Sharla Kostelyk

Sensory Hand Soap with Unicorns and Fairies

We all know how important it is for your kids to wash their hands. But getting your kids to take the time to properly wash their hands isn’t always easy. My favourite way to make hand washing a little more fun is by creating fun hand soaps for kids. And if you have a little one at home who loves magical creatures, like unicorns and fairies, this adorable sensory hand soap is the perfect way to help them have fun while practicing hand washing.

We also have made a Simple Bugs Fun Hand Soap for Kids that’s fun too, especially for kids who like insects.

Sensory Hand Soap

Supplies needed:

Soap container with push dispenser
Liquid hand soap
Toy unicorns and fairy
Beads
Curled blue, purple, white, and pink ribbon

Instructions:

Remove the lid from the hand soap container and set it aside.
Place the toy unicorns, fairy, beads, and curled ribbon into the bottle.
Replace the lid and lightly shake the bottle to move the pieces around.

Unicorn and Fairy Soap Ideas

There are so many fun ways you can decorate the inside of your soap bottle to create a fairy wonderland! In addition to the elements we added to our soap bottles, there are a few other supplies you could mix into your own soap to create a magical sensory bottle for your kids to use in the bathroom, like:

Sequins
Gemstones
Pom poms
Small flowers

What is Sensory Hand Soap?

Educating toddlers and preschoolers is all about learning while playing. And one popular way to keep those young kids engaged is with the help of sensory bottles. Turning a plain soap dispenser into a sensory experience is a great way to help make hand washing a little more fun for little ones. Sensory hand soap takes the concept of a sensory bottle and moves it into the bathroom to help your little ones stay engaged while they learn a practical life skill – hand washing.

How Do You Use Sensory Hand Soap?

Your kids can use this DIY hand soap for kids just like traditional hand soap. Just help your kids wet their hands, then pump a small amount of soap onto their hands. While they’re lathering the soap, they can examine the soap bottle to find the different elements inside.

To get rid of dirt and germs, kids should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds. Using the hand soap as a distraction is a great way to ensure your kids spend the proper amount of time lathering and washing their hands. As your kids scrub their hands, they could:

Identify each of the different characters inside the soap
Count the pieces floating inside the bottle
Name the colours of each toy, ribbon, and bead in the soap

Bugs Hand Soap

Kitchen Play with Oobleck

By Sharla Kostelyk

Easily set up hours of fun for your child using common household items and a few pantry supplies with this kitchen oobleck. You’ll likely have everything you need to create this play experience already in your home.

Of all the sensory play recipes, oobleck is the absolute easiest. Chocolate oobleck makes a great pretend mud for play use. We also have made Easter oobleck, Candy Cane oobleck, and lemonade oobleck. Our kids have had so much fun with all of them and I loved how easy they were to make.

Kitchen Oobleck:

Supplies needed:

4 cups cornstarch
2 cups water
food colouring
plastic bin
kitchen tools

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir some food colouring into the water. Mix in the cornstarch to create the oobleck.
Pour the oobleck into a sensory bin (plastic bin) and set the bin on the floor.
Add in some kitchen tools for exploration through play.
Invite your child to discover and learn with the oobleck and kitchen tools.

What kitchen tools should I use?

Really, there is no right or wrong answer here. Use your imagination and invite your child to choose tools as well.

Here are some household items we found worked well:

potato masher
slotted spoon
small strainer
funnel
fork
spoon
spatula
garlic press
tongs
egg separater
meat tenderizer

Cleanup tips:

We love, love, love messy play, but you can set out a shower curtain or dollar store plastic tablecloth underneath the bin to contain the mess in you want.

Never put oobleck down the drain as it will clog.

Clean the kitchen tools as you normally would since the ingredients in the oobleck are edible.

How the Science of Oobleck Works:

Oobleck is not only a great sensory activity, it is also a learning one. Oobleck is what’s known as a non-Newtonian fluid or a suspension. That means it can mimic qualities of both a solid and a liquid.

It’s made of only two ingredients, but it’s the combination of those ingredients that creates the unique properties that can be both a liquid or a solid. When pressure is applied, the cornstarch molecules bond together to create a solid state.

As your child explores through play, they can discover the changes in state that happen as this goes from liquid to solid.

