What is a Sensory Gym? Benefits?
Most of us think of the gym as a place to improve our physical fitness and health by running on treadmills and lifting weights. But the moment you walk into a sensory gym, you know that it’s no run-of-the-mill fitness center.
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The first things you’ll notice are the bright colors splashed across the walls. Next, your eyes will move to all the different kid-friendly stations. From the covered swings to the ball pits to the climbing walls, it’s a child’s paradise!
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But, in fact, a sensory gym is a structured environment that helps children with special needs develop their sensory, communication and motor skills. These gyms also improve self-esteem and social skills. Although all children can use and enjoy sensory gyms, hospitals and therapy centers use them most often. Our therapists help guide children through activities involving swings, trampolines, therapy balls, brightly colored pillows, ball pits, tunnels, climbing walls, and many more tools to help your child become more confident with sudden changes in their environment. Gyms also give children with autism access to the tools they need for sensory regulation in a non-threatening environment. Gyms foster independence, reduce meltdowns, and limit social stress by making kids feel calmer and more focused. In addition to providing health and fitness benefits, sensory gyms also increase a child’s social skills and self-esteem
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Sensory Gyms Enhance Other Therapies
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While sensory gyms certainly provide the health and fitness benefits of regular indoor playgrounds, their benefits extend much further. Most children with special needs require other services such as occupational or speech therapy. Sensory gyms will not replace other types of treatment your child is receiving, but they will help to amplify its effects. Sensory gyms have been proven to help with fine motor skills, body awareness, increased social skills as well as improve muscle strength, coordination, and balance. A recent study demonstrates that gyms help children exercise independence, communicate better, and strengthen their self-care habits and attention spans. Most of our therapies involve the use of the sensory gym at one point or another. They are even used as a "reinforcement" (reward) during the therapy session.
Did you know that a lot of our suspension equipment is imported from the USA and meets international safety standards?
Although already common in the USA, most therapy centers in Metro Manila have limited space and thus, are limited to what equipment they can put.
Could your child benefit from a sensory gym?
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Sensory gyms are fun for all kids, but they’re especially valuable for children with special needs because they provide a wonderful opportunity for them to learn to process information in a fun, non-threatening way. Not only will these gyms help improve balance and body awareness, but they’ll also improve fine motor skills, coordination, cause-and-effect reasoning and cognitive-behavioral social skills in a safe environment.
What makes OUR gym special?
• 51 sqm dedicated sensory gym space •
• USA suspension equipment and hooks •
• 8x16 ft corner climbing wall for corner traversing •
• Therapy approved wooden pickler triangle systems •
• A dark with calm-light sensory calming room •
• Plus most other equipment common in other centers •
However, sensory gyms are especially useful because they integrate a child’s sensory input, which is something children with special needs struggle with. They’re either over-sensitive (i.e., they become overwhelmed with too much information) or under-sensitive (i.e., sensory information isn’t properly registered). In stark contrast to a traditional learning environment, sensory gyms are fun, stress-free areas where children with special needs can process sensory information and break the classroom frustration learning cycle.
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Here are four indicators that your child may benefit from a sensory gym.
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1. Your child craves sensory input
If your child enjoys spinning, crashing into walls, or constantly running, climbing and jumping on couches, a symptom of hyposensitivity, a sensory gym could be beneficial to help your child process and develop his sensory skills.
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2. Your child hates sensory input
If your child shies away from different textures, sounds and experiences or can’t stand to be touched, a symptom of hypersensitivity, he could use a sensory gym to learn to manage sensory information.
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3. Your child is lethargic
If your child is lethargic, unengaged and seems unable to absorb normal stimulation, he could benefit from a sensory gym by practicing responding to sensory information.
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4. Your child needs motivation to keep moving lots of different muscles
Maybe your child lacks complete muscle control, as children with cerebral palsy do. A sensory gym will give him a safe, friendly environment that encourages him to move all of his muscles.
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5. Even if your child does not have special needs
Even if your child does not have special needs, sensory gyms are beneficial for fine-tuning physical, motor, social and sensory skills.
If your child does have a sensory disorder, a sensory gym acts as a form of physical therapy that will help alleviate the symptoms of his disorder. If you find that your child has difficulty processing information, introduce your child to a sensory gym and observe how he reacts.
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The more sensory integration skills a child can master, the easier it will be for him to learn new information and grow.
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Sourced and Adapted from : www.waynerock.org