A good friend recently celebrated her son’s 3 year old birthday party. I was looking to buy him a special present. Something I knew he would play with and not just forget moments after ecstatically ripping open the wrapping paper. On the other hand I was also on a budget and could not go all out. I ended up buying a book 🙂 The truth is he and most other kids have too many toys. And their playrooms are just cluttered messes. This can spell disaster for a kid with sensory overload caused by visual sensitivities. For these kids it important to keep in mind the following tips when decorating a toy room:
Don’t use harsh florescent lights but if you must then cover the fixture with a light diffusing filter. When possible use lamps instead of overheads.
Declutter the toy room. Decorate with soothing patterns and colors on the walls and rugs. Store small toys in opaque containers with picture labels. Choose a few “toys of the week” and place them in a prominent eye-level place. Rotate toys and keep the ones not in use in the closet.
Create a quiet reading corner where they can go to calm down when over- stimulated. If possible hang a hammock from the ceiling next to the books. Swinging provides long lasting vestibular input (the sense of movement, centered in the inner ear) which can have a calming effect and improve overall sensory overload, including visual.
Check out this adorable reading corner on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/270497521341985647/