Your Local Sensory Supplier

 

We may be based in Cheshire, but we’d like to think of ourselves as your local sensory supplier. Our installation team are always on the road, travelling the country to create, install and maintain sensory rooms.

We thought we’d go on a road trip to show you all our favourite projects across the country! From Aberdeenshire to Kent, our sensory team have transformed rooms and transformed lives.

North West

  • Cheshire
  • Lancashire
  • Cumbria

Inside Ruby's Fund's Big Pink Sensory Bus, including hurricane tube, sensory projector and fibre optics.

Top Project: Ruby’s Fund Sensory Bus

Perhaps one of our most creative projects to date! We transformed the inside of Ruby’s Fund’s bright pink bus into an accessible, portable sensory room on wheels.  The project was part of a larger collaboration with our design team and the local charity. We carefully designed the van’s interior so it would not only be filled with sensory wonder but also wheelchair accessible and inclusive for all the people it meets.

Inside, you’ll find all the classic sensory room resources, like a brightly bubbling bubble tube, twinkling fibre optics, and a dreamy projector (as well as a few other sensory surprises).

Ruby’s Fund ‘Big Pink Bus’ is used to deliver sessions as part of the charity’s sensory and short-breaks services, supporting families across Cheshire East.

Other Sensory Projects in the North West

 

North East

  • Northumberland
  • Durham
  • Tyne & Wear

Custom tactile wall panels along the corridor of a care home. Ideal for distracting and comforting residents with cognitive decline.

Top Project: Prestwick Care Homes

Sensory isn’t only for younger years; it can also be used to therapeutically support older individuals, too. We had the privilege of working with the care team at Prestwick Care to redesign and adapt functional spaces into calming and supportive sensory environments. This included the creation of bespoke tactile wall panels to line the home’s main corridor, as well as the addition of calming lighting effects in bathrooms for a more relaxing bathing experience.

Other Sensory Projects in the North East

University of North Tees Hospital (A&E, Children’s Ward), Thomas Bewick School, Percy Headly School, Castle School, The Tree House Early Years Centre.

 

Yorkshire & The Humber

  • East Riding of Yorkshire
  • North Yorkshire
  • South Yorkshire
  • West Yorkshire

Inside More Rehab's sensory integration room. With a large O frame with platform swing for vestibular development.

Top Project: More Rehab

We worked alongside Anna and the Occupational Therapy team at More Rehab to design their dream sensory integration space at their dedicated rehabilitation centre in Sheffield. The room, with its C swing frame, safety padding, and collection of movement-based resources, is designed to help their clientele feel more comfortable and confident in their bodies and the way they move.

Other Sensory Projects in the Yorkshire & The Humber

 

West Midlands

  • Birmingham
  • Coventry
  • Wolverhampton
  • Dudley
  • Sandwell
  • Solihull
  • Walsall

Dark sensory room at Two Rivers Primary School. Filled with glowing UV reactive resources that are great for calming and visual development.

Top Project: Two Rivers Primary School

Ready, set, GLOW! Two Rivers Primary School were interested in creating a sensory room that was the total opposite of a classroom, a space where students could escape to find calm and regulate their senses. And what better way to escape the classroom than into an immersive, glowing, sensory dark room?

Dark rooms are amazing therapeutic spaces – with lower light levels, and a retro arcade glow – they inspire imaginations and calm sensory systems. With a selection of special sensory resources that all glow brightly under a UV light, they provide a unique visual experience.

Other Sensory Projects in the West Midlands

 

East Midlands

  • Derbyshire
  • Leicestershire
  • Lincolnshire
  • Northamptonshire
  • Nottinghamshire
  • Rutland

Modular safety wall padding in a bedroom at St Andrew's healthcare.

