Potential OT & The Sensory Den

06/11/2025

Last weekend, Hannah and hairdresser Natalie had such a wonderful hair salon session that we just had to share it with you!

We have two children who have been coming to us for a while but really find it challenging. Both received a full haircut for the first time. Swipe to see the resources Hannah used and read on to discover why these made such a positive difference 🙌🏼

💇‍♀️ Haircuts 💇‍♂️ can sometimes feel overwhelming for many kids because of sensory input: the sounds, movement, and the feeling of hair on the skin.

A simple but effective trick? Blowing activities! 🌬️

When children blow — whether it's bubbles or playing games with straws — they take deep, controlled breaths. This helps activate the body’s calming system, making it easier for them to stay relaxed and grounded.

Next time you’re at the salon, try this:
🫧 Bring bubbles and let your child blow between snips.
🎂 Pretend to blow out “birthday candles” before and during the haircut.
🌬️ Make it fun by blowing pom poms at targets or encouraging slow, gentle breaths through a straw.

These activities keep little hands busy, promote steady breathing, and help children stay focused — turning haircut time into a moment of connection and calm.

05/11/2025

🎇 Happy Bonfire Night from everyone at Potential OT! 🎆

We hope your evening is full of dazzling fireworks 🎆, sparklers ✨, and maybe even a toasted marshmallow or two 🍡 - safely, of course!

💡 Fun fact: Bonfire Night, also called Guy Fawkes Night, dates back to 1605, when people in the UK lit fires to celebrate the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot 🎇💥.

Remember to stay safe around fireworks 🎆, keep a safe distance ↔️, and wear ear protection 👂 if needed — sensory-friendly fun is still fun! 😎

Wishing you a bright, safe, and sparkling evening! ✨🧡🎇

04/11/2025

We’re so excited that tonight Hannah started her course with Special Yoga. In 2026 we’ll be able to start using the
Knowledge and practices to benefit our clients. Watch this space for more updates about Hannah’s progress 🥰

Something special is beginning next week. ✨

Our Special Yoga & Mindfulness for Autism & ADHD course launches Tuesday 4th November, three months that could change everything for you and the neurodivergent children in your care.

Whether you're a parent, teacher, healthcare professional or yoga teacher, you'll learn:
🌟 Self-regulation techniques that work
🌟 Science-backed practices from 30 years of experience
🌟 Tools to create calmer days and deeper connections

First webinar: Tuesday 4th November, 6.30pm

👉 https://special.yoga/mindfulness

02/11/2025

Yesterday, our Director and OT, Hannah, had the wonderful opportunity to support in creating an inclusive, and calming space at for their Disney in the Dark fireworks event.

The space was thoughtfully designed to be a low-stimulation area, offering an escape from the overstimulating, busy and loud nature of the event.

The heartfelt stories shared by those who used the space truly emphasised how important it is to have a calm space at all events.

We invite you to share your comments and feedback with us- it will help us educate others and promote making these supportive spaces a regular part of events.

31/10/2025

🎃 Happy Halloween from everyone here at Potential OT! 👻

We hope your day is full of spooky fun, laughter, and maybe a few treats too! 🍬🕸️

Whether you’re dressing up as a pumpkin, a pirate, or something truly unique — we’d love to see your Halloween spirit! 🧙‍♀️🧛‍♂️

👇 Share your costumes in the comments below if you’re happy to show them off!

Stay safe, stay sensory-smart, and have a fang-tastic Halloween! 🦇🧡

29/10/2025

💛 Happy International Day of Care and Support! 🌍

Today, we celebrate all the amazing people who provide care, guidance, and support - from parents and families to care teams and multi-disciplinary teams 🫶

Your dedication, patience, and compassion make a huge difference in the lives of those you support every day. Whether it’s emotional encouragement, practical support, or teamwork behind the scenes, we see you, and we appreciate you! 🌟

A special shoutout to:
👩‍👩‍👧 Parents navigating the ups and downs of care
👩‍⚕️ Care teams providing hands-on support
🧑‍⚕️ MDTs collaborating to ensure holistic care

Thank you for your commitment, kindness, and tireless efforts — you truly make the world a better place. 💛

27/10/2025

🎆 Bonfire Night Sensory Tips from an Occupational Therapist 🔥

Bonfire Night can be full of excitement — but also a lot of sensory input!

