may support:

• Visual senses through bubble tubes, infinity tunnels, fibre optics, LED projectors, and colour-changing lighting

• Auditory senses using sound systems, calming music, white noise, or interactive sound panels

• Tactile exploration with textured wall panels, soft play equipment, sensory mats, and hands-on manipulatives

• Proprioceptive and vestibular input via swings, crash mats, soft play plinths, body socks, or balance equipment

• Cause-and-effect interaction using switches, interactive light panels, or controller-based equipment that empowers users with choice and control

In more functional or therapeutic settings—often referred to as an Engagement Room, Focus Room, Therapeutic Space, Support Space, or Regulation & Wellbeing Room—sensory equipment is selected to encourage attention, communication, and participation while maintaining a calm and predictable environment.

Smaller or quieter setups, sometimes called The Nook, Safe Space, Quiet Space, or Comfort Room, provide a secure and supportive area for individuals who may become overwhelmed and need time away from busy environments.

Overall, sensory rooms are flexible, inclusive spaces that celebrate cognitive diversity and support regulation, learning, and emotional wellbeing. Whether designed as an Inclusive Space, Learning Differences Program, or Neuro-Inclusive environment, these rooms play a vital role in creating accessible, supportive spaces where every individual can feel safe, understood, and empowered.

Visual Stimulation

The Multisensory Room can be used to encourage awareness to light and images, tracking and other visual skills. It is all down to your imagination. The Projector, Bubble Tube and Fibre Optics are very powerful tools. Simple items such as the Par Can Light or PinSpot and Colour Wheel can also be used very effectively. Lights can be projected onto tactile objects, pictures and all types of surfaces, reflective, smooth, rough etc.

Hearing

Take a moment to think about your hearing and listening skills. You listen, locate, track and identify frequency and volume enabling sound to be matched to visual experiences. Sound in the Multisensory Room can be experienced through music, percussion instruments and many other media. Move the sound around the room and let clients experience proximity, volume and frequency of sound.

Touch

The sense of touch is vital to our survival and one of the best modes of communication. We learn about our sense of touch through experience. Like all the senses we keep our sense of touch in trim by using it all the time. The Multisensory Room can be a place to experience tactile objects and panels.

Smell

Like all the other senses, we use our sense of smell all the time. Smell provides us with lots of information and is seen as one of the complementary senses. Smell and taste often help to reinforce our other senses. We also have the ability to locate and identify other things by their smell. The smell in a room will alert our sense of vision to locate the source. The room can be an excellent environment to experience smell by using real objects or smells in a smell kit. Many people find aromatherapy is beneficial in the Multisensory Room to help set the mood.

Choice

Giving clients the opportunity to make their own choices in a session is important. A client may show preferences to a particular item in the room or scenario. If you achieve this it's the first step to successful use. You can take that choice and use it as a tool for enjoyment and development.

Communication

At any age all clients are communicating. The room may give a reason and opportunity to communicate, as a particular effect may be enjoyed or disliked. There are many aspects of communication, which can be developed in the Multisensory Room including sequencing, turn taking, object referencing, sign language & voice. However, if a client is not using the spoken word then we have to provide that client with a means of communication i.e. use of symbols or signs.

Assessment

The Multisensory Room enables you to carry out assessment of all the senses. In the controlled environment, with a variety of equipment and using simple assessments you can obtain some knowledge about a client's sensory and communication abilities and motor skills. The Room is often a good environment for assessment as it offers the seclusion away from other activities. Assessment can be an ongoing process, however if you are not able to do this, a possible alternative is to take videos of particular sessions and review them periodically.

Theme Work

Whichever age you are working with from a children's curriculum to adult's social skills, themes can make a Room much more meaningful. It can be transformed into a magical place full of variety and fun.

Themes help develop learning and communication in many ways. We could be working in a group, bringing together many skills. Themes do not have to be complex. Simple themes and scenarios can work just as well. A theme can last for a particular session or can be left in the room for a period of time.