Our sensory swing is probably one of the my children's favourite sensory tool. Often when Artist is having a hard day and having a meltdown I will tell her to go downstairs and use her swing for 5 minutes. The majority of the time during a meltdown she will not want to on the swing but once she is on it she calms right down and stays on it for more then 5 minutes. The swing we own is InYard Therapy Swing.
A therapy swing can be used for many different types of therapies. The ones we use it mostly for are:
1. Calming down before bed: it has been suggested for my daughter to spend 15-30 minutes in the swing before bed to help her calm down.
2. Helping with melt downs: if one of my children is having a melt down I find that having them spend time in the swing can make a huge difference.
3. Work on core strength: it takes great core strength to climb into the swing and then to keep yourself stable well swinging.
4. Stimulate vestibular sense: swinging and spinning in the swing stimulates the fluid in the inner ear which is part of the vestibular system.
5. Stimulates proprioceptive system: the swing gives deep pressure which helps with the much need heavy work. It also helps the child learn more about body movement as they can feel the resistant against them as they push against the fabric.
If you are looking for one big purchase for your child I would highly suggest getting a swing. There are many different types of swings you can purchase for you home sensory therapy. Some popular swings are:
1. Pod swing - I am looking into getting this swing for my 3 year old who cannot climb into the Inyard therapy swing.
2. Mesh therapy swing- this one would work great for teens as it is more open and would allow you to sit and read a book or watch a show on T.V.
3. Stretchy fabric swing - this is currently the only swing we have. I choose this one because it is multi functional.
4. Platform swing - this swing is the one I have seen in schools and Occupational Therapist offices. These swings are usually bigger then the previous mentioned swings but also allow for multiple children to be on at one time which will help with social skills.
Please make sure to supervise your children when they are spending time on the swing and also make sure that the swing is installed correctly. If you are not sure there are lots of videos you can watch to learn how or you can hire a professional to install it for you.