Friedericks
I became a parent shortly after earning my library degree, and ended up becoming a stay-at-home parent before I ever had a chance to work in a library.
On the bright side, I was able to experience our former neighborhood library as a patron. My son loved story time as a toddler, but eventually refused to go into the story time room. The number of kids seemed to overwhelm him. We were starting to notice more sensory differences, and it was also the first time I realized for some children, unmet sensory needs can pose barriers to accessing library resources. A child with sensitive hearing may not tolerate singing songs during story time. A child with difficulty sitting still for long periods of time may be reluctant to read or struggle while working with a tutor at the library.
Eventually, he was able to participate in that library’s sensory-friendly story time. And today, I am lucky enough to have a career in the Kids Department at Greenwood Public Library, where we continuously work to remove sensory barriers. We recently added a Sensory Menu filled with a variety of items. Similar to our Toy Menu in which children can borrow a toy or game while visiting the library, kids can request items from the Sensory Menu to use during their library visit. Items include noise cancelling headphones, weighted lap pads, a weighted vest, wiggle seats, fidget toys, timers, and handwriting aides.
As excited as we are to offer this resource at the library, we also wanted to offer the opportunity for library patrons to utilize similar sensory items in their home, school, and community settings. Cardholders now have the opportunity to check out Sensory Kits from the Kids Department. From weighted blankets that assist with sleep to board game-style divided plates designed to help picky eaters to visual schedules and timers that help kids with transitions, our patrons have access to a collection of over 20 Sensory Kits.
In addition to sensory items that are typically used for children with diagnoses such as Autism, ADHD or Sensory Processing Disorder, the collection also includes a Braille Kit and American Sign Language Kit. Both are ideal for anyone interested in learning these forms of communication, whether it is out of necessity or simply to learn a new skill. And thanks to a donation from Special Olympics Indiana, the collection also includes kits filled with a variety of equipment and activities to promote inclusive, active play.
So why offer Sensory Kits for patrons to checkout? As a parent I have learned firsthand that fully met sensory needs allow more space for a child’s learning and personal growth. I have also learned that some sensory items work better than others depending on the child. This makes purchasing decisions difficult, especially when an item is expensive and only available sight unseen online. A library collection of sensory items seemed like the perfect solution.
When I surveyed area families, providers and educators as a trainee in the IU School of Medicine’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities program, I learned I was not alone in my experiences. There appears to be a gap between interest in sensory items and access. In fact, 80% of respondents who had considered purchasing sensory items were prevented from doing so by cost at least once. And 76% of respondents reported purchasing at least one sensory item that the child did not like or did not meet their needs, so it is no wonder that families would be cautious when deciding what to purchase.
Whether you are looking to try before you buy, need a temporary solution or need access to an otherwise unaffordable sensory item, we hope that you will see GPL as a resource. And while many of these sensory items are designed to assist individuals with diagnoses like Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Anxiety, ADHD, etc. the use of GPL’s sensory items is open to anyone who is interested.
Increasingly, the use of things like fidget toys and weighted blankets have become more mainstream as more and more people have realized their benefits. No matter the reason, we hope that GPL’s Sensory Kits will, as part of our mission, enrich your child’s life, promote personal discovery and foster their personal growth.
For more information and videos on our kits, visit www.greenwoodlibrary/us/kidskits. For information on disability resources, visit www.greenwoodlibrary.us/disability.
