Creating Sensory Friendly Spaces in the Home Without Breaking the Bank
Many families think sensory-friendly spaces require a therapy room makeover or expensive equipment, but most changes can be simple, budget-friendly, and powerful.
Start With the Environment Not the Equipment
Lighting: Swap harsh bulbs for soft/warm LED lights or use string lights.
Sound: Add a white noise machine (or even a fan) to buffer noise.
Visual clutter: A clean corner can reduce sensory overwhelm more than buying gear.
DIY Sensory Tools that Cost Less Than $10
Weighted lap pad → fill a pillowcase with rice or beans. Choose a fun patterned pillow case to personalize it and you can adjust the weight by adding or removing more rice/beans.
Sensory bins → dollar store bins + beans, rice, or sand. It can also be fun to add themes to these bins by adding some glitter, colored pony beads, different shaped erasers, etc. For example: Adding sand, some small plastic/rubber fish, and a little shovel could create a beach themed bin! Another favorite is a Dinosaur Bin with black beans, some dinosaur characters, plastic trees/pants (all of these are found at the Dollar Tree or Dollar Store).
Fidgets → Stress balls made from balloons! Add some playdoh or putty to a deflated balloon and tie it off. It makes for the perfect stress ball and fidget toy with no mess.
Sensory Bottle → Grab an empty water bottle and add warm water + clear glue + any small fun items to float around! (Glitter, beads, pom poms, feathers, etc.)
Repurpose What You Already Have
Blankets for forts and dark spaces (cozy input).
Yoga ball as a budget-friendly movement chair.
Old mattress toppers and pillows for crash mats.
Create Sensory ‘Zones’ Instead of Rooms
No need to take up multiple rooms in the house for different designated activities. A sensory room can be home to all kinds of sensory equipment and ‘zones’ within one room.
A quiet corner with a beanbag + headphones available.
A movement corner with cushions for jumping (or splurge on a small trampoline)
Small baskets for different sensory tools (calm basket vs. alert basket). These baskets might have different fidget toys, different textures, different colors, some make sound, some are quiet, etc.
Get Kids Involved
What might be regulating for one person, could do the exact opposite to another. For this reason, whoever the space is intended for, let them choose colors, textures, and items for the space! This ensures that there is buy-in and that the space is truly regulating.
This also promotes a sense of autonomy and independence as well as promotes self management skills by having the individual communicate to you what helps them and what they like!
Remember- Less Can Be More
This isn’t necessarily true for everyone, however, too many sensory items can create clutter and overwhelm. Think about how much more calm and relaxed you feel when the house is clean and you can kick back on the couch with a favorite lit candle and no nagging piles of clutter in the corner.
Start small and then build from there when you see what actually helps versus what just takes up space.
“Creating a supportive sensory environment isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection, comfort, and creativity.”
