Did You Know We Have More Than Five Senses?

Most of us grew up learning that we have five senses.

Sight.
Hearing.
Smell.
Taste.
Touch.

And for a long time, that was probably where the conversation ended.

But our sensory world is much bigger than that.

What Are the Eight Sensory Systems?

When we talk about sensory processing, we often refer to eight sensory systems.

This framework includes the five familiar senses, along with three that help us understand movement, body awareness and what is happening inside our bodies.

It is not an exhaustive list of every way humans experience sensation, but it is a really helpful way to understand how we experience and respond to the world.

These three less familiar sensory systems can help us better understand movement, body awareness, regulation and why some children seem to constantly seek certain types of input.

And once you understand them, a lot of behaviour starts to make much more sense.

Meet the Three Lesser-Known Sensory Systems

Vestibular: Our Sense of Balance and Movement

The vestibular system helps us understand where our head and body are in relation to gravity and movement.

Think:
* Swinging
* Spinning
* Rocking
* Bouncing
* Running
* Changing position

Some children seem to crave movement.

They might love hanging upside down, spinning in circles, jumping endlessly or constantly changing position.

Rather than simply thinking, “Why can’t they sit still?”, it can be helpful to wonder whether their body is seeking more vestibular input.

Proprioception: Our Sense of Body Awareness

Proprioception helps us understand where our body is in space and how much force we are using.

It receives information from our muscles and joints.

Think:
* Pushing
* Pulling
* Jumping
* Carrying
* Climbing
* Crawling
* Squeezing
* Crashing

This is why some children are drawn to big-body play.

They might throw themselves onto cushions, climb furniture, push heavy objects, crash into things or want lots of rough-and-tumble play.

Their body may be looking for strong sensory feedback.

That does not automatically mean the behaviour needs to be stopped.

Sometimes it means the need behind the behaviour needs to be understood.

Interoception: Our Sense of Internal Body Signals

Interoception is our ability to notice signals coming from inside our own body.

Things like:
* Hunger
* Thirst
* Needing the toilet
* Feeling hot or cold
* Breathing changes
* A racing heart
* Tiredness
* Butterflies in the stomach

These internal signals help us recognise what our body needs.

For some children, those messages are not always easy to notice or interpret.

A child may not realise they are hungry until they are suddenly overwhelmed.

They may not notice they need the toilet until the feeling is urgent.

They may feel their heart racing but not yet understand that their body is telling them, “I’m anxious,” or “This is too much.”

And this is where understanding our sensory systems becomes really interesting.

What Can Sensory-Seeking Behaviour Tell Us?

A child who is constantly:
* Moving
* Crashing
* Chewing
* Climbing
* Wriggling
* Spinning
* Jumping
* Seeking big-body play

isn’t necessarily just being “busy”.

Their body may be looking for sensory information.

Of course, not every movement or behaviour has a sensory explanation. Children also move, explore and play simply because they enjoy it.

But recognising that sensory needs may be part of the picture gives us another way to understand what we are seeing.

That simple shift in perspective can change everything.

Instead of immediately asking: “How do I stop this behaviour?”

We can become curious and ask: “What might their body be telling us?”

That is a very different question.

One looks only at what we can see.
The other asks us to understand what might be happening underneath.
And sometimes, rather than trying to stop the movement, we can look for ways to support it safely.

We explore this idea further in our article Why Some Kids Need to Crash: Movement, Pressure & Regulation.

Because sometimes the movement we are trying to stop may be part of what a child is seeking.

How Our Sensory Systems Work Together

Our sensory systems do not operate separately.

They are constantly working together to help us understand our body, our environment and what is happening around us.

When that information feels manageable, we can often think, learn, connect and participate more easily.

When sensory information becomes overwhelming, or when the body is seeking more input, regulation can become much harder.
And what feels manageable for one child may feel completely different for another.

One child might find movement organising and comforting.
Another might find the very same movement overwhelming.
One child may seek loud sounds, while another needs a quieter environment.

This is why sensory understanding matters.
It gives us another way to look at behaviour.
Not simply as something to control.

But as information.

And once we start seeing behaviour as information, we can start responding with curiosity instead of frustration.

Understanding Sensory Needs Before Responding

At Sensory Super Heroes, this is at the heart of everything we do.
Because sensory regulation is not about making children quieter, calmer or easier for the adults around them.

It is about helping them understand their bodies and giving them access to the kinds of sensory experiences that may help them feel safe, organised and ready to engage with the world.

It is about recognising that every child experiences sensory information differently.

That some children need more movement.
Some need less noise.
Some seek pressure, while others find certain types of touch uncomfortable.
And some children are still learning how to recognise and communicate what their bodies need.

The more we understand our sensory systems, the more we begin to understand why people experience the world so differently.

Because when we understand the senses, we can start to understand the person experiencing them.

Because every child deserves to feel safe, understood and celebrated.