Looking for more great sensory play recipes? Join thousands of others who are loving the five day email series, Sensory Activities and Solutions and you’ll get a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

Interoception – The Mystery of the 8th Sensory System

By Sharla Kostelyk

Have you heard of interoception? The 8th sensory system isn’t as well known as its 7 older brothers and sisters, but it’s equally important.So what is interoception? While the other sensory systems are focused on the perception of external sensations, interoception is the perception of internal sensations.

It is critically important for our kids because it helps them understand and feel what is going on inside their bodies.

Interoception helps kids determine:

heart beating fast or slow
hungry or full
thirsty or quenched
hot or cold
nauseated
itchy
ticklish
breathing regulation
emotion
symptoms of pain or illness

Kids who have interoception challenges may also struggle with self-regulation. Seemingly simple things such as getting a drink of water when thirsty or making it to the bathroom on time are not simple when feeling thirsty or knowing that your bladder is full are sensations that are poorly developed.

It can be more difficult for these kids to recognize their emotions. Many emotions present internal signals such as racing heart for fear or excitement. When these aren’t recognized, learning to recognize the associated emotion is affected as well.

When I first began to learn about the sensory systems and how they were impacting my kids who had sensory processing challenges, interoception wasn’t yet known.

At the time, it was hard enough for me to wrap my head around words like “vestibular” and “proprioception”!

Learning about interoception years later was the key to helping me better understand one of my sons.

The 8th Sensory System

Our youngest son struggled with challenges that I didn’t recognize as being related to sensory because he wasn’t showing the typical sensory seeking or sensory avoiding behaviours. But he seemed to have a hard time recognizing hunger and thirst and he was hot when others were cold and cold when others were hot.

His body temperature issues often led to difficult behaviours as he felt irritable when he felt hot, which was most of the time. He often went outside in our Canadian winters without a coat or gloves on.

His pain tolerance seemed to be off the charts. In fact, he has such a high threshold for pain that he was still playing basketball the day before his appendix almost burst.

These little quirks were quite the mystery.

I have since learned more about interoception and have a better understanding of how it affects him. I have also learned that with interoception, there can also be signs of sensory seeking or sensory avoiding, but they may be more difficult to discern than with the other sensory systems.

One way of thinking about interoception that helped me to better grasp of it is thinking of it as our body’s warning system. There are certain body sensations that lead us to discomfort, danger, or alert us to our body’s needs.

Listening to those signals allows us to rectify the issue (such as drinking when thirsty) leading to self-regulation. When a child (or adult) can’t recognize or identify those signals or is getting the wrong signals, it can cause frustration, stress, and lead to physical repercussions.

Signs your child may struggle with interoception:

eating or drinking too little or too much
rapid or shallow breathing
bedwetting
toileting accidents during the day
frequent bathroom visits
delayed potty training
incontinence or constipation
trouble explaining illness or their symptoms such as nausea, headache, fever, chills, stomach aches, muscle aches
unusual response to pain (pain tolerance that seems too high or too low)
not noticing injuries
reporting pain or discomfort often
difficulty processing stress or emotions
issues with self-regulation
difficulty regulating emotions
having “big emotions”

There is still much to be learned about interoception and research is ongoing. Early indications show that mindfulness, heavy work, and a sensory diet may be effective ways to treat issues with this sensory system.

How to Improve Interoception Awareness for Kids:

Teach kids about their sensory systems, their sensory preferences, and their sensory needs. A great way to do this is with the Teaching Kids About Sensory Starter Kit, specifically the My Sensory Self Workbook and the When I Feel Sensory Overload Workbook. Both of those really help students to get in touch with their own sensory needs.
Model talking about how you are feeling in terms of your internal body signals. “My bladder (point to where this is in your lower stomach area) feels full which means I need to pee. I had better go to the bathroom.” or “That grumble and the empty feeling in my stomach means that I’m hungry and should eat.”
Ask probing questions to help your child focus in on the sensations in their own body.
Help improve their emotional vocabulary and awareness of their own emotions. You can do this with resources such as the Teaching Emotions Toolkit or with emotions activities.
Incorporate heavy work into their day. Every day.
Work on mindfulness.
Yoga is a way for kids to get in touch with the sensations in their bodies. Kids Yoga Stories is a great place to find resources for this or you can check out Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube.

