Building a Sensory Room
StarTrekker
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I've decided to try creating a sensory room in my basement (to be fair, it's actually closer to a sensory corner, since my mother's art studio takes up most of the space), and I was interested in discussing what you would put in such a room, or if you already have one, what you have in it. I spent my Christmas money on a swinging crow's nest chair, a mini trampoline, and a small tent, which I'm going to fill with blankets (including my weighted blanket) and use as sort of a sensory isolation chamber (I've linked all three below for anyone who's curious). I have a wooden box full of stim toys in my room which I might bring down, and I'm considering getting a tupperware bowl with water and some "magic sand" to mess with for a tactile experience. Once I move out and get my own place, I hope to dedicate a whole room to sensory tools, rather like an OT room. Has anyone else tried anything like this? If not, what would you do with the space if you could?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G4M ... ge_o00_s00
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CA ... ge_o01_s00
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WAZ ... ge_o02_s00
(I know the tent and swing are technically meant for children, but at 4'11 and 83 lbs, I pretty much qualify!)
I'm not usually big on pink and girly things, but I liked the colour of the swing because it was soft and comforting to look at. My favourite colour is typically red, but it's a colour that makes people angry, which isn't what I wanted in a space that's meant to be calming!
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"Survival is insufficient" - Seven of Nine
Diagnosed with ASD level 1 on the 10th of April, 2014
Rediagnosed with ASD level 2 on the 4th of May, 2019
Thanks to Olympiadis for my fantastic avatar!
I'd have boxes of my favorite things, which are usually collections of small objects that feel nice, have nice textures, smell good, or have pretty patterns (shells, seeds, pretty rocks, small art objects, books of patterns, colored pencils, incense, essential oils). Also some things to occupy my mind when I start obsessing and my thoughts go in circles: jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, crossword puzzles, knitting.
Wait, I think this spot describes my home office.
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Diagnosed Bipolar II in 2012, Autism spectrum disorder (moderate) & ADHD in 2015.
I don't have one, but I'd love one. I've put great thought into what I would have. My nephew (age 5) has one. I'll go over his first.
He has a big ball pit, a plane that flies in circles on the ceiling, lots of mirrors and nemo wall art. He also have an enormous bubble tube held in place by a talk pooffe (with a hole in the middle) which he can climb on. The flooring is made of extra durable foam matts (like the kids puzzle pieces, only much larger). Also there's a bed he jumps and rests on. At night it's for grandad, which is funny because it's such a small room they had to get a specially made short bed. My FIL is very tall so I, not sure how he fits! In his bedroom he has a light that puts different colours (like a disco ball in a bulb). In his mums room, he builds dens and has a fish wall projector.
(Plus tons of sensory toys.)
If I had a sensory room, I would love to have a net swing. Possibly an indoor frame with multiple swings including a twizzler. These cost thousands from sensory direct, so I'd probably just get a ceiling hanger or door frame one.
I would also like a bubble tube and foam flooring. Either an egg chair or a massage chair (a chair that vibrates in essence, though my nephew loves my MIL's chair which has a roller massage). I think it would be useful for when I want the stimulation to come to me, such as when writing, rather than me to it.
I would want two weighted blankets to double up the weight which I could sit in a chair with.
I'd want space to pace about. And a crash mat for throwing myself onto.
Plus various sensory toys and oil timers.
Oh, and a trampoline. I miss having an outdoor trampoline and can't have an indoor one because I live on the 2nd floor (3rd for those not counting ground floor).
_________________
Diagnosed with:
Moderate Hearing Loss in 2002.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in August 2015.
ADHD diagnosed in July 2016
Also "probable" dyspraxia/DCD and dyslexia.
Plus a smattering of mental health problems that have now been mostly resolved.
