Why Occupational Therapists Are the Ideal Designers of Your Child’s Playroom or Sensory Space

By Heather Hodgins Chan, OT Reg. (Ont.), Psychotherapist
On The Ball Pediatric Physio and Occupational Therapy

Many families exploring pediatric occupational therapy in Kanata or Orleans are surprised to learn that occupational therapists can also help design therapeutic playrooms and sensory spaces for children. At On The Ball Pediatrics, occupational therapists consider how movement, sensory input, and the environment work together to support a child’s development, regulation, and participation in everyday activities.

A well-designed sensory space is more than just a playroom. When designed by an occupational therapist, it becomes a therapeutic environment that supports regulation, movement, and meaningful participation in daily life.

Many parents today have heard the term “sensory room” or “sensory play space.” These environments can be incredibly helpful for children who benefit from movement, sensory input, and opportunities to regulate their nervous system. However, designing a sensory space that truly supports a child’s development requires thoughtful planning and a deep understanding of how the brain and body work together.

This is one of the areas where occupational therapists are uniquely trained.

How Occupational Therapists Design Sensory Spaces for Child Development

Occupational therapists specialize in helping individuals participate in meaningful activities — what we refer to as occupation. For children, their occupations include playing, learning, moving, socializing, and developing independence. Because of this, occupational therapists spend a great deal of time learning how environments can either support or interfere with a child’s ability to participate in these activities.

When occupational therapists design a playroom or sensory space, the process begins with a comprehensive assessment. During the initial assessment, we take time to get to know the child and their family. We look closely at the child’s motor development, sensory processing patterns, regulation skills, interests, and current challenges.

We also explore the child’s birth history, developmental milestones, movement patterns, and daily routines. All of this information helps us understand how the child’s nervous system processes sensory information and how their body responds to movement.

Just as importantly, we also learn about the child’s special interests and motivations. A sensory environment works best when it feels exciting and meaningful for the child, not simply therapeutic.

Once we understand the child’s needs, we begin to think creatively about how to design a space that supports those needs. Sometimes this means helping families design a dedicated sensory room, but in many cases it involves modifying existing spaces within the home, such as a child’s bedroom, basement, or play area.

A well-designed sensory environment often includes opportunities for several types of movement and sensory input.

For example, activities may be incorporated to support the development of core muscle strength, which is essential for posture, sitting at a desk, handwriting, and many daily tasks. Equipment such as climbing structures, therapy balls, crash pads, or obstacle courses can help children build these important muscles in playful ways.

Another important system that occupational therapists consider is the proprioceptive system, which provides information from muscles and joints about body position and movement. Activities that provide deep pressure through the joints — such as climbing, pushing, pulling, jumping, or crawling — can help children develop stronger body awareness and regulation.

The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, is also a key component of many sensory spaces. Vestibular activities involve movement such as swinging, spinning, rocking, or balancing. These experiences help the brain understand movement and spatial orientation and are closely connected to regulation, attention, and coordination.

Occupational therapists also consider visual vestibular integration, which is the brain’s ability to coordinate visual information with movement. This skill is important for activities such as reading, sports, balance, and navigating the environment.

Creating the “Just Right Challenge” in a Child’s Sensory Playroom

An important concept that occupational therapists consider when designing sensory environments is something called the “just-right challenge.” This means providing activities that are challenging enough to help the brain grow and adapt, but not so difficult that the child becomes overwhelmed or discouraged. When children experience the right level of challenge, their nervous system is able to practice new skills, build stronger neural pathways, and improve focus and coordination.

At the same time, these activities must remain within the child’s therapeutic tolerance. Therapeutic tolerance refers to the level of sensory input and challenge that a child’s nervous system can comfortably handle without becoming dysregulated. If activities are too intense or too stimulating, a child may become overwhelmed. If they are too easy, the brain may not receive enough stimulation to promote learning.

Occupational therapists carefully observe how a child responds to movement and sensory input and adjust the environment so that it remains supportive and regulating.

When designed thoughtfully, a sensory space can provide opportunities for children to practice movement and sensory activities that provide the just-right challenge while staying within their therapeutic tolerance. In this way, the environment itself becomes part of the therapy, helping the child’s nervous system gradually adapt, learn, and organize.

Over the years, it has been a privilege for me to help design several sensory environments for children and families. I have also had the opportunity to collaborate with community programs. In addition to working with families, I have had the honor of helping develop sensory spaces for two Ontario EarlyON Learning Centres in the Ottawa area, as well as contributing to the design of a high school sensory room several years ago.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy and Sensory Support in Kanata and Orleans

What makes occupational therapists particularly well suited for this type of work is that we are trained not only in child development and sensory processing, but also in environmental design and accessibility.

During occupational therapy training, therapists learn how to analyze environments and modify them so that individuals can participate more easily in meaningful activities. This includes considering accessibility, safety, movement flow, and the interaction between the person and the environment.

For children, this often means designing environments that invite movement, exploration, and regulation within the home. A thoughtfully designed sensory space can help children build strength, improve coordination, regulate their nervous system, and develop confidence in their bodies.

Research increasingly supports the importance of sensory responsive environments for children with sensory processing and developmental challenges. Studies examining multi-sensory environments have found that these spaces can improve attention, engagement, and emotional regulation, particularly for children with autism and sensory sensitivities (Hogg et al., 2022). Other research examining sensory room therapy combined with therapeutic intervention has demonstrated improvements in sensory processing and motor development when children are able to access individualized sensory input (Awaida et al., 2024). School-based studies have also shown that sensory integration and environmental adaptations can improve participation and regulation during learning activities (Whiting et al., 2023).

More recent systematic reviews examining the sensory characteristics of learning environments suggest that the physical design of spaces can significantly influence learning, well-being, and participation for neurodivergent children (Adams et al., 2025). Additional research on sensory-responsive environments highlights that thoughtfully designed sensory spaces can help children feel calmer, more organized, and more able to engage in daily routines and learning tasks (Finnigan et al., 2024; Piller et al., 2025). These findings reinforce the importance of designing sensory environments that are tailored to the child’s individual sensory profile — something occupational therapists are specifically trained to assess and support.

Most importantly, these environments support children in doing what they do best — playing, exploring, and growing.

When a sensory space is designed with the child’s individual needs, interests, and developmental goals in mind, it becomes far more than just a playroom. It becomes a place where children can move, regulate, connect, and thrive.

Families interested in creating a sensory playroom or improving their child’s sensory environment can consult with the occupational therapy team at On The Ball Pediatrics in Kanata or Orleans. Our therapists help design movement-rich spaces that support regulation, motor development, and participation in daily activities at home and in the community.

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References

Adams, D., et al. (2025). Are sensory aspects of the built school environment associated with learning or well-being outcomes for autistic students? International Journal of Inclusive Education.

Awaida, I., et al. (2024). Evaluating the efficacy of combining sensory room therapy and conventional therapy in children with autism.

Finnigan, K. A., et al. (2024). Sensory responsive environments and participation for neurodivergent children.

Hogg, J., et al. (2022). The use of multi-sensory environments with autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Piller, A., et al. (2025). Sensory-based interventions for children with developmental disorders: A systematic review.

Whiting, C. C., et al. (2023). Sensory integration interventions in school settings to improve participation. American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

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