The child who covers their ears at singing time, chews their sleeve, crashes into the cushions or bolts from a busy room is often telling you something about how their nervous system handles sound, touch and movement. Sensory processing is how the brain receives that information, organises it and decides how to respond. For some children it works differently, and the effects show up at carpet time, at the lunch table and in the cloakroom.
This sensory processing course explains the eight senses, helps you recognise children who avoid input, seek it or do both, and walks you through a sensory audit of your own rooms. It finishes with practical strategies, what overload does to behaviour, and how to work with families.
Why sensory processing matters in the early years
A child who cannot filter the noise of a busy room cannot listen to a story in it. A child overwhelmed by the smell of lunch cannot enjoy eating. Many incidents recorded as behaviour are sensory overload, and they tend to cluster where the load peaks: transitions, the end of busy sessions, lunchtime and late afternoon. Once practitioners understand this, behaviour makes more sense, rooms get calmer for everyone and families feel understood.
Sensory regulation sits underneath the EYFS prime areas. A dysregulated child struggles with personal, social and emotional development, with communication and with the physical confidence to explore. Sensory support is about need, not labels. You don’t need a diagnosis to adapt your practice, and practitioners describe what they see rather than diagnose.
What’s in the course
- Making sense of sensory processingHow the nervous system receives, organises and responds to information, and why we describe need rather than apply labels.
- The eight sensesThe familiar five plus vestibular, proprioception and interoception, and the behaviour they explain.
- Recognising sensory differencesAvoiders, seekers and mixed profiles, and how to observe and record fairly.
- Sensory-friendly environmentsAuditing sound, light, clutter, smell and touch, and setting up a calm den.
- Sensory strategies and activitiesTransition warnings, heavy work, chew and fiddle alternatives, adjusting demands and graded messy play.
- Sensory needs, behaviour and familiesResponding to overload, partnering with parents, and when to suggest the route to an occupational therapist.
- Assessment10 questions. Pass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
What you’ll learn
- What the three hidden senses do: vestibular for balance and movement, proprioception for body position and force, interoception for signals like hunger, temperature and a full bladder
- Why deep pressure and heavy work such as pushing, pulling, carrying and climbing calm almost every child
- How to recognise hyper-responsive and hypo-responsive children, and why most show a mixed profile that shifts with tiredness and change
- How to write observations that answer four questions: what the child did, when and where, what was happening around them, and what helped
- How to audit a room at child height for noise, glare, visual clutter, smells and unpredictable touch
- Why a calm den must always be available and never used as a punishment or time-out spot
- How to grade messy play from looking, to poking with a tool, to one fingertip, to a whole hand, over weeks
- When sensory needs call for a suggestion to see the GP or health visitor, who can refer to occupational therapy
Who this course is for
- Practitioners and key persons supporting children who find parts of the day hard
- SENCOs gathering observations within the graduated approach
- Room leaders and managers planning room layouts, routines and calm spaces
- Staff working with autistic children or children with ADHD, where sensory differences are common
How it works
- OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
- 6 short lessonsAbout 45 minutes in total.
- 10-question assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
- CertificateIssued when you pass. NFAQ accredited.
Training your team
A calmer room, staggered cloakroom times and a protected calm den only work when the whole team understands why they matter. Choose the number of learners at checkout, with group rates from 3 learners, or get it as part of the Training Portal for £5 per learner per month. It pairs well with Understanding Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Frequently asked questions
What are the eight senses?
Sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell, plus three hidden senses: vestibular (balance and movement), proprioception (body position and pressure) and interoception (internal signals such as hunger, thirst and needing the toilet).
Does a child need a diagnosis before we make changes?
No. Sensory support is about need, not labels. Many children with no diagnosis have sensory needs, and changes to the environment help every child in the room.
Can we tell a parent their child has sensory processing disorder?
No. Diagnosis belongs to health professionals such as paediatricians and occupational therapists. Share factual observations instead, such as what the child did, when it happened and what helped.
How should we respond to a sensory meltdown?
Treat it as a nervous system past its limit. Reduce input, keep your words few and calm, stay low and unhurried, and wait. Reconnect first, and put your energy into changing the trigger.
When should we suggest an occupational therapist?
When sensory differences significantly affect daily life despite good support, for example eating that is very restricted or needs that block sleep, toileting or taking part. The usual route is the GP or health visitor, and your written observations make any referral stronger.
What happens if I don’t pass the assessment?
You can resit it as many times as you need until you pass. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.
