Practical ideas and guidance for everyday challenges — helping you understand what may be happening and discover things that could help.
Help Me Choose
What sensory products might help – and where do I start?
If you are new to sensory products, knowing what to choose can be confusing.
There are hundreds of different products available. Some squeeze, click, spin, stretch, provide pressure, reduce noise, give visual feedback or simply keep hands occupied.
But the best place to start isn't with the product.
Start with the person and the situation.
You don't need to know all the terminology and you don't need to buy lots of things. Think about what is happening, when it happens and what might make that particular situation a little easier.
1. Who is the product for?
Think about the person who will actually be using it.
Age is relevant, but it isn't the only consideration.
Think about:
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physical ability and dexterity;
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understanding of how the product should be used;
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whether they are likely to squeeze, pull or manipulate something very strongly;
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whether objects are sometimes put into the mouth;
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sensitivity to particular textures, sounds, light or pressure;
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whether they enjoy repetitive movement;
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whether they prefer something discreet or don't mind it being seen; and
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whether supervision may be needed.
Someone's diagnosis does not tell you which sensory products they will like.
The individual matters more than the label.
2. What is actually happening?
Instead of asking “Which sensory product should I buy?”, try asking:
“What are we trying to make easier?”
For example:
Concentration
Would having something quiet to manipulate help keep the hands occupied while the person listens, reads or thinks?
Noise
Is background noise, conversation, traffic, a classroom, office or busy public environment making things difficult?
Waiting
Are queues, appointments, journeys or periods with nothing to do particularly difficult?
Restlessness
Does the person seem to need movement or something for their hands to do?
Overwhelm
Would reducing stimulation, moving somewhere quieter or having access to a familiar sensory item be worth trying?
Transitions
Are changes between activities, leaving home, arriving at school, finishing work or changing plans particularly difficult?
Decompression
Does the person need some space and reduced demands after school, work or a busy day?
Sometimes the answer may involve a sensory product.
Sometimes changing the environment, noise, lighting, demands or expectations may be more helpful than buying anything.
3. Where will it be used?
This can completely change what is appropriate.
At Home
Home usually provides the greatest freedom to experiment.
Think about when help is most needed:
Starting the day – getting ready, organising and transitioning into the day's activities.
Homework or working from home – concentration, sitting, listening and keeping hands occupied.
After school or work – decompression after spending hours dealing with people, demands, noise and other sensory input.
Evening – reducing stimulation and creating a calmer environment.
Something that works brilliantly while relaxing at home may not be suitable for a classroom or office.
At School or College
Consider whether a product is:
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quiet;
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reasonably discreet;
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portable;
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appropriate for the person's age and abilities;
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unlikely to distract other people; and
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permitted within the school or college.
A small quiet item may sometimes be more useful than an elaborate sensory product.
If sensory tools are needed regularly, it may be worth discussing this with the school or college.
At Work
The same principle applies.
A sensory product does not necessarily need to look like a toy.
Small, quiet and discreet items may potentially be used while:
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concentrating;
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reading;
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thinking;
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participating in meetings;
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making telephone or video calls; or
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carrying out desk-based work.
If you are unsure whether an item can be used in your workplace, discussing it with your manager or HR team may help.
Travelling & Holidays
Travel can introduce noise, crowds, waiting, unfamiliar surroundings and unexpected changes.
Think about:
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airports and stations;
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car journeys;
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trains and aircraft;
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queues;
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unfamiliar hotel rooms;
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restaurants and attractions; and
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disruption to normal routines.
Portable products that fit easily into a pocket, handbag or backpack can be particularly useful.
Sometimes reducing sensory input – for example noise or bright light – may be more useful than adding another sensory experience.
4. When is it needed?
Sensory needs aren't necessarily the same throughout the day.
Someone might want stimulation and movement at one point and quiet and reduced input later.
Morning
Getting started, organising, transitions and preparing for the day.
During the Day
Concentration, waiting, movement, noise and maintaining focus.
After School or Work
This can be an important decompression period.
Someone who has managed demands, people, noise and expectations throughout the day may simply need time, space and fewer demands.
Evening
Consider whether the aim is stimulation or winding down.
A highly stimulating product may not be the best choice when the objective is creating a calmer environment.
Travel & Unfamiliar Situations
Familiar, portable sensory items can be useful when surroundings and routines change.
5. What type of sensory experience does the person prefer?
Watch what the person naturally does.
Do they:
Squeeze?
Consider products providing resistance or pressure.
Click, turn or manipulate things?
A small mechanical or repetitive hand-held product may be worth exploring.
Constantly move their hands?
Something that can be manipulated repeatedly may help occupy them.
Seek texture?
Consider tactile surfaces and products offering different textures.
Struggle with noise?
Think about reducing the unwanted sensory input rather than introducing another fidget.
Like visual movement or light?
Visual sensory products may be worth exploring – but consider whether stimulation or calming is actually the aim.
There isn't a universally “best” sensory product.
6. Think About Safety
Think about how this particular person will actually use the product, not simply how it was designed to be used.
Could they:
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bite it;
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throw it;
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pull it apart;
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use excessive force;
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swallow a small component; or
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continue using it after it becomes damaged?
Follow the individual product's age guidance, warnings and instructions and provide appropriate supervision where necessary.
Sensory products should also be checked periodically for wear or damage.
If something becomes damaged in a way that could make continued use unsafe, stop using it.
7. How Much Should I Spend?
You don't need to spend a fortune to discover whether sensory products might be useful.
Start small.
One or two carefully chosen products can tell you much more about someone's preferences than buying a large collection of things they have never tried.
Observe what happens.
What do they repeatedly choose?
What gets ignored?
What seems comfortable?
What annoys them?
What do they keep coming back to?
You can then make your next choice based on what you have learned.
Frisson8 also offers carefully selected Packs for people who would prefer a broader collection of products to explore.
8. Don't Expect One Product to Solve Everything
Sensory preferences are highly individual.
Something one person finds wonderfully calming may irritate somebody else.
The same person may even want different things on different days.
A sensory product not producing the response you hoped for doesn't necessarily mean that the product is faulty or that you chose badly.
You have simply learned something useful about that person's preferences.
Explore. Observe. Adapt.
Still Not Sure? Ask Frisson8
You don't need to know the correct terminology.
Just tell us:
Who is it for?
What is happening or proving difficult?
Where does it happen?
When does it happen?
What does the person already seem to like or dislike?
Are there any physical, practical or safety considerations?
Approximately what would you like to spend?
We can help you narrow down the possibilities and identify products that may be worth considering.
We cannot guarantee that a particular sensory product will produce a particular result, and our suggestions are not medical advice.
(I as the founder of Frisson8 - am not medically qualified - but I do have a lifetime of resolving or at least trying to reduce the adverse affects of my many Neurodivergent differences. Most of which are - in fact - very useful, positive and useful to business, society and retationships).
There is also a professional contact page containing some useful information about NHS, Private sector, Military veteran and Therapy/Psychological support.
They are simply intended to help you make a more informed choice.
One final thought
Sometimes the most helpful sensory solution isn't something you buy.
Reducing noise, changing lighting, allowing additional time, providing somewhere quiet, reducing unnecessary demands or simply giving someone space can sometimes make a considerable difference.
Start with the person.
Think about the situation.
Then consider the product.
Frisson8
Calm. Support. Thrive.
Dorset Based – Globally Sourced