Interoception Resources:

Sensory Processed Explained Teaching Kids About Sensory Kit Breathing Exercises Cards for Kids Yoga Cards for Kids The Interoception Curriculum: A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Mindful Self-Regulation Interoception: How I Feel: Sensing My World from the Inside Out My Body Sends a Signal: Helping Kids Recognize Emotions and Express Feelings I Feel… Something: Listening to Your Body for Kids (Social Skills for Kids, Interoception for Kids, Social Emotional Learning)

10 Interoception Activities and Strategies for Kids

I know that if you’re just hearing about this sensory system for the first time, it can feel overwhelming. But it may also feel hopeful once you realize that there may be an explanation for why your child is behaving a certain way or having certain reactions.

When we can better understand our kids, we can better help them.

Some other articles that can help you better understand sensory processing:

The Waves of Grief in Special Needs Parenting

By Sharla Kostelyk

There is a unique kind of grief that comes along with being the parent of a child with special needs. For me, the grief comes in waves, sometimes threatening to overtake me while at other times ebbing and allowing me the chance to breathe.

Maybe you find yourself feeling this grief too. You may feel guilty for the conflicting feelings you have. I want you to know that it’s okay to grieve.

Before you had your child, you probably had an idea of what it would be like to watch them grow up. Maybe you imagined being at their baseball games cheering from the sidelines or pictured moments snuggled up on the couch together reading a favourite story. You may even have projected things far in advance such as their wedding day or high school graduation. No doubt you also imagined what you would be like as a parent and what you would teach your child.

The dreams you had and the vision in your mind of what your family would be like probably looked quite different from how the average day plays out in your home.

And while normally, I am here to give you tools to help you better meet your child’s needs or better understand them and I’m here to help you champion your child, today, I’m here to say that it’s okay to grieve for what you thought would be and isn’t.

Do any of these apply to you?

your child’s behaviours sometimes have you in tears
you question your ability to adequately meet their needs
you’ve received a diagnosis for your child
your child rejects you
you feel like your friends with “neuro-typical kids” just cannot understand
you feel isolated or alone
your home is more chaos than peace
you sometimes think about the dream you used to have for your child
you think about “before” your child’s illness or diagnosis and feel sadness

I need you to know that feeling these things does not make you a terrible parent. These feelings do not make you an awful person. It makes you human. It is normal to grieve the loss of something. Having a child who struggles is the loss of the dream of how you thought things would be. It’s okay to grieve that loss.

To be clear, grieving the child you thought you would have does not mean that you do not love the child that is.

Give yourself the time, space and care to be able to grieve what is a very real loss. That means allowing yourself to cry, talking to others who do understand (find those who have walked this road themselves), self-care, self-care, self-care, and possibly even going to therapy to help process and work through your emotions.

The grief doesn’t end. It comes in waves. Sometimes I’m fine for months, and then BAM, I’m a puddle of tears in the fetal position on my bathroom floor holding a chocolate bar!

Seeing my daughter grieving her hearing loss, my son not having friends to invite to his birthday party, even something like reading the posts of friends on Facebook can ignite my grief anew. The waves can build up over time or swell quickly spurred on by an event or milestone.

I used to feel so guilty for these feelings. I felt like I had no right to be feeling sad myself when my child was the one being directly affected by their challenges.

But then I came to accept that it’s okay to acknowledge those feelings and to really feel them. It’s okay to admit that my dreams need to be different now. It’s okay to grieve.

Of course, it’s also important to push through and find those new dreams and new ways to create joy in your life and your child’s life. It’s about balance. You’re not going to be any good to anyone if you are crumpled on your bathroom floor clutching a chocolate bar every single day, but your family will survive if you go for a drive and have a good cry once in awhile.

If you’re looking for support or information, join me for a free 5 part email series, Little Hearts, Big Worries offering resources and hope for parents.

You may also want to read:

Special Needs Mama, You Are Amazing!

12 Things That Special Needs Mom Needs from You

Special Needs Parenting Resources

10 Tips to Prevent Sensory Overload in Children

By Sharla Kostelyk

Sensory overload can happen to all of us. In children who struggle with sensory issues, it can happen more frequently and more easily. It can also lead to sensory meltdowns. The key is to prevent sensory overload in children whenever possible.Even if you don’t struggle with sensory issues yourself, I’m sure you can relate to the feeling of sensory overload. We’ve all been there. For some, it may be at a concert or crowded event. For others, it’s being in a gymnasium full of screeching preschoolers. Or perhaps for you, it’s public bathrooms or an amusement park. Myself, I find the swimming pool too loud.

The combination of the background noise in there, the smell of the chlorine, the sounds of the water from the fountain and waterslide, the jets in the hot tub, the laughter and screams of all the kids, the visual overload of so many people and so much movement…I find that I can only take so much before I need a break.

