Welcome to the Sensory Tools Series, where we have been exploring the world of items that fall under the “sensory tool” umbrella and how we can find the ones that are right for us. 

In Part 1 we broke down the concept of sensory tools into practical categories. 

In Part 2 we took a closer look at ways we can identify which sensory tool to use. 

In Part 3 we went through the process of evaluating a sensory tool, and in Part 4 we will be rounding out the series for now by talking about how to create your own sensory supply kit!

While some people who use sensory tools might find they benefit from one tool in particular and don’t need to seek out others, it is also true that many of us who do use sensory tools use a variety to meet our daily needs across a variety of settings. 

One way we can make sure we have access to those tools at the time we need them is to create our own sensory supply kits, which we can situate to include the tools we need at the times we think we are most likely to need them. 

While the world is an unpredictable place and we cannot always be prepared for every situation, we can use the knowledge of our own lives to address some of the most common challenges we might face day to day.

So let’s dive in!

A crucial first step to creating effective sensory toolkits is making sure we have a complete inventory of all the sensory items we use across various setting, as well as a clear sense of how and where we most commonly use them. It is crucial both for considering where to place a given tool and for identifying when particular tools are used across multiple settings and we need to account for how a given tool will get from one place to another. 

Once we have our list of items, we can begin to identify the different types of kits they might fit in and how we might put together a kit for a given situation. Let’s look at some of the types of sensory toolkits we might put together depending on the situation we want to address!

The easiest part of having sensory tools at home is that they are never far away when we need them. The hardest part about having sensory tools at home is that just because they are close by doesn’t mean that we will remember where we put them or even that we have that tool available to us if we need it! 

The most crucial components of a good home supply kit are being in an obvious space for when you know you need it, and for being a space where you can be reminded of all the tools you have used effectively in the past, so you can consider them as options. 

A home supply kit might be a single basket of things in your room, clearly designated spaces for specific items, or a prominently placed list of sensory items with their location listed next to it.

One reality of sensory tools is that we often use them to navigate the outside world, and part of using them in the outside world is figuring out how to have them readily available without overly burdening yourself with heavy or inconvenient items. 

Creating a kit for your daily routine can sometimes entail identifying tools that work well at home, but for which you might need an alternative when outside of your living space. The good news is that we can anticipate the most common challenges we will face in our daily routines and prioritize tools based on convenience and personal need. 

A good kit for your daily routine may need to be convenient to either carry or store, have the space to comfortably store all the items you need, and be easily accessible at the times you need those tools.

One reality of life is that far more goes on than just our daily routines and home life. Sometimes we need to navigate unknown situations, and sometimes we might even plan to do so because we want to! 

When navigating such situations with specific sensory needs, creating a special sensory toolkit for a special or unknown situation can help to anticipate some of the most common ways you might react to a given situation and items that could help, even if you can’t fully predict what the situation will entail. 

A good starting point for creating special toolkits for special situations is to identify tools that have previously helped when you have faced unexpected challenges, and find ways to ensure they are available logistically. 

Whether that is bringing your headphones in a bag, making sure the new mall you are checking out has a space you can reasonably decompress, or making sure you can get to your weighted blanket in your car when you feel yourself shutting down. 

When it’s not possible to identify the most likely problems, identifying the most likely solutions can be the most helpful next option!

With that we are wrapping up our Sensory Tools Series for now but we are always excited to continue the sensory tools conversation! If you want to share your experience with sensory tools, suggest new topics for us to cover, or let us know some ways you think we could improve then we would love to hear from you! Just drop us a line at hello@autismgrownup.com and stay tuned for for more series coming up!