Our clean and fun sensory gym is where Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) work with each child on an individual basis. We work with kids from birth to teen years, at home, at school, and online. The kids have a range of skills. Our goal is for every kid to reach their full potential, get past problems, have fun doing everyday things, and become independent. We use a play-based method and take into account each person’s strengths and interests to make therapy more meaningful. We’d like to help your kid get ahead.
What is a sensory gym?
Sensory gyms are organized spaces with specific pieces of equipment that have been shown to help both kids and adults. The equipment is made to engage a child’s senses as well as their vestibular and proprioceptive systems. The sensory gym equipment makes you more aware of your body and improves your motor skills, as well as your social and conversation skills. As the name suggests, a real sensory gym is made to be a safe place where kids of all abilities can play together.
How does sensory gym occupational therapy Work?
For kids who have trouble processing sensations, sensory events can be dangerous and upsetting. So, therapy should begin in a safe place, like the sensory gym, so that trained therapists can make sure that the client is safe and figure out the right level of challenge to meet their practical goals.
Our kids can learn new ways to deal with things in a sensory gym with the help of occupational therapists who are trained to spot patterns that don’t work. Using the Pyramid of Learning as a guide, therapists who work in sensory gyms might start by improving basic skills (the bottom levels of the pyramid) and work their way up to more complex skills that require more interaction between different sensory systems.
Because of this, occupational therapists will need to do an initial assessment of your child’s sensory system and work with you to make sure that skills learned in therapy are also practiced outside of treatment. Occupational therapists may sometimes work with your child’s teachers to come up with the best ways to help your child learn at school.
A sensory gym could help a lot of people
From what we’ve seen, sensory gyms are great for ALL kids because they help them build muscle, communicate better, and become more aware of their bodies. But they are especially helpful for kids with sensory processing disorders. Sensory processing disorders make kids either too stimulated by things like sights and sounds in their surroundings or not stimulated enough, making it hard for them to process sensory input as well as other kids. Sensory gyms are fun for kids and help them get used to being active and being exposed to new things.
Advantage Therapy sensory gym
Advantage Therapy sensory gym is a great space for kids! Our occupational and physical therapists help the children and all ages to use best equipment of our sensory gym. Each piece of equipment encourages play, helps kids become more independent, builds movement skills, and even helps them talk to each other. The kids have fun playing while they work on their training goals. They don’t even know it! There’s nothing else you could want.
Advantage Therapy Specialties
Because every child is different, treatment methods and therapy programs are tailored to meet the needs of each child and help them reach their full potential. We work closely with teachers, parents, caregivers, and allied health care professionals to help children do well in all settings.
There are a lot of different kinds of swings, a zip line, therapy balls, bikes, trampolines, and other therapeutic activities at the sensory-based gym. Some of our equipment includes:
Swings:
Many kinds of swings can be used to strengthen the core and upper body, make people more balanced, and help them become more aware of their bodies and work together better. The movement of the swings sends signals to the vestibular system, which can either wake the child up or calm them down, depending on the child. It comes with a platform, a hammock, a bolster, and a standard seat swing.
Slides:
Like our swings, the slides are great for giving your body vestibular feedback. Slides are a great way to strengthen your core, improve your posture, and build power all over your body. The steps and ninja ramps that lead to the slides are also used to help kids improve their motor planning, muscle strength, and coordination on both sides.
Zip Line:
The zip lines are SO much fun for both the kids and the teachers. For kids, they help build muscle endurance by making them work harder to hold on long enough to get to the other end. This improves their ability to combine and handle movement. The zip line helps with balance, building upper body strength, moving quickly, hopping, and tumbling.
Rock walls and monkey bars:
The rock walls and monkey bars help you become more aware of your whole body, plan your movements, and coordinate your two sides. It is the child’s body weight plus gravity that gives their joints important proprioceptive information. This helps the child coordinate their movements. Kids who are afraid of heights or climbing can also use the rock walls to get over their fears.
Tunnels:
The caves are a nice place for a child to hide. The resistance, the small space, and the tactile feedback from crawling through the tunnel also help kids learn to control themselves and explore their sense of touch. When kids are too excited by bright colors, loud noises, or too much going on, our tunnels are a great place for them to “hide out” where they can get some calming sensory input. All of our tunnels have dry-erase boards inside, so while kids are having a break, they can also work on their writing and fine motor skills.
Foam pits and crash pads:
It’s impossible to dislike a foam pit or crash pad. These are great for kids who like to explore different senses or who just want to get better at jumping. They teach safe ways to fall, deep pressure stimulation, and how to control oneself. When kids jump and crawl on the crash pads and in the foam pit, they work on their balance, endurance, stamina, general strength, and motor planning.
Conclusion:
We’re happy to have experienced physical therapists and speech-language pathologists at Advantages Therapy Center. We also offer therapy sessions at home and in schools, and we love working together with other people online. To help your child do well, we are here to help you.
