Sensory Storage Ideas

One of the questions that I have had to ask myself over and over again is where to put our sensory stuff when it's not in use. Ideally it is quite convenient to put the sensory swings hanging in a closet and the bins placed or stacked on a shelf. However some people don't have an extra closet to place things in. Here are some ideas that you might be able to use to help store these things.

Sensory swings can be very bulky depending on what swings you have. For us we have used the floor of the pantry but we've seen the mess and frustration it can bring as one of my kids is attempting to pull one out. One idea is to hang them up. This can be done anywhere in your home provided you have room. It can be over a closet rod or bar, you can place simple hangers on your wall and hang the swings from individual hangers. Some can be placed on the hangers that hang off the top of a door although it doesn't work as well for bulkier swings. I have a friend who doesn't have closet space and she puts her swings under a couch out of sight near the hook in her ceiling. Another great place for hanging these up out of the way is in the garage if you happen to have one. Depending on which method you choose you might be able to hang them up by their metal clasps OR you might need to take them off or connect the clasps to something different. Any swing that is inflated can be deflated if it must althoguh pumping it up might be a problem as it can be time consuming. Platform swings can be placed on their sides with the rope behind them to avoid a tripping hazard.

The bins can be stacked anywhere from closets, to shelves, pantries, and so forth. For us the bins MUST be out of reach or I have a huge mess to clean up which means they don't just get put up high but also behind something that is locked. Even your clasps can be stored in a bin. If you're really in a space crunch you might consider using one large bin or you might consider individually sized bins to fulfill your needs for storage space. Can they be stored in a ziplock bag or an old coffee can? What types of things can you use to store your sensory tools without having to buy things brand new?

Another thing we have learned is don't make tools you can't use or don't need right away. This just clutters up your space and takes up room. Some things will need to be replaced like playdough can be made when needed and you can get the help of your child as well.

A Swing at IKEA



I couldn't find a photo of the swing
on IKEAs webpage. So I found one
off another blog which is called,
A Sensory Life



IKEA has a really cool swing that you can purchase. It's not near as expensive as what you'll find at some of the stores specializing in theraputic equipment. This one runs about $35 and the inflatable pillow inside I think it like $10 or so. They work really well together. This is a great solution for kids that are at risk of strangling themselves on ropes as well because what holds the swing up is fabric or falling off. It is also a great place for kids to hide and get that swinging motion they need.

(I think the inflatable cushion is called the 'Air Element'. It is located at least in our local stores in the kids department.)

Tire Swing

One of the things I remember when our son was in occupational therapy was a huge intertube that was hung from the ceiling. The valve was taped down and the tube had a wrap around where the rope held the tire. When my kids started fighting over the lycra swing once again I decided it was time to get a new swing. I called around looking for used intertubes at Les Schwab but couldn't find any although they would have given them to me for free if they had any.



This is how the tire swing is ridden.
This photo was taken off the
Special Needs Toys website
because we don't post pics
of our kids on the internet. At their
site it costs $125 tax included.



I got in touch with one store who had a person who knew what a sensory swing was as all the previous Les Schwab stores I called had no clue of what I was talking about and the easiest way to describe what I was doing was an indoor tire swing. He told me that what I needed was a 10,000/20 intertube which runs around $35 dollars. (The only thing I can tell you to help you if you decide to do this type of swing is the second number, in this case the 20, is the size of the hole in the center.) I called one more store and after explaining what I was going to be using it for he decided to sell a brand new one to me for $25 dollars. (Make sure if they give a price or deal over the phone you take down the name so they can confirm your story.)

One suggestion they did make was that it is better to get a new one if you can as the used ones can be covered in rust and have holes and gunk on them and it might not be something you want your kid to touch or worse... taste.

Lycra Swing

If you have been to occupational therapy you might have seen a swing made of really stretchy fabric. That fabric is called Lycra and can be found at craft stores. It is really easy to put up. Tie loops in the end of the lycra securely using several knots and place the hook in. Hook one end to each eye hook or place them both on the same eye hook. You will need ot experiment with how low you want it with your child who'll be using it.

One sibling checking on the other after spinning

to make sure they're okay or to ask to have a turn.



Tools:

Lycra (guessing 3yrds)

Hooks

There are so many ways to use this tool but the main ones are to swing (in several different ways), bounce or spin. My son loves to climb up one side to touch the ceiling and he also loves to sit in it to watch a movie as if it were a comfy chair.

Pros: Tactile, Vestibular, and Proprioceptive senses can all be met in this swing. It doesn't fray so no sewing is required. It also can last a very long time.

Cons: It can be EXPENSIVE!

Solution: Look around at your local fabric stores. If you can find coupons for 50% off or more it might be worth it depending on the stores prices. Look in the clearance piles. We found ours and got more than what we needed for about $40. Recently I came across more at Wal-mart in a clearance type bin and it was on a bolt for $5 for 5 yards. I didn't use it for a homemade Moby wrap for my baby but it very well could have been used for a sensory swing.