Small success: My daughter made a sensory toolkit for school

My 6-year-old daughter with attention and sensory processing issues was always getting in trouble in class for talking to other kids. It got so bad that her teacher “banished” her to the corner. She was separated from the other kids — which was awful.

I figured out that sensory input helps my daughter stay focused in school. At first, I tried to give her a few sensory items, but she didn’t want them! She has an independent streak and wanted to be in charge.

We went to the discount store together, and I let her pick out what she wanted. It turns out she loves very soft things, like squish balls, and very hard things, like plastic combs. When she runs her finger along a comb and hears the sound, it calms her. She seems to know what works better than anyone else.

With the teacher’s blessing, we made a personal sensory toolkit by attaching all the items to a board and putting it into the cubby in her desk. Now, she can quietly reach in her desk during class, and it does wonders to help her keep on track. She’s back with the other kids. This experience has taught me how important it is to get my daughter involved in finding solutions.

—Franny Morin

Franny is a mom to a daughter with attention issues. She also has ADHD herself. She lives in Colorado and works in health care recruiting.

• See how to make a sensory bottle.
• Learn how to tell the difference between a fidget and a toy.