The Child Life Therapy team has received a generous donation to update our multi-sensory room. However, we have found at times there were some children who were unable or unwilling to access the room. 

This is where the idea for a Mobile Sensory Trolley emerged. Over the last couple of months, equipment has been carefully selected and this idea has been brought to life.

Humans are dependent from birth on sensory stimulation to ensure survival, growth and wellbeing. Senses bring joy and enrich our experience of the world. Impairment of any of our senses requires an ability to adapt and means the remaining senses work harder to accommodate the absence. 

This is the experience of most of our children, so sensory stimulation is a vital part of their growth and development. Our mobile sensory trolley is a complete multi-sensory room on wheels, providing an immersive sensory environment which can be used in a bedroom. It is designed for  

Nurturing touch helps a child to establish a feeling of being connected, cared for and contributes to their wellbeing. 

The trolley offers a range of interactive, stimulating, and motivating equipment, as well as providing helpful distraction that can be adapted for all ages and  
individual needs. 

What's in the Mobile Sensory Trolley?

Laser twilight projector

A laser twilight projector can be aimed at the ceiling or wall so that the children can see their room transform into an animated night sky with thousands of shooting stars and moving cloud formations. There are light up objects to look at, different textures that can be touched and moving parts to explore. 

Many items can be controlled by the child, with switches allowing them to turn lights on and off – developing an understanding of cause and effect, choice making, switch skills, visual focus and tracking. 

Massage kits

Tactile experiences such as therapeutic massage can help with relaxation, regulation and a sense of being in the world, particularly for children with sight and hearing limitations. 

The Mobile Sensory Trolley has massage tools to help calm and relax. You can use them on the skin or over clothes. Another option is to massage moisturizing lotion into a child's hands, arms, and feet. Playing soothing music during the massage can make it even more effective.. 

Massage therapy has many benefits including soothing discomfort, promoting attachment and bonding, helping to decrease anxiety, increased body awareness and brain development. 

Bubbles, liquid tiles and colour tubes

Exciting objects are crucial for kids' development, stimulating their senses. Our colour cylinders are visually appealing, showing patterns and colourful bubbles that engage and soothe children. Liquid floor tiles are interactive, allowing kids to press, sit, turn, and move the liquid with their hands to mix colours. 

Active children can stand on these tiles, bouncing and balancing to improve coordination. The giant sight and sound tubes are lightweight for easy holding, filled with intriguing objects that turn and create various sounds. Bubbles provide a fun and absorbing sensory experience.

The items can also be enjoyed in combination with music, which greatly enhances the sensory experience. The idea is to consider each child and how we can make the objects accessible to them, which visual effects might visually engage them, what items will meet and develop their cognition and communication, and if there is a particular angle, distance or volume that enables them to get the most out of the equipment.

The beauty of this equipment is that it is easy to control the amount of sensory input and stimulation on offer at any one time to meet each individual’s needs.

We look forward to making use of this exciting new resource.