Sensory Activities

Parents have been asking for a list of sensory activities to do with their children.  We recommend that you always ask a professional for guidance when creating a sensory diet.  Here is a list of a few of my favorite at-home activities:

1.)    Touch (tactile sense)

• Put slippery textures on a large piece of paper, tray, or a cookie sheet (eg., shaving cream, hand lotion, sloppy mud, wet sand).
• Play with playdough, sand, uncooked rice or/and beans.
• Google “goop, slime, and gak” recipes to make.
• Hide little toys and coins in putty for a treasure hunt.
• Make a car wash using a bin of soapy water, mini cars, and towels.
• Do crafts. DLTK’s has easy and free printable preschool crafts.

2.)    Balance and Movement (vestibular sense)

• Build an obstacle course with pillows and other “stepping stones.”
• Use a jump rope or chalk to draw a makeshift balance beam.
• Find a good children’s yoga video.
• Rough and tumble play.
• Animal walks: bear walk, crab crawl, fly, slither, crawl, gallop, prance, etc.
• Other walks: wheel barrel walk, skip, walk fast, walk slow, run, tip toe, etc.
• Play Red Light, Green Light.
• Playground play.
• Go swimming.
• Go for a walk.
• Songs: Ring Around the Rosy, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, If You’re Happy and You Know It, Hokey Pokey, musical chairs, or blast some good music and have a dance party!

3.)    Body Position (proprioceptive sense)

• Use large pillows/bean bag chairs to build a mountain. Climb to the top and jump crashing down.
• Heavy work: help to carry grocery bags, help to put groceries away, help load wet clothes into the dryer, take out a bag of garbage, clean tables and windows, make the bed, and/or carry a heavy watering can to water flowers.
• Wall pushups, wheel barrel walk, sit ups.
• Use a bed or couch as a crash pad. Pick up your child, and safely throw him on it.
• Body squeezes.
• Use pillows to make a “child sandwich,” or a “kid taco.”
• Ride a bike or scooter.

4.)    Seeing (visual sense)

• Follow a daily schedule board.
• Fishing games.
• Egg hunt.
• Play basketball, kick a soccer ball at a target, play with a ball (roll, throw, catch, bounce, dribble, bounce & catch), or ring toss games.
• Build tracks and ramps for cars and marbles.
• Read books and talk about them.
• Play with blocks and legos.
• Have a water fight with spray bottles, squirt guns, and hoses.
• Use the hose to water the garden.
• Use flashlights on a rainy day, at night, or inside a tent.

5.)    Hearing (auditory sense)

• Play instruments.
• Sing songs. Sing loud.  Sing softly.  Hum a song.
• Imitation Songs: Sing three word and have the child imitate the words in the same manner.  Create a rhythm with instruments or clapping and have the child imitate the same rhythm.
• Listen to calming music. Yoga and relaxation stations are great.

6.)    Smelling (olfactory sense)

• Make scented index cards with spices from your spice rack. Describe the smells.
• Cook together.

7.)    Tasting (gustatory sense)

• Try new foods.
• Go apple picking and strawberry picking. Pick vegetables out of a garden.

If you need more help, please check out my Sensory Diet post or contact us directly at Above All Therapy.