Each room is designed to meet the diverse sensory needs of children, especially those with autism and sensory processing disorders.

At Warren Area High School, the finishing touch to its sensory room was a custom sensory wall decal installed by Fast Signs, featuring vibrant, dimensional artwork inspired by the Allegheny National Forest. The design provides a calming and visually engaging focal point, creating a multi-sensory experience to help students self-regulate, decompress and stay focused throughout the school day. The Warren Area High School sensory room is a dedicated space where students can explore their senses in a safe, soothing environment. For children with sensory processing challenges, every day sights, sounds, and textures can be overwhelming. The addition of sensory wall graphics offers visual input that helps promote relaxation and attention, enhancing the therapeutic benefits of the space.

The initiative expands further with new sensory rooms being developed at Youngsville Elementary School and Eisenhower Elementary School. The rooms will include a variety of therapeutic tools and sensory equipment, specifically chosen to support students with Autism and other disabilities that benefit from sensory regulation.

“Sensory-friendly” environments are designed to provide the input students need to calm their minds and bodies. That can mean a stimulating setting that helps energize and focus, or a quiet, peaceful area for decompression. Sensory rooms are typically categorized as “active” or “calming,” and students may begin in an active space before transitioning to a more soothing one, helping to bring their sensory experience full circle.

The use of sensory rooms is not intended as a reward or consequence, but rather as a component of each student’s “sensory diet”–a consistent and integrated part of their daily routine that supports regulation and learning.