The five senses we generally learn about are sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. But did you know we have more than five senses? That’s right- our bodies rely on more than our eyes, ears, noses, tongues, and skin to interpret our environment. We have eight senses that help shape our understanding of the world around us!
Visual or Sight is the sense that uses the eyes to perceive light and interpret it as images.
Auditory or Sound is the sense that uses the ears to perceive sound and interpret its meaning.
Olfactory or Smell is the sense that uses the nose to detect and identify odors.
Gustatory or Taste is the sense that uses the tongue to identify and recognize flavors.
Tactile or Touch is the sense that uses the skin to perceive physical sensations.
Vestibular is the sensory system responsible for balance and spatial orientation.
Proprioception is the sensory system responsible for self-awareness of the body.
Interoception is the sense of the internal state of the body.
Although we all equally rely on our senses to engage with our environment, we all experience sensations differently. We all have different sensory thresholds. A sensory threshold is the point at which we experience sensation.
A child with a low sensory threshold is quick to notice sensory stimuli and would be considered a “sensory avoider.” This child will avoid sensations they cannot handle, is easily overloaded or overwhelmed, and this may even be painful to them. They may need help decreasing certain sensory input throughout their day. For instance, a child who has a low auditory threshold may be overwhelmed by people talking around him, loud noises, or even soft background noises that a typical sensory system can tune out like the sound of a fan blowing or a breeze rustling curtains.
A child with a high sensory threshold is slow to notice sensory stimuli and is considered a “sensory seeker.” This child will generally seek out behaviors and sensations to understand their body better. For instance, a child with high auditory sensory input may like to play music very loudly, talk very loudly, or scream and yell to regulate her body.
Download the following Sensory Needs Checklist to help determine your own or your child’s sensory needs and follow along for our blog series highlighting each of the sensory systems!
To learn even more about sensory adaptations and the importance of sensory play, enroll in our FREE online course “Teaching Strategies: Let’s Play!”