I remember when it all began. There was a whizz and a whirr around me and in the air. Words I had never heard were swirling through my mind. Do “heavy work“, they said. Start a “sensory diet”, they suggested. Get this. Do that. Read this. It seemed everywhere I turned there was a new suggestion to “help” with my son’s sensory needs. Honestly, at the time, I didn’t even know that’s what they called it. All I knew is we needed help and fast. I remember wishing someone would just hand me a handbook that walked me step by step through every move I should make and every step I should take. I did the only thing I knew how to do… read and look for answers. When I started my journey, there were only a few books to start with, but now there are some extremely helpful sensory processing books every parent should read if they are looking for answers.
I remember it like it was yesterday. My son was in kindergarten and something seemed different. He was a great kid and extremely bright BUT he was extremely busy. After teaching my first student diagnosed with something new that I had never heard of, “Sensory Processing Disorder” I started to wonder if this might be what I was seeing with my son. I immersed myself in books that summer and tried to understand as much as I could. Luckily, there weren’t as many books to weed through and pick through as there are now so figuring out which book to start with wasn’t a hard decision.
Now, almost 7 years later I know a lot more than I did when I started. In fact, I have co-written a book about Sensory Processing 101. One of the most common questions I get asked in my Facebook support group is about which books parents should stock their sensory processing library with. I decided to jump on Facebook and do a live video and share the library I have an what I like about each book.
Here are some of my favorite books about sensory processing and brain development in young children. These are a must have in any educator or parent’s library.
Helpful Sensory Processing Books Every Parent Should Read
Books About Sensory Processing in All Children
Sensory Processing 101
Growing an In-Sync Child
Books About Sensory Processing Disorder
The Out of Sync Child
Sensory Integration | A Guide for Preschool Teachers
The Sensory Child Gets Organized
Books About Sensory Processing and Adults
Making Sense | A Guide to Sensory Issues
Books About Sensory Processing for Kids
My Sensory Book
Max and Me
The Magic 7
Helpful Books for Parents
Understanding Your Child’s Sensory Signals
The Sensory Child Gets Organized
Rhythms, Routines, & Schedules
Books About Sensory Activities to Help Your Child
Sensory Processing 101
Honestly, there are a few more books that don’t have anything to do with “sensory processing” that I think every parent needs to read but I do not want to overwhelm you now. In addition, there are some activity books that are amazing resources that I highly recommend you check out. I will work on getting a list together for you as soon as I can. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our book Sensory Processing 101. You can even get a free chapter if you just want to sample the book first.
Do you have a favorite book you use to learn about sensory processing? Let us know in the chat, maybe we can find a new one we haven’t read yet! I love finding new resources!
Looking for More Sensory Processing Resources?
These are great Resources, but I also wanted to add another one of my very favorite Resources for Therapists, Teachers and Parents. It’s called “Ready Bodies Learning Minds” (A Key to Academic Success: Understanding a Child’s Development and What it Means to Learning). I have been a Pediatric OT for 14 years and this is my “Go To Resource” for all Parents and Teachers wanting to understand SPD! Additional information about this Resource and others can be found at “readybodies.com”. Hope that others can Enjoy this Resource too!