When many of us reflect on our childhood days spent on the playground, we remember the fun adventures with our friends. Maybe the memory of the first time you climbed from one end to another on the monkey bars comes to mind.
While the playground created great memories for some children, others might have different stories. Many neurodivergent children might associate the playground with their first experiences with sensory overload.
This article answers some common questions about sensory overload and recommends some preventative measures that parents, teachers, caretakers, and even parks professionals can implement to make play fun and enjoyable for everyone.
Ellen Braaten, Ph.D. gives the following definition for sensory overload:
“Sensory overload happens when something around us overstimulates one or more of our senses. That could be a loud TV, a crowded room, or a noisy, smelly cafeteria. There’s suddenly too much information coming in through our senses for our brain to process.”
The following signs can indicate sensory overload in children:
Reflect on the most recent concert you attended. The strobe lights were flashing, the music was blasting, and maybe a woman next to you kept bumping into you, wafting her heavily applied perfume as she danced to the beat of the drums. As the night goes on, your feelings of enjoyment turn to frustration.
That might have been sensory overload.
Anybody can experience sensory overload- it’s not uncommon for most people to feel it at some point in their lives. Some neurological diagnoses might make some people more prone to sensory overloads, such as ADHD, autism, anxiety, PTSD, or Sensory Processing Disorder. Children with Down Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue, MS, and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome can also experience sensory overload more often than others.
The following tables from “The Chaos and the Clutter” describes some triggers for sensory overload:
As you reflect on this list, think about the potential triggers found at parks and playgrounds. Some children might get overwhelmed with all the information they are taking in through their senses.
This doesn’t mean that children prone to sensory overload don’t enjoy playgrounds. They love playing on all the fun equipment as much as any other kid. The only difference is that they might need some unique preventative measures to enjoy the equipment to their fullest potential.
It’s important to know there isn’t a “cure” that rids a child from experiencing sensory overload; however, there are many great strategies for prevention.
One great strategy is the sensory diet. A sensory diet chronicles a list of activities and accommodations to help a person meet their individual sensory needs. This strategy aims to understand a child’s sensory profile and create coping strategies for when the child feels overwhelmed.
If a child in your care is experiencing the beginning signs of sensory overload at a playground, guide them away from the busy area and engage them in the activities their sensory diet deems soothing.
Playgrounds need to offer activities that help in this sensory relief, such as rest areas or soothing sensory activities. When these activities are available to children, they learn self-regulation and build confidence in who they are.
We interviewed neurodivergent adults to reflect on their experiences with playgrounds growing up and what parks and recreation departments could invest in to improve their experience.
Preventing sensory overload is not a “one size fits all.” While the sensory diet is a great place to start, no two diets will look the same.
Caregivers, reach out to a local occupational therapist and start tracking your child’s sensory relieves and triggers. Once your child starts to learn these coping strategies, they’ll blossom on the playground.
Parks and recreation departments, contact a GameTime representative and start planning some inclusive additions to your playground. Create spaces that provide sensory relief and become a play advocate for all.