During our sensory friendly vacation Bible school I noticed a not so obvious problem. Our church is fairly large. However, there are only a few hallways which meant they became very crowded and therefore very noisy. Clearly kids who have sensory issues are at the very least going to be bothered, if not overwhelmed.
The solution is simple. Since we were in our own group we were on our own schedule. We simply moved locations when the other groups settled and the hallways were empty. So, it was just a matter of timing the transition to make it as easy as possible on the kids.
Another area you need to pay attention to are the games. If you have worked a Vacation Bible School before, you probably know what I’m talking about. Many of the recommended games involve the kids getting wet or being very close to other kids, such as a three-legged race. Something else I noticed was that many of the activities required some basic physical skill and coordination. Many of the kids I worked with did not have that skill. They are not coordinated. So, we modified the games to something that they could do and also gave them a level of sensory input they can handle.
Play your games in a sensory friendly area. Our church has a gym. However, as you can guess, this was too noisy with the hardwood floors and other groups coming in and out. We had a nice place outside and the kids loved it. Remember, keep it fun and be flexible!
- Sensory Friendly Vacation Bible School – Part 2 - June 27, 2017
- Sensory Friendly Vacation Bible School – Part 2 - June 27, 2017
- Sensory Friendly Vacation Bible School – Part 2 - June 27, 2017
