BOUNCE Approach®Sensory IntegrationCPD CertifiedOn-DemandND-Affirming
Emotional Overwhelm Due to Sensory Overload
Understand the sensory system and how a child’s nervous system can become overwhelmed by their environment — and how to support them through a sensory diet of activities.
Understanding how our senses work and how they impact our emotions is crucial, especially for children. Our senses — including the vestibular (balance) and proprioception (body awareness) systems — play a significant role in how we perceive and respond to the world. When children experience over-sensitivity, under-sensitivity, or sensory cravings, it can lead to emotional overwhelm. By assessing a child’s sensory needs, we can tailor strategies to help them manage their responses.
Implementing a sensory diet — a variety of sensory-based activities designed to meet a child’s sensory needs effectively — can include deep pressure input, swinging, or tactile play. By exploring and using these calming activities, children can learn to regulate their emotions better, reducing feelings of overwhelm and enhancing their overall well-bein
Also included
Three bonus resources to deepen your practice.
📊 Regulation Snapshot Access
A structured snapshot to look beneath behaviour and identify where the regulatory barrier sits — so you can respond to what is actually happening in the nervous system.
📈 Progress Overview Access
Track entry to exit progress and evidence what has changed across the review period — giving you a clear picture of impact over time.
🧠 Introduction to the BOUNCE Approach® Webinar
Understand the nervous system foundations behind regulation, emotional expression, and connection — so you can apply them with confidence in your sessions.
Objectives
Learning Objectives
By the end of this training, you will be able to:
1
Understand how our senses work and how they impact on our emotions
Explain how sensory input is processed by the nervous system and why the connection between sensation and emotional state is central to understanding a child’s regulation and behaviour.
2
Understand the importance of the vestibular and proprioceptive systems on emotions
Explore how these two hidden senses — balance and body position — directly shape emotional state, attention, and regulation, and why they are so often overlooked in emotional support planning.
3
Explore over-sensitivity, under-sensitivity, and craving behaviours
Recognise the three main sensory response patterns — hypersensitivity, hyposensitivity, and sensory seeking — and understand what each looks like in practice and what it communicates about a child’s nervous system needs.
4
Review how to assess sensory needs
Understand how to identify and assess a child’s individual sensory profile — so support is matched to their specific needs rather than applied generically.
5
Explore how to meet sensory needs using a sensory diet
Understand what a sensory diet is, how it works, and how to build one that is tailored, practical, and embedded into the rhythm of a child’s day rather than bolted on as an add-on.
6
Look at an array of sensory-based calming activities
Explore a range of practical, accessible sensory activities that support nervous system calming — and understand how to select and sequence them based on the individual child’s profile and state.
Resources
What’s Included
Two practical resources to support sensory assessment and planning in your setting.
1
Sensory Checklist
A structured checklist for identifying a child’s sensory profile — covering over-sensitivity, under-sensitivity, and seeking behaviours across each sensory system so you can build an accurate picture of their needs.
2
Sensory Diet Toolkit
A practical toolkit for planning and implementing an individualised sensory diet — with activities, scheduling guidance, and tools to help you embed sensory support into a child’s daily routine.