Top Project: St Andrew’s Healthcare

We’ve had lots of creative fun creating sensory rooms in the East Midlands. One of our biggest projects in the area was our custom padding project at St Andrew’s Healthcare. We worked with their specialist team to create modular padding that could be used in a mix-and-match style to create safe bedroom environments. Using a special hook-and-clasp system, the padding could be easily removed by staff (when needed) and effortlessly create safe environments for patients in the spaces.

Want to find out more about our specialist safety floor and wall padding?

Other Sensory Projects in the West Midlands

 

East of England

  • Bedfordshire
  • Cambridgeshire
  • Essex
  • Hertfordshire
  • Norfolk
  • Suffolk

Before and After at Loddon Primary School. An old accessible bathroom transformed into an accessible sensory room.

Top Project: Loddon Primary School

Loddon Primary shows how a little creative thinking can transform any space into a new immersive sensory area. At Loddon, we transformed an old accessible toilet into an accessible sensory room. Our handy install team put all of their skills to the test as they gutted the old space, safely removing tiles, toilets and hold mirrors, to totally redecorate, rewire, and renew the space into a calming, glowing and exciting dark sensory room.

With a glow-in-the-dark carpet, vibrating bumpers on the walls, and a bubble tube podium, a relaxing ambience, you’d never believe that you were in an old bathroom space.

Simple and effective, this is one of the reasons why we like to tell our customers that we can really, truly create a sensory room in any spare space you may have.

Other Sensory Projects in the East of England

 

London

Immersive interactive sensory room at Kensington Queensmill school in london. With ceiling to floor wall projectors.

Top Project: Kensington Queensmill School

One of our most exciting projects comes from Kensington Queensmill School in London, where we installed one of our favourite Immersive Rooms. With large interactive projection areas on the room’s walls and floor, students can immerse themselves in a transformative sensory environment, exploring their senses and expanding their imaginations in a fully controlled space.

Whether they choose to explore the magical depths of the ocean, take an intergalactic tour of the cosmos, or spend a sunny day at the beach, immersive environments are at students’ fingertips, ready to expand their minds and transform their learning experience.

Find out more about our immersive interactive rooms.

Other Sensory Projects in London

 

South East

  • Berkshire
  • Buckinghamshire
  • East Sussex
  • Hampshire
  • Isle of Wight
  • Kent
  • Oxfordshire
  • Surrey
  • West Sussex

Sensory box viewing area at Southampton FC for fans with disabilities, special needs and sensory processing disorders.

Top Project: Southampton FC

Back in 2024, we helped Southampton FC kick off their return to the Premier League with an extra special surprise… a brand-new sensory room! Surrounded by glowing LED lights and cushioned by soft, cosy padding, the new sensory space at St Mary’s Stadium is the perfect place for fans to chill out and safely regulate their senses.

Interactive wall panels provide distracting visual and audio effects, while the interactive floor projector supports active sensory exploration and friendly football matches!

Southampton FC is part of our dream team of sensory room stadium projects! Did you know that we’ve also installed sensory rooms at Manchester City, Crystal Palace and Chelsea FC?

Other Sensory Projects in the South East

Canterbury Oast Trust, Loddon Primary School, Riverview Junior School.

 

South West

  • Cornwall
  • Devon
  • Dorset
  • Somerset
  • Wiltshire
  • Gloucestershire
  • Bristol

Belmont's inclusive sensory room that can be centrally controlled with an iPad - for ease and accessibility

Top Project: Belmont Special School

Designed with accessibility in mind, Belmont’s sensory room’s lights and effects can all be centrally controlled with an iPad. It’s a great way for children to develop their preferences and self-confidence as they take charge and create something special for themselves.

Our favourite part of the space is the cosy projection corner, where users can lie back in the rocker seat and dreamily watch the whales swimming by the window. Belmont’s sensory room is an extraordinary space where the whole school community can come together to relax, have fun, and explore their senses.

