Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Department
Occupational Therapy
First Advisor
Andrea Young
Abstract
Title: Sensory Toolkit for Childcare Providers and Parents of Children in the Daycare Setting
Purpose: Around 62% of children in the United States receive care from care-based centers (U.S Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistic [NCES], (2021). Of the children in daycare, about 41% attend for 35 or more hours a week (Capizzano & Adams, 2000). The children’s environment within a daycare provides several sensory experiences that can both support and hinder their success in their daily occupations. When sensory needs are unmet, undesired behaviors can occur and impact their performance in daily occupations (Bodison & Parham, 2017). The purpose of this toolkit is to provide a resource for childcare providers and parents to use with children to help meet their sensory needs and increase participation and performance in their daily occupations.
Methods: To create the Sensory Toolkit for Childcare Providers and Parents of Children in the Daycare Setting, an extensive literature review was conducted to gather information about daycare contexts, early childhood development, and sensory needs of children for occupational performance. Main findings of the literature review supported the need for a sensory-based toolkit to be utilized by daycare providers to help meet the sensory needs of all children within the daycare context. Ecology of Human Performance Model (Dunn, 2017) perspectives were used, along with the literature review, to support the development of a sensory-based toolkit to be used by daycare providers to help meet the sensory needs of children in a daycare setting.
Results: The Sensory Toolkit for Childcare Providers and Parents of Children in the Daycare Setting is to be used by childcare providers and parents of children in a daycare setting. The toolkit is organized to help inform childcare providers and parents on the sensory system and the impacts it can have on daily functioning, and strategies to adapt/modify the environment or activities to meet their sensory needs for improved occupational experiences.
Conclusion: Overall, the development of a Sensory Toolkit for Childcare Providers and Parents of Children in the Daycare Setting was created in collaboration with a rural daycare center in North Dakota to support daycare providers and parents in meeting the sensory needs of the children. Through ongoing use of this toolkit, children’s sensory needs will be addressed, therefore increasing their individual participation in daily occupations and activities.
Recommended Citation
Jacobson, Cierra Marie, "Sensory Toolkit For Childcare Providers And Parents Of Children In The Daycare Setting" (2024). Occupational Therapy Capstones. 624.
https://commons.und.edu/ot-grad/624