LACEY, Wash. — Karen Johnson picked a special day to bring her son to Lacey's Sensory Tool House for the first time.
"My son actually turned four today," she said. "And we found out about a year ago that he was on the spectrum and he's recently shown more signs of being a sensory seeker."
Her son moves quickly from shelf to shelf, each filled with toys and attractions designed to help children who may be overwhelmed by sensory overload. This is a friendly, try it before you buy it, store started by Lauren Howard and Katie McMurray, two neuro-divergent friends who want customers to know this is a judgment free zone.
"I want them to know there's a community here," McMurray said. "They are not alone. That you get to be you. This is a place where if you drop something you won't be labeled a klutz, or if your child has a vocal stim that we won't look at them like they're doing something wrong. In fact, they're doing something exactly the way they need to be doing it."
The people working at Sensory Tool House lead with kindness. Most are on the spectrum themselves and know how important it is to feel safe and supported. McMurray's son John, now a high school senior, has spent countless hours in various therapies and appointments. His love of a sensory swing inspired the shop.
"It wraps around you and kind of gives you this tight hug," McMurray said. "It blocks out light and blocks out some noise."
Because overstimulation is such a big challenge and can quickly ruin the day, Sensory Tool House offers customers a sensory room for resetting.
"We've got sensory tiles coming in," Howard said as we walked into a dark and calming space. "Our canoe here is fantastic. It provides deep pressure compression. It can give a full body squeeze. We have a bubble wall, which people love to just sit and take a moment with. Our oil projector on the wall here has a calming effect and then if we really need to take a moment and get away we have a black out tent."
There are toys designed to help calm nerves, to help fidget away anxious energy and to help kids feel safe. Surprisingly, the most popular attraction on the day we visited was a big contained full of rice.
"I didn't know that he loves rice!" Johnson said, who opened up her shopping bag to reveal birthday gifts for her son, like a Warmies Plush Blue Monster.
"He can actually go in the microwave and get warm," Johnson said.
She also bought him a mini aquarium with artificial fish, a toy that makes a crinkly sound, a keyboard that can be played on the floor and a digital timer.
"This one's more so for me," she said. " To keep him on track for his transitions and I'm actually really excited about that."
Once she's accepted the road her family's going down, Karen Johnson has discovered there are people and places like Sensory Tool House that want to help.
"I don't want to get emotional but it's been great," she said. "It's been really good once you accept."
Sensory Tool House offers sensory Santa visits Sunday. They are low key, friendly visits. Lights are dimmed, the time with Santa is extended to 15 minutes and the jolly old elf keeps his "Ho Ho Hos" at a quiet level.
Sensory Tool House is open every day but Monday and is located in Lacey Downs Plaza off Lacey Boulevard SE.
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