StarTrekker
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Joined: 22 Apr 2012
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Nice I like the ball pit idea, and Godzillawoman, your post prompted me to consider the puzzles angle; all of my stim toys are tactile and visual, I don't have any that occupy my brain. I think a Rubiks cube would be a good place to start. Conceptuallycurious, the twizzler swing sounds like something I'd enjoy too. I'm surprised they cost so much on sensorydirect. I looked it up on Amazon and found one for $67.67 (http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Swings-Twi ... B0042SZ4AC)
I drew a diagram a while back of what I wanted my dream sensory room to look like. It's a large basement-sized room with countertops and cupboards built along one wall, with a sink and sand tray, and several types of multi-coloured standing lamps like lava lamps and spinning light mobiles. The cupboards store the boxes of stim toys organised by category. A large netted trampoline with a blowup rubber yoga ball stands in one corner, in front of the closet containing weighted vests, body sacks, ear defenders, and similar types of sensory clothing. Along one wall is a window fitted with blackout curtains, and next to that is a large crash pad. The long wall opposite the countertops is fitted along its length with bookshelves, with a few shelves designated for music equipment and CDs. Next to the bookshelves lie two large beanbags, and next to them is a large camping tent full of blankets (including weighted and electric) and soft pillows. Hanging from its ceiling is a soft colour-changing lantern. In the middle of the floor are a blowup peanut swing, a flat board swing, and a hammock swing, as well as a modest-sized blowup ball pit. Near the door is a section of floor covered in plastic laminated tiles, with a table and chairs for art projects (art supplies are kept in the cupboards alongside the stim toys). Mounted to the walls are projectors, which project interactive holograms on the floor (it's totally a real thing, and looks utterly amazing). If this dream room were ever to come true, I'd find a way to advertise its existence so other aspies or sensory defensives nearby could come and hang out there if they wanted.
_________________
"Survival is insufficient" - Seven of Nine
Diagnosed with ASD level 1 on the 10th of April, 2014
Rediagnosed with ASD level 2 on the 4th of May, 2019
Thanks to Olympiadis for my fantastic avatar!

I drew a diagram a while back of what I wanted my dream sensory room to look like. It's a large basement-sized room with countertops and cupboards built along one wall, with a sink and sand tray, and several types of multi-coloured standing lamps like lava lamps and spinning light mobiles. The cupboards store the boxes of stim toys organised by category. A large netted trampoline with a blowup rubber yoga ball stands in one corner, in front of the closet containing weighted vests, body sacks, ear defenders, and similar types of sensory clothing. Along one wall is a window fitted with blackout curtains, and next to that is a large crash pad. The long wall opposite the countertops is fitted along its length with bookshelves, with a few shelves designated for music equipment and CDs. Next to the bookshelves lie two large beanbags, and next to them is a large camping tent full of blankets (including weighted and electric) and soft pillows. Hanging from its ceiling is a soft colour-changing lantern. In the middle of the floor are a blowup peanut swing, a flat board swing, and a hammock swing, as well as a modest-sized blowup ball pit. Near the door is a section of floor covered in plastic laminated tiles, with a table and chairs for art projects (art supplies are kept in the cupboards alongside the stim toys). Mounted to the walls are projectors, which project interactive holograms on the floor (it's totally a real thing, and looks utterly amazing). If this dream room were ever to come true, I'd find a way to advertise its existence so other aspies or sensory defensives nearby could come and hang out there if they wanted.
That sounds wonderful. I'd forgotten about peanut balls. I love those and normal exercise balls. And lava lamps.
The indoor swing thing was so expensive because it was a multi swing frame high doesn't damage walls or floors. Nor does it take up much space. The individual swings can be kept at the sides and then when you want one, you slide and lock it into the middle and you're ready to go.
Other things I forgot - I really want one of those single bed compression covers. A lyric sheet that compresses you. But I share a bed with my wife, so I'd need an extra bed in the sensory room.
Possibly one of those Lycra stretchy bags you can kick about it.
What I really want doesn't seem to exist - either a compression bag/suit that sucks in around you or a quiet, vibrating sleeping bag.

