oversensitivity to sensory information, or need for extra sensory input, is affecting daily routines.
Sensory play activities
Below are descriptions of two specific areas related to sensory processing (sensory regulation and sensory defensiveness) and related sensory play activities recommended by occupational therapist Katie DeWeerd.
Sensory regulation & fun “heavy work” activities
Giving a child’s muscles extra “heavy work” or deep pressure can change the way their body feels and help a child develop body awareness. This type of activity affects the part of the sensory system that manages proprioceptive input (our body’s ability to sense where we are in relation to our surroundings). This input comes from receptors in the muscles and joints and activating these receptors can help a child who is usually very hyperactive to calm down and focus. It can also help a child who is sensitive and anxious about touch, sound or movement to calm down enough so that they can better handle a new place or a new activity. Here are some fun heavy work activities you can try at home:
Wall push-over: Have child stand with both hands on the wall, shoulder-width apart, and tell them to try and push the wall over to the count of 20. Join in, acting silly and demonstrating how to put all your body weight into the pushing. Repeat this five times or more, counting to 20 each time. Continue this activity by trying to push with a different part of your body (shoulders, hips, back, etc.).
Tortilla roll: Pile up a variety of pillows and fluffy comforters. Let one child roll off the couch carefully into the pile. After several turns, roll the child up like a tortilla in a comforter and then pull one end to unroll the child quickly!
Heavy loads: Have your child be a helper for a day that just happens to be full of heavy lifting chores! They can carry large soft drink bottles from the hallway to the pantry, carry a laundry basket from room to room filling it with books along the way, or stack all canned goods from the floor of the pantry to a shelf.
Animal walks: Place names or pictures of different animals in a cup. Take turns selecting an animal from the cup and walking around like that animal. Focus on animal movements that require weight-bearing through all extremities, such as crawling, crab walking, jumping or bear walking (this is done by putting hands and feet on the ground while keeping legs and arms straight and moving forward!).
Hermit crab: Place a large bag of rice or beans on the child’s back and let them crawl around with a heavy “shell” on their back. Measure how far they can go without dropping it and see if they can beat their own record each time they try.
Wheelbarrow walking: Hold the child’s ankles and see how far they can go walking on their hands. If they are a young, small child, hold their ankles while they walk up the stairs on only their hands to provide even more input. Be careful!
Sensory defensiveness & fun tactile activities
Of the types of sensory input that may cause a child to demonstrate sensitivity, tactile defensiveness (overreaction to ordinary touch sensations) is most frequently reported. Examples of tactile defensiveness include children having issues wearing certain kinds of clothes, walking barefoot outside, or touching something sticky or gooey. Providing a child with a variety of new and different tactile experiences will help a child’s sensory system learn how to process less-desired information from their surroundings and help the child’s overall sensory processing. Here are some fun tactile sensory activities you can do at home:
Sensory bins: Fill different plastic storage bins with dry beans, rice and pasta. Then add cups for scooping and small plastic cars or animals for finding surprises and let your child dig, pour and play! Encourage your child to explore the different textures by hiding objects in the beads, driving cars through the beans and pretending you are mixing up your favorite meal. Demonstrating that this can be fun and will eliminate their anxiety over having new tactile experiences, mak