FARMINGDALE, NY — Students at Northside Elementary have a dedicated space where they can take a break, explore sensory tools, and practice strategies to help them stay focused during the school day.
The school's sensory room includes items such as kinetic sand, peanut balls, balance pods, and visual breathing charts. Teachers, instructional aides, school psychologists, and occupational therapists worked together to develop the space, according to the Farmingdale school district.
Students can use the room when they need support managing restlessness, stress, or other challenging emotions. Staff members provide supervision and help students identify the tools and techniques that work best for them.
The district said the school has seen a noticeable decrease in daily visits to the psychologist's office from students who typically need a break since the sensory room was introduced.
The room is based on The Zones of Regulation, a framework that helps students recognize and understand their emotions. Staff use visual guides to help students identify how they are feeling and work toward the "Green Zone," which represents a state of calm and readiness to learn.
The strategies practiced in the sensory room can also be used inside the classroom. When teacher aides find that a particular tool helps a student, they may bring it to the child's desk, allowing the student to work through moments of stress or restlessness without leaving class.
The district said the approach gives students opportunities to practice self-regulation and build skills they can use throughout the school day.
More information about the Farmingdale Union Free School District can be found on the school's website.
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