Sensory Integration

Sensory integration is the neurological process by which the brain organises and interprets signals from the senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell, as well as vestibular and proprioceptive sensations. When that processing is disrupted, a child struggles to keep their balance, to respond calmly to touch or noise, to stay focused on a task. Sensory integration training helps the brain handle that stream of information more accurately.

Vestibular balance

The vestibular system sits in the inner ear and is responsible for the sense of balance, movement coordination and body orientation in space. Activities involving swinging, spinning and changes of body position help it work more reliably — which matters especially for children with cerebral palsy and other neurological conditions.

What we use: swings and suspended equipment, balance boards and pathways, rolling on a cylinder, spinning on exercise balls, a skateboard (prone, sitting, standing), a trampoline, walking a balance beam, a balance bike.

Proprioception — the sense of one's own body

The proprioceptive system tells the brain about body position, the force of muscle contraction and the position of the joints. Exercises with deep pressure, stretching and resistance help a child feel their body better and control their movements.

What we use: gentle joint compression, the "wheelbarrow" game (the child walks on their hands while an adult supports the legs), weighted balls and sandbags, a children's climbing wall, throwing and catching balls, jumping on a trampoline and on exercise balls, pull-ups, rolls, handstands with support.

Tactile processing

The tactile system handles the perception of touch, pressure, texture and temperature. Tactile training helps a child respond more calmly to different sensations — which matters both when sensitivity is heightened and when it is reduced.

What we use: games with large and massage balls, a ball pool, blanket games, light touch with a feather or a soft brush, "treasure hunts" in containers of grain, sand or beans, modelling with plasticine, clay and dough.

What the training gives

Regular sessions help a child move and balance more confidently, hold attention longer, tolerate noise and touch more calmly, and join in play and conversation with peers more willingly. The equipment and the play format make the process engaging — and that directly affects how much a child is willing to practise.

What parents should know

Sensory integration works alongside the rest of the centre's programme: physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. The programme is built individually and revised as the course goes on — what was too hard yesterday becomes an ordinary task a few weeks later.