Of all the sensory hacks that I have done myself, the homemade sensory swings are my favorite. Both for me and my boys.
My oldest J is a vestibular sensory seeker. He loves to spin and swing around so swings are practically our best friend, especially during the long cold winters. And trust me, our winters are cold and long!
Anyway, I thought I would round up a collection of amazing DIY sensory swings for kids. They're perfect for autistic kids or kids who need a bit of extra support with sensory integration.
So, if you're wondering how to make a DIY sensory swing for your child, then you're in the right place! You're going to love these awesome tutorials. They come in all shapes and sizes and are good for a wide variety of skill levels.
This post was updated on April 17, 2024. New tutorials were added, dead and broken links were removed, and more details were provided.
What You Might Need to Hang a DIY Sensory Swing
Before we even make a homemade sensory swing, you have to make sure you even have the space to hang one up. And then you have to find the right tools and hardware to do so.
Where you will hang up a DIY indoor sensory swing will determine what kind of hardware you might need. For instance, you might need some of the following supplies:
You might opt to hang your swings in a doorway like we did. The doorway pictured below is wider than most doorways, which allowed us to even fit a round platform/saucer swing with ease.
To hang our swings, we just used some eye bolts and carabiner clips. Here's a look at our set up:
A Few Safety Notes About Hanging these DIY Sensory Swings Indoors
Make sure that whatever hardware you use can support the right amount of weight. Especially if you go the eye bolt and carabiner clip route like we did. Both our clips and our bolts could each support over 300 lbs or something.
You'll also want to mount the hanging hardware into a stud or support beam of some kind. Obvious, I know, but it's still important to point out.
Another thing to check is that your child will have enough room to swing once it is mounted. Make sure your child won't hit any furniture, walls, or even the ceiling while swinging. It's important to make sure there is enough clearance.
After you mount the swing, check that it can support your weight and that it's hooked up properly. Check that nothing is twisted, that the clips are fully hooked up and closed, that the swing is the correct height off the ground, etc. I personally always sit in the swings myself first after hanging them up. If it can support me, then it can easily support both of my boys.
Finally, keep the area around the swing safe by using a mat of some kind underneath. Just in case your child wants to hang upside down on the swing (which they will, I'm sure!) or they fall off.
You can find additional safety guidelines for sensory swings here.
But, now that that's out of the way, let's take a look at some of these DIY sensory swings for kids.
Sensory Swings for Kids: DIY Tutorials that You've Got to Try!
1. Homemade Taco Sensory Swing (pictured below) - Even if you can't sew straight, I promise that you can still whip up this swing in about an hour. It's inexpensive to make too. Just grab some clearance fabric like I did.
2. Hanging Cocoon Swing with Free Knitting Pattern from Craft Passion - This knitted swing is absolutely stunning! It makes me wish I knew how to knit. Seriously, if you know how to knit, you should pop over and grab the free pattern and get knitting.
3. DIY Woven Wrap Swing (pictured below) - Find out how to easily convert a baby wrap into a sensory swing with this quick and easy DIY tutorial.
4. DIY Ball Swing (pictured below) - This swing is tricky to stay balanced on, but it's super easy to put together for an quick afternoon swing. Perfect for a little vestibular sensory input.
5. DIY Skateboard Swing from mousehouse - Skateboard swings are great for working on balance. And this tutorial makes it look really easy to make one of your own!
6. Easy DIY Round Platform Swing (pictured below) - You might be surprised at how simple this tutorial is. And you'll be even more surprised by what is used for the base of the swing!
7. DIY Hammock Chair Swing (pictured in collage) from A Beautiful Mess - This DIY hammock chair swing is gorgeous! It looks really comfy too. It's definitely a perfect one for reading in!
8. DIY Platform Swing Tutorial from Reese Dixon - Love this colorful platform swing tutorial! You'll also find a tutorial for making your own swing frame too.
9. Rope Swing from Preschool Powol Packets - If your kid loves climbing, pulling, or hanging upside down, then give this rope swing a try. It's super simple to make and provides lots of great sensory input.
10. Homemade Bolster Swing from Sensory Processing - This DIY version of the "hotdog swing," as we like to call it, looks great. It looks pretty straightforward to make too.
11. DIY Bungee Swing from Holly's Art Corner - Bungee chairs are a neat sensory experience on their own, but turning one into a swing is such a fun idea. In fact, this swing was the inspiration for our DIY round platform swing tutorial that was further up in this list.
12. DIY Rope Disc Swing (pictured in collage) from Dukes & Duchesses - Disc swings are super tricky to stay balanced on, but they're a great way to build core strength and give kids some vestibular sensory input. Thankfully, this tutorial looks easy!
13. DIY Indoor Sensory Swing from Teach Me Mommy - If you're looking for a more classic sensory swing, then you'll love this simple tutorial. I know that my kids love stretchy swings like this!
14. DIY Platform Swing from Therabyte - This tutorial looks very detailed and includes lots of pictures. So if you've been wanting to make a traditional carpeted platform swing, then check out this tutorial.
15. DIY Platform Swing from The DIY Village - This particular swing is made from 2" conduit and rope. it's not a solid platform swing like the tutorial above and reminds me a bit of the bungee swing from a few suggestions above.
There are so many beautiful options on this list! Which of these DIY sensory swings will you be making first?