What causes sensory overload?

Our society is increasingly fast paced. In many cases, places are becoming louder, more crowded, and more visually stimulating. Add in advancing technology and it’s easy to see why sensory overload occurs.

Have you ever been somewhere and suddenly, you are acutely aware of the noise or smell? It’s possible that you may have been experiencing sensory overload.

Be on the lookout for signs of sensory overload in your child. If caught in time, sensory overload doesn’t have to lead to a sensory meltdown or a fight, flight, or freeze response.

Read about the Sensory Processing Overload Signs and print them as a reference here. This will allow you to recognize them in your child.

What triggers sensory overload?

Sensory overload can be triggered by a variety of things and for most, it is actually a combination of more than one source of sensory input that causes the overload.

Here are just some of the things that can trigger sensory overload:

Visual (sight):

bright lights or fluorescent lights
flashing lights
colours
decorative displays
busy decor
clutter
new places, people

Auditory (sound):

many people talking at once
music
background noise such as fans, air conditioners, birds chirping, or traffic sounds
loud noises such as alarms, sirens, screaming

Olfactory (smell):

strong food smells
new smells
cleaning agents
candles, air fresheners, or potpourri
perfume, cologne, scented lotions, or scented hair products

Gustatory (taste):

new flavours
strong tastes
flavours disliked

Tactile (touch):

new textures
clothing (new material or seams or tags)
being touched
touching an unusual or new object, person, or animal
rain or snow or wind

Vestibular and Proprioception:

movement such as the motion of a vehicle, rocking of a boat, swinging
being bumped in a crowd
spinning
having a heavy coat on or being confined in a car seat
change in air pressure
jumping

Interoception:

hunger or being too full
thirst
change in temperature
needing to go to the bathroom

Tips to Prevent Sensory Overload in Children:

Keep your outings to a minimum for kids who are prone to sensory overload. Choose times and days when places will be less busy. Avoid crowds whenever possible. I know that not all errands can be avoided, but if your child is particularly sensitive, you may need to get groceries at times when you don’t have to bring your child with you.
Minimize the amount of activities you register your child for. Reports show that over-scheduling your child can actually lead to an increase in anxiety. Swimming lessons, karate class, art class, school, soccer, drama club, and other sports and arts are all wonderful for kids, but pick and choose. Be sure to leave plenty of space for free time.
Be aware of the environment and take steps to reduce sensory input. One example would be to have your child wear noise reducing headphones in places that are loud.
Talk to your child’s school about removing unnecessary visual, auditory, and olfactory (smell) distractions from the classrooms and hallways. Schools are already full of noise and colour, but thee are some things that can be minimized.
Smells are a sensory trigger for many kids (and adults). Don’t wear perfume or use scented lotions or hair products if you know your child is sensitive to them.
Maintain as predictable a schedule as possible. Ensure your child is getting adequate water, nutritious meals and snacks, and a good amount of sleep.
Allow extra time so that you aren’t rushing and so that you can allow for extra time for transitions.
Provide sensory breaks at regular intervals during the day.
Teach your child calming breathing techniques and have them practise them daily.
Provide a quiet place your child can go to when they are feeling overwhelmed by their surroundings.

Check out these other helpful articles:

How to Stop Sensory Overload from Turning into a Sensory Meltdown Recognizing the Signs of Sensory Overload in Children Sensory Meltdown Tips from Moms Who’ve Been There

Create a Sensory Room on Any Budget in Any Space

By Sharla Kostelyk

I have been wanting to create a sensory room for years. There were a few things that held me back. I had looked into the cost of some of the sensory equipment used in other sensory spaces and knew I couldn’t afford that. I was also worried about where to put it. The kids got older. I still saw the need for a sensory room. I knew that if I didn’t create one now, they would soon be grown. That prompted my decision to use a storage closet as the space. I began planning how I could make things myself instead of purchasing expensive equipment.

One day while at my daughter’s therapy appointment, we visited the sensory room there and I watched her mood transform. I knew we absolutely needed one at home. I had run out of excuses and knew it was time to just do it.

(photos courtesy of Shelley of STEAM Powered Family)

What are the benefits of a sensory room?

help a child feel safe
engage the senses and provide sensory input (sensory diet)
improve balance and coordination
work on fine and gross motor skills
support therapeutic treatment
better manage challenging behaviours
encourage exploration
increase sensory experiences and tolerance
build confidence
increased vocabulary and communication opportunities
improved caregiver relationship
reset mood
reduce stress

If you are worried that you don’t have enough room to make a sensory space, I’m going to tell you that it’s possible no matter how small your classroom or home is.

