Simple Sensory Tools That Just Make Sense (and the Brain Science Behind Them)

If you’ve ever watched a child spin in circles, chew on their hoodie strings, or bounce in their chair non-stop, you’ve probably wondered: What is going on in their brain?

At Oak Learners, we see these behaviours every day. To us, they’re not “bad habits” or “misbehaviour”. They’re often a form of sensory seeking: a child’s nervous system trying to get the input it needs to feel organized, calm, and ready to learn.

In this post, we’ll look at:

• What sensory processing and sensory seeking are
• How they show up in the brain and body
• Simple sensory tools we love at Oak—across ages and price ranges—that can support kids’ sensory needs in everyday life.

What is sensory processing?

Sensory processing is the way the brain receives, organizes, and responds to information from all of our senses.

Beyond the classic five senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch), we also have:

• Vestibular: our sense of balance and movement (inner ear).

• Proprioception: our sense of body position, pressure, and force in muscles and joints.

• Interoception: our “inside” sense—hunger, heartbeat, breathing, temperature, and internal comfort or discomfort [1].

The brain is constantly integrating signals from multiple senses at once to produce a smooth, coordinated response, that is called multisensory integration [2]. A successful integration of all the senses supports attention, learning and engaging socially [2].

What is sensory seeking?

Not all nervous systems register sensory input in the same way.

Some children have high neurological thresholds—their brains need more sensory input to notice it. These children are often called sensory seekers: they’re the ones who crave big movement, loud sounds, strong pressure, or lots of touching, crashing, chewing, or spinning [3]. 

From a neuroscience and occupational therapy perspective, sensory seeking can be understood as the brain trying to:

• reach an ideal level of arousal (not too sleepy, not too wired),

• get clearer body maps through movement and pressure (vestibular and proprioceptive systems), and

• stabilize mood and attention using the body’s own chemistry.

For example, proprioceptive input—the heavy work of pushing, pulling, squeezing, and joint compression—is associated with the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin, which is linked to calming and mood regulation [4]. 

So that child who always wants to swing higher, jump farther, or squeeze into tight spaces is often not “seeking trouble”—they’re seeking regulation.

Why sensory input helps kids regulate

Different types of sensory input affect the nervous system in different ways:

• Vestibular input (swinging, spinning, rocking) helps the brain understand where the body is in space and how it is moving. It’s powerful—supportive for some children, overwhelming for others [1].

• Proprioceptive input (pushing, pulling, lifting, deep pressure) tends to be organizing and calming for most nervous systems and can help “smooth out” both over- and under-responsiveness in other senses [2].

• Deep pressure touch (firm, even pressure) activates pathways that can reduce hyperarousal and stress, which is one proposed mechanism behind the calming effects of weighted blankets and other deep-pressure tools [5] [6].

The key message for families and educators is:

Sensory input isn’t a “reward” or a “treat”—it’s often a core regulation need.

Sensory tools we love at Oak 

Below are some of the simple sensory tools we use and recommend at Oak Learners, grouped by the kinds of sensory input they support. None of these replace individualized assessment by an occupational therapist, but they can be powerful everyday supports for many children.

1. Big movement & balance: 

• • Sensory swing 
  • Spinning chairs 
  • Wobble seats
  •  Balance / wobble boards

2. Heavy work & deep pressure: 

• • Elastic bands
  • “River rocks” (stepping stones or balance stones)
  • Weighted blankets

3. Oral & tactile input: 

• • Chewelery
  • Ice cubes / juice cubes 
  • Art supplies (from crayons and markers to clay, slime, and textured paper—engage touch, vision, and sometimes smell all at once)

4. Micro-movement and rhythm: 

• • Fidget tools
  • Elastic bands
  • Wobble seats
  • Musical instruments

How we choose sensory tools at Oak Learners

Across all of these tools, a few guiding principles help us:

1. Child-led, not adult-forced: We offer options and watch how each child responds. A tool that calms one student might overwhelm another.
2. Function first: The goal is not to “get rid of” sensory behaviours but to channel them into safer, more functional outlets so children can participate, learn, and connect.
3. Less is often more: We introduce one or two tools at a time and observe carefully rather than filling the room with sensory items all at once.
4. Safety and collaboration: For students with complex needs, we collaborate with families, occupational therapists, and other professionals to select and use tools safely—especially for things like weighted items or high-intensity vestibular input.
5. Every price range matters: Many of the most powerful sensory supports—like heavy work, simple movement breaks, and basic art or music materials—are low cost or free.

References

1. Kranowitz, C. S. (2025, February 14). 3 types of sensory disorders that look like ADHD. ADDitude Magazine. https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/signs-of-sensory-processing-disorder/
2. Dionne-Dostie, E., Paquette, N., Lassonde, M., & Gallagher, A. (2015). Multisensory integration and child neurodevelopment. Brain Sciences, 5(1), 32–57. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci5010032
3. Developmental Pathways. (2020, December 22). Sensory Seekers. Educational article describing high neurological thresholds and sensory seeking behaviour in children. 
4. Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. (n.d.). What type of sensory input do I need? Patient information resource on sensory strategies and proprioception. https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/resources/patient-resources/sensory-strategies-and-resource/what-type-of-sensory-input-do-i-need?utm_source=chatgpt.com
5. Yu, J., Yang, Z., Sun, S., Sun, K., Chen, W., Zhang, L., Xu, J., Xu, Q., Liu, Z., Ke, J., Zhang, L., & Zhu, Y. (2024). The effect of weighted blankets on sleep and related disorders: a brief review. Frontiers in psychiatry, 15, 1333015. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1333015
6. Lönn, M., Aili, K., Svedberg, P., Nygren, J., Jarbin, H., & Larsson, I. (2023). Experiences of using weighted blankets among children with ADHD and sleeping difficulties. Occupational Therapy International, 2023(1), Article 1945290. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/1945290