Sensory Learning Strategies: Why It’s About How Kids Learn, Not If They Can
When a child struggles in school, the first thought is often: “They just can’t learn this.”
But that’s rarely true.
Most of the time, the issue isn’t if they can learn, it’s how the material is being presented.
That’s where sensory learning strategies come in. Using the Sticky Learning Framework™ (Visual Hook → Sensory Activity → Reflection & Practice), we can meet the brain where it’s at, help students anchor new information, and make learning stick — especially for kids who learn differently.
🧠 Why Sensory Strategies Work
The brain doesn’t process information in a vacuum. It needs sensory fuel: sights, sounds, movement, and touch to encode memory and spark understanding.
Visual input gives the brain a hook.
Sensory activity lets the body experience the idea.
Reflection & practice give the brain a chance to organize and apply it.
When students skip the sensory steps and go straight to worksheets, learning feels abstract and overwhelming. But when the senses are engaged, the brain creates multiple pathways for recall.
🌿 The Sticky Learning Format
1. Visual Hook
Show it before you explain it.
Kids learn best when they can see the concept in action first.
Math → A pizza to show fractions, money for addition, or dice for probability.
Science → A photo of a snowstorm, a sprouting seed, or a quick demo.
Reading → A comic strip, a story prop, or an audio clip with emotion.
A visual hook creates a mental anchor: “Oh, I’ve seen this before.”Learning That Sticks (1)
2. Sensory Activity
Let them experience it with their body.
This is where learning comes alive.
Math → Walk a number line, build 3D shapes with marshmallows, or skip-count with hopscotch.
Reading → Act out a character’s emotions, trace letters in sand, or build sentences with magnets.
Social Studies → Role-play as historical figures, spin a globe, or use props to act out community rules.
When students move, touch, and interact, the lesson stops being abstract and becomes real.
3. Reflection + Practice
Show what you know.
Now that the brain has hooks and body-based experience, students can organize and apply.
Math → Draw the problem, teach it out loud, or use coins to explain.
Reading → Retell the story, create a feelings chart, or write a journal response.
Science → Label a diagram, sort items, or complete a graphic organizer.
This step cements the concept into memory: “I can explain it, so I own it.”
✨ Final Thought
Sensory learning strategies are not extras; they’re the foundation. The Sticky Learning Framework™ proves that learning struggles are often not about a child’s ability, but about the approach.
When we shift from asking “Can this child learn?” to “How does this child learn best?”, we unlock potential that traditional teaching methods overlook.
🌿 Want done-for-you sensory strategies for every subject? Inside the BrainPassion Community, you’ll find tools, lesson ideas, and brain-based routines that make learning stick for every child.
