Shrub Oak International School, a leading therapeutic program for autistic children, adolescents, and young adults, has added a Snoezelen® Room to its already robust offerings on campus to support the unique sensory needs of its students. Snoezelen® rooms are multisensory environments designed to provide therapeutic benefits, primarily for individuals with developmental disabilities, autism, sensory processing disorders, and cognitive impairments. These rooms are carefully structured to offer a controlled and calming sensory experience, using lights, sounds, textures, and sometimes scents to stimulate the senses. Michael Koffler, Shrub Oak International School CEO, emphasizes that providing access to this type of sensory therapy is an important part of Shrub Oak International School’s comprehensive approach to meeting the therapeutic needs of its students.
Sensory therapy, also known as Sensory Integration Therapy, is an essential component in addressing the sensory processing challenges often experienced by autistic individuals, many of whom face either hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to sensory stimuli, which can significantly impact their ability to navigate everyday situations. At Shrub Oak International School, sensory therapy is used to help its students better regulate their sensory responses, promoting emotional stability and overall well-being. The ability to regulate sensory input is important in supporting students’ ability to focus, learn, and participate fully in everyday activities. Michael Koffler, Shrub Oak International School CEO, explains that by providing controlled exposure to sensory stimuli in a structured and supportive environment, the Snoezelen® Room helps students develop essential skills for managing sensory challenges.
In the Snoezelen® Room, sensory activities such as light displays, soft textures, and interactive sensory toys help students modulate their sensory responses. Over time, this leads to improved sensory regulation, reducing instances of sensory overload and enhancing students’ ability to manage their sensory environment. Michael Koffler, Shrub Oak International School CEO, understands that the Snoezelen® Room is especially beneficial in helping students prepare for or recover from more stimulating activities, giving them a place to decompress and recalibrate.
Given the diverse sensory needs of the Shrub Oak International School students, the room’s adaptability is particularly important. The space can be customized to meet the individual needs of each student, whether they require a soothing, quiet environment or more stimulating sensory input. This versatility allows the room to serve as both a calming retreat and an engaging sensory play space, depending on what each student needs. This flexibility is key to addressing the diverse sensory needs of the school’s students, ensuring that each individual can benefit from the room’s therapeutic environment.
The Snoezelen® Room provides a safe and calming space where students can manage sensory stimuli at their own pace, helping to foster emotional stability. Michael Koffler, Shrub Oak International School CEO, emphasizes that by providing a space that adapts to each student’s sensory preferences, the room helps students build coping mechanisms to manage anxiety and frustration in daily life. As students become more comfortable with sensory stimuli, they are better able to concentrate in both academic settings and everyday activities. For many students, this newfound comfort with sensory experiences translates into increased confidence and happiness.
Sensory therapy at Shrub Oak International School also helps students improve their fine and gross motor skills. By engaging with small sensory objects, manipulating textures, or using sensory furniture, students develop motor coordination necessary for daily tasks. The tactile experiences provided by the Snoezelen® Room also contribute to the development of important life skills as students engage with materials that promote both fine and gross motor coordination.
In addition to improving motor skills, the Snoezelen® Room also plays a key role in cognitive development, offering space for therapeutic activities that help students develop problem-solving skills. For instance, students can engage in interactive activities, such as puzzles and memory games, which are specifically designed to improve focus, attention, and critical thinking. These exercises are incorporated into their sensory therapy to support both emotional and intellectual growth. Furthermore, the Snoezelen Room provides a safe and structured environment where students can practice self-regulation techniques, empowering them to manage their sensory sensitivities and emotional responses in real-world situations.
Additionally, Shrub Oak International School’s sensory therapy helps students regulate their sensory responses, making social interactions less intimidating. The Snoezelen® Room provides a space where students can build comfort with sensory stimuli, facilitating more positive and meaningful social interactions. This not only improves their social experiences within the school environment but also helps them manage social settings outside of school, increasing their overall quality of life.
Shrub Oak International School’s Snoezelen® Room is a key feature in the school’s sensory therapy. The room offers a variety of sensory inputs, including padded floors, soothing soundscapes, interactive light displays, and a wide range of sensory objects and toys, all of which are adaptable. As noted earlier, this versatile space can be tailored to meet the individual needs of each student, whether they seek calming, soft textures or stimulating visual elements. The room’s flexibility allows students to explore sensory experiences in a safe and supportive environment, and the controlled setting empowers students to explore their sensory preferences, helping them gain a better understanding of what works best for them.
In addition to the Snoezelen® Room, Shrub Oak International School offers multiple sensory gyms as well as sensory activities that encourage students to engage with various textures, colors, and scents. Materials such as sensory putty, playdough, shaving cream, paint, and scented toys not only provide sensory input but also stimulate creativity and self-expression through play and art. These additional sensory spaces offer students more opportunities to explore their sensory needs while engaging in fun, hands-on activities.
Michael Koffler, Shrub Oak International School CEO, felt strongly that the addition of a Snoezelen® Room, alongside the school’s existing sensory gyms, would further enhance its comprehensive sensory therapy offerings and is a vital part of its overall therapeutic approach on campus. Shrub Oak International School’s dedication to sensory therapy reflects its broader mission of helping its students live their happiest, most fulfilling lives. The Snoezelen® Room is just one of many ways Shrub Oak International School supports the sensory, emotional, and social development of its students, enhancing their overall quality of life and happiness. By continuously growing its sensory offerings, Shrub Oak International School ensures that its students receive the comprehensive support they need to succeed.
For more information about Shrub Oak International School’s sensory therapy programs, visit www.shruboak.org.