I also saw those roller things you get at soft plays. You know the ones where you squeeze between two massive rollers? I've seen one where you can adjust how much pressure you want.
I'd like a corner with sprayable foam, or cornflour/jelly tubs.
I found an extra durable spinner, too which you can spin on like a tiny roundabout.
_________________
Diagnosed with:
Moderate Hearing Loss in 2002.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in August 2015.
ADHD diagnosed in July 2016
Also "probable" dyspraxia/DCD and dyslexia.
Plus a smattering of mental health problems that have now been mostly resolved.
Maybe you could become an autistic room designer, sort of like those consultants who teach people how to de-clutter their homes, but for autistics instead, creating custom sensory rooms for children and adults based on their sensory needs. HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE??
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Diagnosed Bipolar II in 2012, Autism spectrum disorder (moderate) & ADHD in 2015.
auntblabby
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my back won't let me anymore, but I still LOVE the idea of an indoor swing apparatus. at my sister's house they still have the anchors in the walls for a huge indoor swing in their great room. wish I had that kinda indoor space. anyways, my sensory arrangements are to close the curtains when it is too bright out, and put on some quasi-brown-pink quasi-musical noise on the surround-sound system. I like to be surrounded by sound. next step is to put up some soft LED xmas lights inside all over with the room lighting turned off- I did that a decade ago back in the days of incandescent lights, they burnt out and I got away from it, must get back into it.
StarTrekker
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Joined: 22 Apr 2012
Age: 32
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Location: Starship Voyager, somewhere in the Delta quadrant
Maybe you could become an autistic room designer, sort of like those consultants who teach people how to de-clutter their homes, but for autistics instead, creating custom sensory rooms for children and adults based on their sensory needs. HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE??
That would be an awesome job

Conceptuallycurious, the rollers and cornmeal/gel tubs sound great. I think that kind of high proprioceptive pressure would be very helpful, not to mention fun to roll around on!
Kraftie, I kind of like the idea of becoming one of those "vow of silence" monks that never speaks. Unfortunately for me, I don't think female monks exist (unless they have nunneries which practice the same sort of thing). The lack of religious belief kind of puts a damper on that plan too.
_________________
"Survival is insufficient" - Seven of Nine
Diagnosed with ASD level 1 on the 10th of April, 2014
Rediagnosed with ASD level 2 on the 4th of May, 2019
Thanks to Olympiadis for my fantastic avatar!
I actually have a sensory safe room in my house. It's my bedroom. everything in my room is white. The walls, the furniture and the bed and covers are all white. I use white ice-cycle lights around the perimeter of the ceiling for a shadow-free more ambient light. I use the incandescent type to avoid mains flicker since the LED ones flicker really badly. I also have a 25lb weighted blanket and well as a 50lb sandbag I can roll over my torso as well. I also have blackout curtains on all my windows as well.
I would love a sensory room, although my bedroom is sort of like one.
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StarTrekker
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Joined: 22 Apr 2012
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Gender: Female
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I wish I could turn my bedroom into a sensory room, but it's too small. All I can fit in it are my bed, desk, bookshelf and my "Sherlock Holmes" armchair. The floor space from my bed to my bookshelf is less than three feet, it's basically just a long strip of open carpet from my door to my closet. It's okay though, my little sister is moving out and going to college this year, so maybe I can just hijack her room!
_________________
"Survival is insufficient" - Seven of Nine
Diagnosed with ASD level 1 on the 10th of April, 2014
Rediagnosed with ASD level 2 on the 4th of May, 2019
Thanks to Olympiadis for my fantastic avatar!
auntblabby
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Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 114,798
Location: the island of defective toy santas
OH MAN! THATS A STELLAR IDEA!
I would have hamocks that can swing slowly or spin, I LOVE SPIINNING. Ball pit, anything rubber and stretchy, music players, LOADS of blankets and something like a burrow i can hide in,
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Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 severity without intellectual disability and without language impairment in 2015.
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