What Are Sensory Supports? Why They’re Not Rewards, but Essential Tools for Regulation

By Emily Hanlon

“Sensory supports are not rewards.”

This isn’t just a professional opinion; it’s a non-negotiable stance I hold as a child psychologist. It’s a hill I will die on.

Every week, I walk into schools where fidgets, wobble cushions, movement breaks, noise-cancelling headphones, and calm-down corners are treated like gold stars...only to be handed out if a child “behaves.” And every week, I see the fallout of that mindset.

Let’s get one thing straight: Sensory tools are not privileges.

They are access.

They are regulation.

They are essential for daily functioning, just like eyeglasses help us see, or ramps help us move freely through our environment.

Why Sensory Supports Matter, And What They Actually Are

So, what are sensory supports?

Sensory supports are tools or strategies used to help individuals regulate their sensory systems. These include anything that helps a child modulate input from their environment, touch, sound, movement, sight, smell, and proprioception (the body’s sense of positioning). This might look like:

• A child bouncing on a wobble cushion to stay focused.

• Using noise-cancelling headphones in a loud classroom.

• Having a sensory chew tool during group time.

• Retreating to a calm-down corner when overstimulated.

Sensory tools help kids maintain a just-right state of arousal. They’re not toys. They’re accessibility tools, especially for neurodivergent children, including autistic students, ADHD'ers, and/or those with trauma backgrounds.

These supports help children:

• Access learning

• Communicate their needs

• Stay in the classroom

• Participate meaningfully

• Reduce overwhelm or shutdowns

• Prevent behavioural escalation

So when we talk about sensory supports, we’re talking about scaffolding a child’s ability to function in a world that often feels too loud, too bright, too fast, or too much.

But The (BIG) Problem Is: Schools Are Withholding Them

Over and over again, I hear things like:

“If he can’t follow instructions, he doesn’t get the wobble cushion.”

“If she keeps interrupting, she loses access to the sensory room.”

“If they want the fidget, they need to finish their work first.”

“If he finishes his maths, he can go in the calm down corner.”

Imagine saying this about a pair of glasses. Or a wheelchair. Or a hearing aid. We don’t take away someone’s glasses because they’re not focusing. We don’t remove a wheelchair ramp because a child is being defiant. And frankly, sensory tools are no different. The consequences of withholding them are profound.

When children don’t have access to the regulation strategies they need, we’re not teaching them resilience, we’re watching them dysregulate. And then we punish them for “behaviour.”

But the behaviour is the communication of an unmet need.

Why Withholding Sensory Tools Backfires

In my practice, I work with children and families navigating a wide range of neurotypes. Time and time again, I see how unmet sensory needs manifest as:

• Meltdowns

• Shutdowns

• Aggression

• Hyperactivity

• Task avoidance

• Social withdrawal

When regulation tools are withheld as punishment, it only compounds the dysregulation and reinforces a dangerous message:“You can only be supported if you act ‘right’.” This is deeply unfair, and it sets children up for failure. Because how can they act “right” if they’re already overwhelmed?

Think of it this way:

Would we ask someone to walk on a broken leg before giving them crutches?

Would we expect someone to read the board before putting on their glasses?

Short answer(s): no.

Then why do we ask children to demonstrate self-regulation before offering them tools to support regulation?

Regulation Is a Right, Not a Reward

Sensory supports are not earned. They are not contingent. They are not conditional.

They are a form of reasonable adjustment. They are inclusion in action. They are a child’s right to regulation. When we treat sensory supports like privileges, we send the message that they are optional. That a child must conform before being supported. But regulation isn’t a luxury. It’s a prerequisite for learning, social interaction, and emotional development. Sensory supports belong before the meltdown.Sensory supports belong during the task. Sensory supports belong always, not after behaviour meets an adult-defined standard.

The Behaviour Isn’t the Problem, It’s the Signal

I often hear educators say: “He’s acting out.” “She’s being disruptive.” “They’re choosing not to participate.” But what if that “disruption” is a child’s only way of saying:

“I’m overwhelmed.” “I don’t feel safe.” “I need something I can’t ask for.”

Behaviour is communication.

And when we understand that, we stop managing behaviour, and start meeting needs.

So, What Would Shift If We Gave Kids What They Needed First?

Let’s try this instead:

• Instead of using wobble cushions as a reward, we offer them because they support postural control and focus.

• Instead of making the calm-down corner contingent on finishing work, we teach that it’s a proactive space for self-regulation.

• Instead of using noise-cancelling headphones as a last resort, we offer them freely in noisy environments.

When we meet needs upfront, here’s what happens:

✅ Meltdowns decrease

✅ Engagement increases

✅ Kids stay in class longer

✅ Teachers spend less time managing behaviour

✅ Everyone feels safer, calmer, and more connected

Feels like a win-win, right?

I've seen it. I've lived it. The shift is real. And it starts with changing our mindset.

What Educators, Therapists and Parents Can Do Instead

Here are 7 practical steps to build a more supportive, sensory-inclusive environment:

1. Universal Access to Sensory Tools: Make tools available to everyone, not just as a reward for certain behaviours. Model use and normalise access.

2. Teach Self-Awareness: Use visuals, check-ins, and body signals to help kids recognise their own regulation needs.

3. Collaborate with Allied Health: Work with OTs, speech pathologists, and psychologists to build individualised sensory plans and routines.

4. Shift the Language: Stop saying “if you behave, you can…” and start saying “here’s what we can use to help you feel calm/focused.”

5. Embed Sensory Breaks into the Day: Don’t wait for behaviour to spiral. Offer proactive movement breaks, nature time, and quiet spaces as a regular rhythm.

6. Educate the Whole Team: Make sure all staff, including relief teachers and SLSO's, understand the purpose of sensory tools and how to respond when kids are dysregulated.

7. Respect Every Child’s Individual Needs: What calms one child may dysregulate another. There’s no one-size-fits-all. Respect each child’s unique sensory profile.

It’s time to shift the question from: “How do we motivate this child to earn their support?” To: “What would shift if we gave them what they needed in the first place?”

As professionals, we have a responsibility to create environments where children feel safe, seen, and supported, not judged, restricted, or punished for how their nervous systems are wired.

To educators, parents, therapists, and support workers, this is the work. Let’s move from behaviour control to connection. From compliance to compassion.

Because sensory supports are not rewards.

They are rights.

Let’s treat them that way.

Are you seeing sensory tools misused in your school or workplace?

What’s worked for you when advocating for regulation as a right?