The sensory organs can be stimulated at a very early age in a conscious way, to achieve a wellness and relaxation effect for various therapeutic, educational or simply fun purposes. In this sense, the Snoezelen or multisensory room offers multiple sensory stimulation options for children in controlled environments.
Snoezelen is a technique that started in Holland, whose term is a contraction of two words "snuffelen" and "doezelen" meaning "to smell" and "to relax". Its initial purpose was to achieve improvement in different developmental disorders.
What is a Snoezelen room?
The Snoezelen or multisensory room for children is a conditioned space for sensory stimulation. They are very pleasant and accessible both visually and cognitively, since, in these controlled environments, a great variety of objects, sounds, lights, textures, images, colors, aromas, vibrations, etc. can be found.
The Snoezelen room allows children to experiment through their senses: hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste. In these spaces, the input of information from the environment to the activated central nervous system is experienced in a unique and efficient way, remembering that the senses are the first vehicle that allows children to get to know the world. This contact favors learning, relaxation, self-control and the perception of sensations adjusted to the needs of each child.
Type
Depending on the materials in the room, three types can be distinguished: white rooms, dark rooms and adventure rooms. Although within the same room two environments are reflected: passive and active.
White Room:
As its name suggests, it is white in color. The purpose of this space is to promote the child's control and relaxation in a passive environment. The stimuli received are made by discovery and spontaneity, starting from sight and then moving on to the other senses.
Dark or black rooms:
They are characterized by dark lighting with bright and fluorescent elements. This room seeks stimulation by revelation, facilitating learning by the search for surprises. The first sense that is activated in this room is the sense of smell, then hearing and sight, until all of them are completed.
Adventure room:
In comparison with the previous ones, in the adventure room, lighting does not play a relevant role, but the materials it contains, such as obstacles, surprises or balls, among others, do. Its purpose is to promote sensory and cognitive development through motor actions.
What material is needed?
The Snoezelen room presents a wide range of materials, not all rooms have the same objects and elements, this will depend on the criteria of the specialists, there is no manual for the selection of elements. In the room you can find visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, vestibular and proprioceptive materials. Some of these can be:
- Bubble tubes.
- Fiber optics.
- Light projector.
- Water bed.
- Ball pool.
- Large balls.
- Sound equipment.
- Aroma diffuser.
These rooms also have a wide variety of surfaces: smooth, rough, soft, shiny, vibrant, among others.
Undoubtedly, the Snoezelen or multisensory room is a space of pedagogical innovation that allows the creation of personalized environments to meet the specific needs of each child. In Logos Nursery, nursery school located in Las Rozas de Madrid, we educate in emotions and sensations using the whole multisensory methodology in a didactic and educational way, so that our students live a unique experience that favors their self-esteem, decision making or concentration, among other aspects. We invite you to learn more about our multisensory project with which children live a unique experience in the beginning of their education.