The bright lights, loud bangs, big crowds, and strong smells can be overwhelming for some children and adults.

Here are some OT-approved tips to help make it an enjoyable (and manageable!) evening for everyone:

👂 Prepare for sound:
Use noise-reducing headphones or ear defenders.
Watch videos of fireworks beforehand so the sounds are familiar.
Start with smaller, quieter displays if possible.

👁️ Manage visual input:
Sunglasses or hats can help reduce glare from bright flashes.
Find a viewing spot further back for less visual intensity.

👃 Think about smells & smoke:
If smoke is a trigger, stay upwind or watch from indoors.
Have a familiar scent (like a favourite essential oil or fabric softener on clothing) for grounding.

🧣 Comfort through clothing:
Dress in comfortable, familiar layers - it’s often cold and noisy, and soft textures can provide calming input.

💡 Plan for calm:
Bring a small sensory toolkit (fidget toy, chewy, weighted lap pad, or favourite blanket).
Have a “quiet zone” or car nearby to retreat to if needed.

🎇 Afterwards:
Allow downtime and a calming routine when you get home. Big events take a lot of energy to process!

✨ Bonfire Night can be magical — with the right sensory supports, it can be comfortable too.

25/10/2025

We are so proud to share a wonderful achievement! 🧡

One of our clients here at Potential OT has just gone on another holiday with Options, who provide supported holidays for adults with learning disabilities.

This trip has given our client the chance to explore new places, build confidence, and enjoy new experiences — all while having fun and making memories. 🌍✨

And speaking of fun… here they are dressed as a duck for a Halloween party! 🦆🎃

Let’s just say… they really quacked us up! 😄

We love seeing our clients spread their wings and fly — even if sometimes they're dressed as ducks! 💛

24/10/2025

👻 Spooky Sensory Play! 👋

Halloween is the perfect time to explore tactile (touch-based) sensory activities - OT-style! 🧡

Tactile play helps children build sensory tolerance, fine motor skills, and confidence while having a frightfully fun time.
Here are some Halloween-themed tactile play ideas (and what you’ll need!) 🕸️

🎃 1. Pumpkin Scooping
✨ What you’ll need: A pumpkin, a spoon or scoop, and a bowl for the seeds.
Let little hands explore the slimy, stringy pumpkin insides — great for messy play and strengthening fingers!

🕷️ 2. Spooky Sensory Tuff Tray
✨ What you’ll need: A tray or tub, dried black beans or rice, plastic spiders, mini pumpkins, googly eyes, and scoops/spoons.
Encourage digging, hiding, and finding — perfect for tactile exploration and fine motor skills.

🧙‍♀️ 3. Witch’s Potion Mixing
✨ What you’ll need: A bowl, water, food colouring, glitter, plastic eye droppers, spoons, and water beads or jelly.
Let children mix, pour, and stir their own “potions” - supports coordination and creative play.

🩻 4. Mystery Touch Bags
✨ What you’ll need: Zip lock food bags, grapes (eyeballs 👀), cooked spaghetti (brains 🧠), jelly (slime), or dried pasta (bones).
Encourage guessing by touch - fantastic for building tactile discrimination and sensory curiosity.

🕸️ 5. Sticky Web Rescue
✨ What you’ll need: A shallow tray or box, masking tape, and small Halloween toys (spiders, bats, ghosts).
Stretch the tape across like a web and let children “rescue” trapped toys - great for bilateral coordination and problem-solving!

💡 Our Tip: Always check comfort levels - start with dry, familiar textures before introducing sticky, wet, or slimy ones.

Tactile play doesn’t have to be scary — just spooky fun! 🎃

27/09/2025

27/09/2025

Thank you so much to everyone who came to our open day 🙏

I was so busy I only took this one photo!!

So if you have any pictures you’d be happy to share we’d love to see them - tag us or comment below ✨