Other Sensory Projects in the South West

 

Wales

Top Project: Hope House & Tŷ Gobaith

Hope House Sensory Room by Rhino UK

In early 2022, we completed a refurb project at Hope House & Tŷ Gobaith – it was a meaningful job for a very rewarding charity. We transformed their old sensory space by installing new-to-measure safety padding, mood lighting, and interactive sensory resources, so the space feels brand-new.

It was also so lovely reading about how the sensory areas have transformed the lives of the children at the hospice – “Seeing children smile, make choices, play and interact as a result of both the pool and sensory room is incredible.”

Other Sensory Projects in Wales

 

Scotland

Soft play, immersive and calming sensory rooms at St Crispin's School in Edinburgh

Top Project: St Crispin’s School

We installed not one, not two, but three unique sensory spaces at St Crispin’s School in Edinburgh. As part of a £12m new-build project, Edinburgh Council were looking to use the new St Cripsin’s site as a hub for inclusivity, learning and development for SEND children in the south side of the city. For the project, we designed a colourful Soft Play Room (for gross motor and vestibular development, and play!), an Immersive Room with interactive wall-to-floor projectors (for a unique learning environment and imaginative play), and a classic Calming Sensory Room (for reflection and regulation).

Other Sensory Projects in Scotland

 

Ready To Start Your Sensory Project?

It’s never been easier to kick off your sensory project. Book a discovery meeting with our friendly design team today – they’ll talk you through your budget, space and plans, and put together a robust proposal including full costings, 3D room visuals, and a proposed timeline for installation.

 

Speak to an expert

Summer Sensory Activity Pack

 

Are you ready for another season of sensory adventures? Summer is the perfect time to head outside, connect with nature, and explore your senses. From watching the bees and butterflies buzz from flower to flower, to cooling down with a fruity ice pop on a hot day  – there are so many ways for you to develop key sensory skills whilst also having lots of fun!

To help you make the most of your summer, we’ve put together another free-to-download Summer Sensory Activity Pack – the ultimate rainy day boredom buster!

From magical arts and crafts projects to easy-to-make and healthy recipes, our sensory experts have specially designed this pack to help you make the most of your summer.

What you’ll find inside:

  • Mirror Madness (Tracing Activity)
  • How To Make a Fairy Door (Craft)
  • Sandcastle Shadow Matching (Visual Match Game)
  • Taste Safe Sensory Beach (Messy Play Tub)
  • Starfish Shore (Counting Game)
  • Strawberry Ice Cream Pops (Recipe)
  • Starfish Sandwich Pancakes (Recipe)
  • Under The Sea Themed Colouring Pages

Our seasonal activity booklet is ideal for individuals with sensory processing disorders, learning disabilitiesautism, or those with a free afternoon to explore their senses.

Head to our Activity Pack page to download your copy of the Summer Sensory Activity Pack.

Useful Sensory Blogs:

 

Spring Sensory Activity Pack

 

Get ready to explore a world of sensory play with our specially curated spring sensory activity pack that’s bursting with creativity and fun!

From vibrant arts and crafts projects to sensory activities and hands-on experiments, this eggstra-special pack is designed to bring a touch of magic to your springtime adventures. Let your creativity bloom. Get ready to dive in and let the springtime fun begin!

What you’ll find inside:

  • Springtime Snap
  • Garden Carrot Cake Recipe
  • Mirror Madness
  • Crafty Sheep Crafts
  • Maze Challenges
  • Chocolate Dough Slime
  • The Bug Hub
  • Colouring Pages

Our seasonal activity booklet is perfect for anyone with a sensory processing disorder, learning disability, autism, or a free afternoon to explore their senses.

Head to our Activity Pack page to download your copy of the Spring Activity Pack.

 

Useful Sensory Blogs:

 

Halloween Sensory Activity Pack 2023

 

If you’re after some spooktacular autumn activities to thrill your little monster’s senses, dive into our free Halloween Sensory Activity Pack! Specially assembled by our sensory team, the pack is designed to keep little hands busy whilst nurturing and developing senses and letting their creativity run wild!