If you have no space at all to devote to a sensory area:

make a sensory board and store it under a couch, under a bed, or behind furniture to pull out when needed.
create a sensory box that is filled with fidgets and calm down tools.

If you have limited space to devote to a sensory area:

make a sensory corner in your classroom, playroom, child’s room, basement, or living room.
use a closet or storage room as the sensory room.
convert a shed or an area of the garage.

If your concern is more the cost, I have some awesome money saving tips for you.

I know that sensory rooms can cost thousands if the equipment is all purchased. For organizations who have those funds, that is a wonderful option. For the rest of us, there are ways to create a sensory room on a budget.

See a video tour of our sensory space:

What to include in your sensory room:

I took a look at the space that I had and took into consideration my kids’ needs and their individual sensory preferences and planned the room accordingly.

Sensory Wall

I knew that I wanted to include a sensory wall. It would be a place for them to explore different textures and colours and shapes. I had looked online and seen that sensory walls easily cost hundreds of dollars. Using a cork board and a bit of imagination, I was able to create ours for under $25 plus the cost of the cork board.

Read the full instructions on how to make your own sensory wall and get a list of other texture ideas that you can use.

Calm Down Corner

The room at my daughter’s therapy includes a fibre optic curtain corner area that she loves. The problem was that when I looked up the cost, it was nearly a thousand dollars. Yikes! But I had a vision for a calm down corner that included fibre optic lights that changed colour with a remote so that each child could choose the colour they found most soothing.

The solution? We bought these fibre optic lights and then one of my sons drilled holes in a board. He attached that board to another board and then we strung the light strands through the holes and set the board on top of a shelf so that it hangs down over the corner of the room.

I placed a bean bag chair under the fibre optic light curtain and a mermaid pillow on top of the bean bag chair. I also have a few “brain friendly” books sitting there in case one of the kids wants to read while they are in the calm down corner. There is a long mirror across from that corner. This is for two reasons. The first is that the room used to be a storage closet so it’s very small and the mirror helps it feel bigger. The second is that kids can use the mirror to monitor their breathing and facial expressions which can help them to self-regulate.

Fidget Box

I’m so in love with the box I found to hold fidgets for the room. It has all kinds of encouraging phrases on it including “Just Breathe”, “Help Others”, and “Enjoy the Journey”. It’s so perfect for this.

The box contains all kinds of fidgets including pencil toppers, Chewelry, glow in the dark sticks, stress balls, slime, putty, and lots and lots of fidgets.

Pea Pod Fidgets CuberSpeed Rainbow Ball Magic Pencil Topper Fidgets Meshballs Multi Fidget Pack TANGLE Original Fidget Toy Marble Fidget Toys Koosh Balls Munchables Owl Chew Necklace Munchables Unicorn Pendant Chew Sensory Teether Necklace Squishy Stress Relief Fidget

Shelf of Sensory and Calm Down Tools

I used a shelf that was already in the room and set items on top for the kids to use as needed. This includes a sound machine, the remote control for the fibre optic curtain light, a lava lamp, fibre optic lamp, plasma nebula ball, light up wand with sensory ends, liquid motion timer, and felt board.

On the felt board, I put the words “In Through Your Nose Out Through Your Mouth” as a reminder for my kids to do their calm down breathing.

Other Items in the Sensory Space:

Purple fuzzy throw rug – I bought it at WalMart.

Teal fuzzy large box with lid – This can double as a chair and it can hold books. I also put a few books on top that are designed to boost how kids see themselves.

Sensory Steppers – Kids can use these to touch, walk or stand on, or to sit on. They provide great sensory feedback.

Sensory Bin – I swap this out depending on what our current sensory bin is. You can see all our sensory bin examples here. You could also include sensory bottles or sensory bags.

Fiber Optic Curtain Light Lavender Polka Dot Bean Bag Chair Sensory Stepperz Lava Lamp Plasma Ball Fiber Optic Light Liquid Motion Bubble Timer Pink Felt Letter Board Conair Sound Therapy Machine Mermaid Sequin Pillow Light Up Wand

Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities that has helped thousands of people and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

You might also like:

How to Create a Calm Down Kit for Your Child

How to Make a Sensory Wall