Sensory Aware Early Years Toolkit

Alice Hoyle is a wellbeing education consultant and author specialising in Relationships, Health and Sex Education (RSHE) and sensory wellbeing. A neurodivergent mum of three neurodivergent daughters, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. With over twenty years in education as a teacher, PSHE lead, youth worker and Local Education Authority adviser, Alice understands how often sensory needs are overlooked in mainstream settings. Alongside navigating Education, Health and Care Plans for two of her children, she has become a passionate advocate for inclusive, sensory-aware practice that helps children and adults feel safe, understood and able to thrive.Tessa Hyde is an Occupational Therapist with 40 years of experience working in the UK National Health Service (NHS) and independent sector. She has authored several highly successful occupational therapy based books for schools. Tessa works with children, settings and families to assess, identify and support their sensory and physical motor co-ordination needs. She has a wealth of knowledge and strategies to support co-ordination and sensory needs at home and at school. Alice and Tessa were neighbours for 10 years. This pair of books was created after Tessa led a successful assessment on one of Alice’s daughters, where the suggested strategies were transformative.Charlotte Forrester is an early years practitioner and owner of two highly regarded nursery settings, rated Outstanding in England and Excellent in Wales. Her practice is shaped by her experience as a mother to three children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Blending personal insight with professional curiosity, Charlotte has developed deep expertise in speech and language, communication strategies and sensory needs for the early years. Her work is rooted in inclusive, child-centred practice and a strong belief in early intervention. Her settings are known for their nurturing, nature-based environments that celebrate individuality, curiosity and resilience.Janet Rose is an early years specialist with a strong interest in the development of young children’s self-regulation. She is currently Principal of Norland College, a specialist early years higher education institution. Janet has led national research projects that have focused on how parents and professionals can support children’s behaviour and wellbeing. She is co-founder of Emotion Coaching UK and has authored several books including Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood. She has trained in Theraplay, Sensory Attachment Intervention and Sensory Integration, and recently completed a Fellowship in Early Relational Health from the University of Massachusetts.

• Acknowledgements1 Introduction2 What is a Sensory Aware Setting?3 Making Sense of the 8 Senses and Sensory Regulation4 We Are All Sensory5 Becoming a Sensory Informed Practitioner6 Sensory Strategies7 Sensory Environment and Equipment8 Whole Setting Approach9 Conclusion and Next StepsFurther Reading and Resources

“There are some books that arrive at exactly the right moment, and this is one of them. What immediately stands out is how it is deeply human, relational, and integral to how children experience the world.What I particularly value is the way the authors position sensory wellbeing not as an add-on, but as central to children’s ability to feel safe, connect, and ultimately to play and learn. This resonates strongly with what we know from both research and practice: when children do not feel regulated in their bodies, the conditions for meaningful engagement simply are not there. The strength of this book lies in its accessibility without losing depth. It speaks directly to practitioners, not in a way that overwhelms, but in a way that empowers. The emphasis on a whole-setting approach is especially important, moving beyond individualised responses to something more sustainable, more ethical, and ultimately more impactful for children and adults alike.There is also something refreshingly honest here about the realities of early childhood practice. The recognition that children are arriving with increasingly complex sensory needs, and that our systems have not always kept pace, is both necessary and timely. This book does not shy away from that tension, it leans into it and offers a way forward.Above all, this is a book about understanding. Understanding ourselves, understanding children, and understanding the environments we create. It reminds us that sensory awareness is not about fixing children, but about reshaping practice so that every child has the right conditions to thrive.This is an important, thoughtful, and genuinely useful contribution to the early childhood landscape and I feel it will make a huge difference.” – Dr Aaron Bradbury, Principal Lecturer Early Childhood Studies, Nottingham Institute of Education“This book is an absolute treasure trove of sensory awareness and understanding. It provides an accessible theoretical backdrop while translating ideas in a range of ways, through visuals, analogies and frameworks, to help us truly understand each other as sensory beings. What I love about this book is that it is an active resource. You can pick it up for quick tips and ideas, or delve deeper for genuine pedagogical insight Every setting should have this book as a guiding framework for connecting with all children's unique sensory blueprints.” - Kerry Murphy, Early Childhood and Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice Specialist“I hope that this book and ethos really takes off as it will be half the battle for us OTs. When we work with children, we feel that we need to educate the setting as well as the family. These sensory books are such easy resources to use.” - Andrea Whittle, Paediatric Occupational Therapist“Working with Alice and Tessa has been such a privilege, and their work has genuinely changed conversations in our Hounslow community. Sensory wellbeing is such a powerful yet simple approach, and they have a way of making it feel achievable for every setting, not overwhelming.When Becoming a Sensory Aware School was published, we knew it was something special. We purchased a copy for every school in Hounslow and followed this up with training for parents and professionals because we could see the difference it could make. Hand-delivering those books and having conversations with SENCos and school leaders about sensory wellbeing was a real turning point for us as a Forum.I kept saying to them, “We need an Early Years version!” because early intervention isn’t just important, it’s everything. So I am beyond delighted that this new book builds on their first so beautifully. It’s practical, realistic and full of ideas that any practitioner can implement, whatever their budget. Most importantly, it keeps children at the heart of everything. This is the kind of work that creates real, lasting change and I’m so proud that our borough has been part of that journey.” - Chaitan Shah, Chair, Hounslow Parent Carers Forum“Alice and Tessa’s Becoming a Sensory Aware School was clear, insightful, easy to read and packed full of practical advice – it truly ignited our sensory transformation journey at Maes Ebbw School. Their core and quality standards self-assessment tool in particular has helped enormously to shape the sensory culture we were aiming for. We are excited to dive into their early years instalment, and discover the next golden nugget from Alice and Tessa that will support our learners even further.” - Caroline Morgan, Maes Ebbw School