What you’ll find inside:

  • Autumn Scavenger Hunt
  • Spider Biscuits Recipe
  • Maze Challenge
  • Pumpkin Slime Recipe
  • Pet Party Counting Activity
  • Bubbling Brew Science Experiment
  • Spooky Dot to Dots
  • Leaf Crown Crafts
  • Halloween Cat Colouring Pages

Our seasonal activity booklet is perfect for anyone with a sensory processing disorder, learning disability, autism, or a free afternoon to explore their senses.

Download our Halloween Sensory Activity Pack

 

Useful Sensory Blogs:

 

5 Things We Learned From The Paediatric Dental Health Conference

 

In March, we were invited to attend the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry’s Study Day in Cardiff.

Dr Rohini Mohan, Swansea Bay’s Clinical Lead for Community Dental Services, invited us to listen to her presentation about caring for patients with sensory difficulties.

Over the past year, Rohini and her colleague Bethan Morgan have been conducting a study into the use of sensory resources in making treatments more accessible for younger patients with special needs, autism and sensory processing difficulties. One of our Sensory Voyagers has been a key part of her study, and Rohini was keen for us to bring one to the conference so her colleagues could see its sensory magic in person.

We had a fantastic day at the event. And to make sure you don’t miss out, we’ve put together the top 5 things we learned from Rohini’s presentation.

1. Hospital settings are naturally overwhelming environments.

Everyday spaces we take for granted can be sensory nightmares for children with sensory issues.

Hospitals, with their bright lights, white walls, busy corridors, and odd smells and sounds, create an unusually overstimulating environment that can be difficult for people with sensory processing issues to digest.

“Unknowingly, we have been hampering how we deliver care to children who experience sensory issues,” Rohini explained. “Sensory environments within hospitals are out of our control. We should be doing more to make our treatment environments accessible.”

2. We like to talk about inclusivity, but are we always being inclusive?

Making treatment environments more accessible for patients with sensory processing issues is crucial to inclusivity. Although Bethan was keen to point out that “other barriers to dental care can make it difficult for autistic patients to receive treatment.”

These include cognitive and physical disabilities, difficulty with communication, and anxiety, which is one of the main issues in access to dental services, especially for people with learning difficulties.

Rohini Delivers Her Presentation

3. Thank You, Wendy Sparkle!

After catching sight of one of our portable Sensory Voyager trollies wheeling around Bridgend Hospital, Rohini came up with the idea to use the Sensory Voyager to calm and relax patients before their treatment.

Wendy Sparkle, one of the hospital’s play specialists, explained to Rohini what the Voyager was, what it could do, and how it would be helpful for children with additional needs.

Rohini asked if she could borrow it, and Wendy agreed, kickstarting Rohini’s big inclusive sensory experiment.

Sensory Voyager in Dental Treatment Room

4. The Sensory Voyager ‘Worked Like Magic’

After using the Sensory Voyager in her clinic for just over a year, Rohi and her team concluded that the sensory trolley had made a hugely positive impact on the levels of care they could provide to children with additional needs.

“Our patients were so focused on the voyager, they didn’t get too agitated, and they were happy to sit around and play with the fibre optics, watch the lights, watch the bubbles go up and down – it was amazing.”

  • Anxiety from patients in the waiting room went from yellow and red (highly anxious), to green (calm) during treatment.
  • 96% saw a change in their behaviour/ feelings when using the sensory unit, and 100% said it was a positive change.
  • 91% completed their treatment, and 100% felt like the sensory Voyager played a part in that success.
  • 100% would like to use the Voyager in the future.

5. A Sensory Success Story

Since completing their study, Rohini and her team have adopted another Sensory Voyager trolley. So now they have two twinkling units rolling through their clinic!

At the end of the day, we just want to make everybody’s lives easier. Ours, the parents, and the patients,” Rohini explained.

