FAQ

What does Snoezelen® mean?

Snoezelen is a Dutch word. It blends snuffelen, meaning to explore or sniff out, with doezelen, meaning to doze. It was coined in the 1970s in the Netherlands by Jan Hulsegge and Ad Verheul to describe a controlled multi-sensory environment for gentle, self-led exploration and relaxation.

That blend captures the idea: gentle sensory stimulation that awakens interest, set within a calm atmosphere that lets a person settle and choose for themselves. Snoezelen is a registered trademark when applied to particular products, so the neutral term you will see in therapy, education and care is a multi-sensory environment.

We use the term descriptively only and are not affiliated with the trademark holder; the full note is in our guide to Snoezelen.