Do you have a child with sensory sensitivities? Do they hate the stiff texture of most clothing or find their tag itchy? My son can’t stand scratchy tags and clothing that doesn’t hug his body. Sensory-friendly clothing can improve his daily life quality because he can relax in his clothes and focus on the other things around him.
I spent seven years teaching special education and already knew that children could have sensory sensitivities and need specialized clothing. But I didn’t think about where to find it and what was most vital until I became the mother of a little boy with sensory needs. His occupational therapist began suggesting clothing components that my help him, and we began searching for suitable materials.
Between speaking with the occupational therapist, my son’s preferences, and my experience as a parent, the most essential components of sensory-friendly clothing are:
- Texture
- Softness
- Compression
- Super-soft or printed tag (no tag)
- Coverage during sensory activities
Texture and softness go hand in hand. Children with sensitivity to clothing often don’t like bumps, ribbed texture, or stiff clothing. My son prefers clothing that offers him a bit of compression. He needs pressure and sensory input to help him regulate throughout the day, and tighter clothing offers this to him.
We recently discovered City Threads and their sensory-friendly clothing for littles! My son loves their Organic Cotton Pajama Sets. You wouldn’t typically think of PJ’s as daytime clothes. Still, they give the perfect amount of pressure to his body while being super soft and flexible for his play. Their clothing features a silky soft tag that he shockingly did not ask me to cut out. They also offer appropriate coverage of their body parts when participating in sensory play and activities. While my daughter isn’t sensory sensitive, she plays with her brother, and I appreciate that the dresses are long enough. A pair of leggings underneath allow her to move freely.
What would you list as your most critical components of sensory-friendly clothing? I would have answered that question differently when I was working with children with Autism, but not a parent. I don’t know that I would have considered PJ’s a daily clothing option! But between the comfy dresses for my daughter, the PJ’s my oldest and youngest boys love, and the simple but soft tees and shorts for both girls and boys, I think we’ve found the perfect fit for all four of our kids. City Threads is meeting their need to be clothed with their need to feel comfortable in their clothes!
I received clothing in exchange for writing and photography for this blog post, but the thoughts here are my own.
Becka is a mother of 4 children under five years old - 4-year-old triplets and a one-year-old. She also writes for her blog, The Becka Blog, and Instagram by the same name. She is a previous special education teacher with both a bachelors and masters in education. She passionately shares about education, play, inclusion, and life skill learning on her platforms.