Young Child Plays with the Sensory Voyager

Rohini and her team will be conducting more research into the clinical use of Sensory Voyagers in treatment settings to expand their studies and explore the broader consequences of using sensory as a therapeutic distraction method.

And we can’t wait to see how far the Voyager’s magic can flow!

Find out more about our portable Sensory Voyagers. And if you have any questions about the use of sensory equipment in treatment clinics, make sure you get in touch with a member of our friendly sensory team 🙂

The Rhino Sensory Trailer: Bringing Sensory To You

Introducing the Rhino Sensory Trailer

The Rhino Sensory Trailer is a portable sensory room on wheels. We’ve designed and built the trailer so that you can see and experience the magic of a Sensory Room before you decide to buy one for yourself.

Perfect for calming and wellbeing activities, the Sensory Trailer has been designed with Special Educational Needs, Disabilities and Autism in mind. It’s wheelchair accessible, infection control friendly, and a great soft, safe space for younger children and older adults to relax, enjoy and discover their senses.

 

Inside the Rhino Sensory Trailer

What’s inside the Rhino Sensory Trailer?

The portable sensory room is jam-packed with interactive resources, perfect for a morning or afternoon of play!

Whether you’re looking for a calming session, sat back relaxing on the cosy bench seating, surrounded by twinkling fibre optics and the brilliantly bubbling colours of the trio of bubble and hurricane tubes. Or a creative learning session, dancing, jumping and moving across the dynamic images and games generated by the interactive projector system. We’re sure that you’ll be able to create an experience perfect for you!

List of Sensory Trailer Resources

  • Bubble Tube and Hurricane Tubes
  • Hurricane Wall Panel
  • Sound & Light Panel
  • Fibre Optics
  • Interactive Floor Projector
  • LED Light Cube
  • Cosy Beanbags
  • Handheld and Glow in The Dark Resources
  • Bluetooth Speakers

 

Wonder faced child in the Rhino Sensory Trailer

How many people can fit inside the trailer?

The trailer can comfortably fit up to five children as they connect, communicate and socialise together.

 

Learning with the Bubble Tubes in the Rhino Sensory Trailer

What can the Sensory Trailer be used for?

The trailer and its controlled environment are ideal for calming, thinking about emotions, and therapeutically supporting wellbeing.

Although it can also be used as an alternative space for one-to-one or group learning sessions. Pupils can use the learning suite on the Interactive Floor Projector to creatively develop maths, English and cause and effect skills. Or they can use the Bubble Tubes to learn more about colours and preferences.

Learning in a controlled sensory environment is beneficial for children on the autism spectrum, as it gives them the space and the opportunity to learn freely in a way that works for them.

 

Playing together in the Rhino Sensory Trailer

How can I hire the Sensory Trailer?

All you have to do is fill out this form. Once you’ve filled it out, a member of our friendly sensory team will be in touch to organise the trip.

If you’d prefer, you can talk to a member of our team directly at 01270 766660 to book the trailer and ask any questions you may have.

 

Inside he Rhino Sensory Trailer

More Information

Winter Sensory Activity Pack 2022

Tis the time for the most sensory of seasons…

Can you hear the festive jingle bells? Feel the warmth of a crackling of a fire? Smell the pine and peppermint in the air? And taste the sweetness of a hot chocolate topped with cream and marshmallows?

As an early Christmas treat, our sensory team have put together a free sensory activity pack for you to get stuck into! It’s free to download and filled with exciting activities designed to stimulate your senses – whether that’s making sweet-smelling strawberry marshmallow slimecarefully connecting and colouring Christmas dot-to-dotsor creating snowball surprise soap.

Our activity booklet is perfect for anyone with a sensory processing disorder, learning disability, autism, or a free afternoon to explore their senses.

Download our Winter Sensory Activity Pack

You can download it right here.

Winter Sensory Activity Pack

Useful Sensory Blogs:

 

Occupational Therapy (OT) Week 2022

It’s November – which means it’s time to celebrate Occupational Therapy Week!

