Learning Spaces
You Might Have A Calming Sensory Room. Do You Have A 'Wiggle Room,' Too?
There is another type of sensory room that is just as important: a sensorimotor space or motor lab room, sometimes fondly referred to as a “wiggle room.”
Recognizing the learning benefits of sensory
rooms, a growing number of schools
are adding these spaces within their
buildings to help students build
intrinsic self-regulation skills that
may support better focus, attention,
and behavior.
When people think of sensory
rooms, they often think of quiet,
calming spaces (or “chill zones”)
where students can go to relax and
regroup. These spaces may help all
students focus better and learn to
manage their emotions, but students
with anxiety or sensory processing
issues may find these calming spaces
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especially beneficial.
However, there is another type of sensory room that is just as important: a sensorimotor
space or motor lab room, sometimes fondly referred to as a “wiggle room.”
This article examines what a wiggle room is, how it can help students learn more
effectively, and what elements a successful wiggle room should have.
What is a wiggle room?
As part of a sensory-rich experience to support better focus, attention, and behavior,
students might need both opportunities for cozy spaces that promote calming and
sensorimotor spaces that provide opportunities for gross motor movement.
A wiggle room addresses the latter need. It’s an active space where students are
encouraged to move, play, and explore using a variety of sensory activities, including
opportunities for vestibular input (movement), tactile input (touch), and proprioceptive
input (deep touch pressure and heavy work).
Wiggle rooms are often used by early childhood learning environments, where
movement and play are an integral part of learning and development. Yet, they may
also be an effective strategy for improving focus and learning for elementary and
middle school students.
Why are wiggle rooms important?
There is a growing body of research that suggests children who are physically active
tend to do better in school. Movement increases blood flow, which awakens our
cells and stimulates our brains. In turn, students feel more alert and can focus more
effectively on their learning.
Dr. John J. Ratey, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical
School, has studied the relationship between movement and learning. His research
has found that students’ brains tend to go on autopilot if they sit still for more
than 20 minutes. On the other hand, moving around boosts blood flow to the brain
and stimulates cognitive activity, improving students’ ability to concentrate, learn and retain information, and tap into their creative
abilities. These benefits last well after students have
stopped exercising, according to Ratey’s research.
All students need to move throughout the school
day, and those with certain sensory processing challenges
or difficulty self-regulating need to move more
frequently. We know that many students with sensory
processing disorders can be overly sensitive (or hypersensitive)
to certain stimuli in their environment. But
other students may be under-responsive to stimuli
or may exhibit sensory craving. These students seek
activities involving jumping, bouncing, bumping, and
crashing, as well as deep touch pressure input — and
research supports the idea that frequent movement
might actually help them learn more effectively.
Despite clear evidence linking movement to
better learning, particularly for students who are
sensory seekers, many students still don’t get enough
movement during the school day. As a result of time,
space, and scheduling constraints and the need to
cover so much curriculum, many schools have reduced
the amount of time allotted for physical education or
recess — and some have eliminated these activities altogether.
A wiggle space can solve these challenges, giving students
quick opportunities to move throughout the school day. Taking
an indoor wiggle room break can help students regain focus and
attention for the remainder of the school day, and it can help
younger students strengthen emerging gross motor skills.
Creating an effective wiggle room
for your school
Designing a sensorimotor space
is an opportunity to be creative.
However, some common activities
in a wiggle room include climbing,
bouncing, swinging, and crawling,
among others.
For instance, students love to
climb and hang, and horizontal
Bouldering Boards allow them to do
this safely. Traversing the length of
the board builds imagination while
strengthening back and shoulder
muscles needed for posture and
fine motor activities back in the
classroom.
A scooter board ramp is another climbing apparatus that
kids enjoy. Perched on a scooter board either seated or lying
flat on their stomach, students can zoom down the ramp or
pull themselves up using the ramp’s T-shaped rails.
The Spacesaver Nest combines climbing and bouncing in
a compact design that fits easily into the corner of a room.
When arranged blue side down, it serves as a springless
trampoline-like surface, with the inflated vinyl sides offering
added safety. Flip it over, and the bottom of the bouncing surface serves as a cozy nest that students can climb into for
added spatial boundary definition.
The Abilitations Spacewalk is a giant pillow filled with
chunks of foam, creating an uneven but cushy surface for
walking, crawling, rolling, or jumping. Crawling into tight
spaces builds body awareness and motor planning skills; the
Fun Tube Tunnel’s mesh sides allow adults to monitor the
child throughout this activity.
These foam rolling pins help apply deep pressure sensory
input to assist with calming, and
they can be hung on a wall by
their handles for easy access. And,
the SensaTrak inflatable round ball
chamber offers a sensory seeking
option for rolling or rocking gently
for calming.
Consider these ideas as
starting points to help you design
a wiggle room that meets your
own students’ needs. However
you decide to equip your wiggle
room, make sure you remember to
include mats on the floor to keep
students safe.
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2020 issue of Spaces4Learning.
About the Author
Cecilia Cruse, MS. OTR/L received her BS degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Florida, and her Master’s degree in Education from Georgia State University. She is SIPT (Sensory Integration & Praxis Test) certified and has over 30 years’ experience in pediatrics with school- based services (including pre-school and Head Start programs) acute care and outpatient pediatric settings. She has authored several articles for professional periodicals and magazines and has served as a trainer/consultant and service provider in several school systems. Cecilia is currently the Subject Matter Expert for Abilitations/ School Specialty, Inc. Special Needs Division.