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists created OT Week to bring awareness to OTs and all of the fantastic work they do. This year it runs from the 7th to the 13th of November.

It may only officially be a week, but we’re planning on celebrating the magic, wonder and support OTs provide for a whole month.

Girl on Platform Swing

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy is a holistic, science-based type of physical and mental therapy that aims to help people live their best lives.

Through strengthening, balancing, calming, talking, learning, moving and thinking, occupational therapists give clients confidence in themselves and their bodies – boosting wellbeing and helping them on their path to independence.

Boy on Platform Swing

What is Occupational Therapy Week?

Occupational Therapy Week was created by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists to bring awareness to occupational therapists and all of the amazing work they do.

It’s an important time to celebrate, too, as the current political, social and economic climate has created an increased need for occupational therapy services.

Since the coronavirus pandemic, there has been an:

  • 85% increase in the number of people seeking children’s services
  • 82% increase in demand for OT lead rehabilitation services
  • 55% of children and young people do not meet the recommended targets for physical activity
  • 7 million people in the UK are chronically lonely, 1 million more than pre-pandemic.

To try and turn the tide on these depressing figures, this year’s OT Week Celebrations are about ‘Lifting Up Your Everyday’ – and how little things can make huge differences to your health and wellbeing in the long term.

Sensory Integration Room

Rhino UK & Occupational Therapy

We’re proud to work alongside Occupational Therapists to help them deliver top-quality therapeutic services.

Whether we’re supplying portable resources for on-the-road therapists, designing and building state-of-the-art Sensory Integration Rooms for practical OT sessions, or advising therapists about which occupational therapy resources would best support their clients’ therapeutic needs.

We know that actions speak louder than words, so check out our video case study at More Rehab.

 

More Rehab is an occupational therapy centre that supports the south Yorkshire area with therapy, rehabilitation and physiotherapy services. We collaborated with their OTs to create an inclusive sensory integration space to be used by clients of all ages to develop their motor, balance and confidence skills.

Find out more:

Halloween Sensory Activity Pack

 

It’s officially spooky season!

To help you get into the spirit, our Sensory Team has put together a wickedly awesome Halloween activity pack for you to get stuck into. It’s free to download and filled with ghoulish games, spooky recipes, creepy crafts, slimy science, scary snacks, monsterous colouring pages, and even more frighteningly fun activities designed to stimulate and develop your senses.

Our activity booklet is perfect for anyone with a sensory processing disorder, learning disability, autism, or a free afternoon to explore their senses.

Download our Halloween Sensory Activity Pack

You can download it right here.

 

Halloween Sensory Activity Pack

Useful Sensory Blogs:

 

Salford SEND Conference 2022

In October, our sensory team will be heading to Manchester to take part in Salford University’s annual Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Conference.

The conference will see sector leaders, professionals and parents come together to discuss special needs education in light of the Covid 19 pandemic, as many educators have seen SEND students ‘forgotten, left behind, or overlooked’ after years of disruption.

Our sensory team has over 15 years of experience helping to make schools inclusive for students of all ages and abilities, supporting their wellbeing, and nurturing their development. Whether that’s:

  • Creating calming sensory rooms where students can rest and reset between classes.
  • Designing sensory gardens that stimulate and connect senses to nature.
  • Building sensory integration rooms that actively develop students’ minds and bodies.
  • Providing portable sensory resources, like our sensory voyager trollies, that can be wheeled from room to room and shared between classes, distracting and calming users while they expand their minds.
  • Transforming underutilised rooms into immersive reality spaces that can be used for learning, socialising and play.

Make sure you stop by and chat with our friendly sales team at the conference. They’ll be more than happy to share their expert advice and answer any questions you may have.

If you haven’t already reserved your space at the conference, you can register right here.

We look forward to seeing you there,

Team Rhino!

Key Information:

Book a Meeting with our Sensory Team