Sensory Diet/Activities

Sensory Diet Activities Calming Activities

If a child is over stimulated, the following activities may help to calm him.

• Sucking yogurt through a straw
• Rocking in rocking chair
• Swinging
• Wrapping in heavy blanket
• Quiet space or tent play
• Rolling or kneading play dough
• Mixing in a bowl
• Listening to music on headphones
• Carrying books or other objects up and down stairs
• Washing windows, mirrors, or tables
• Eating healthy, crunchy foods like carrots
• Swimming, taking baths
• Bear hugging
• Painting with water
• Vibrating pillows/massagers
• Finding objects hidden in bucket full of uncooked beans or beads
  

  Energizing Activities

  When a sensory kid needs to be aroused, wake up his senses by trying some of these activities.
• Jumping on trampoline
• Pushing or pulling heavy items
• Sitting on a “wiggle” seat pillow (one of many sensory integration products available)
• Squeezing squishy balls with hand
• Bouncing on therapy or other large ball
• Spinning in rotating chair or on swing
• Eating chewy foods
• Chewing bubble gum (only if age appropriate)
• Pillow squishing, making child into sandwich
• Taking a shower

Other Organizing Activities

These activities may work in both cases, depending on the child.

• Doing handstands against wall or pushups
• Animal walking
• Climbing/pulling up on monkey bars
• Carrying heavy items
• Wearing heavy back pack
• Blowing bubbles
• Tumbling
• Sleeping bag rolling
• Pushing a cart or wagon filled with toys
• Lying on belly to watch TV or play video game

Taken from https://suite.io/karen-plumley/15192g6 

Rainbow Bubble Snakes (http://www.housingaforest.com/rainbow-bubble-snakes/)

Here is a fun alternative to my highly recommended bubble mountain! Remember...resistive deep breathing is incredibly regulating for the nervous system and works on oral motor development and respiration control for speech and language. ~Angie Voss

The best part is they are easy to make and use things that I had laying around my house.  Perfect! All you need is an empty water bottle from your recycling, duct tape, a sock that is missing its match (which we seem to have an abundance of), dish soap and some food coloring.

Start by cutting the bottom of the water bottle off.  Next slide the sock over the bottom of the bottle.  We used colorful duct tape to secure our sock, but you could use a rubber band as well.  I love how quick and easy it was to make.  My kids love making things from our recycling.  Last summer they made their own sprinkler using some of the same materials and it is still the sprinkler of choice.

Pour some dish soap into a shallow container with a little bit of water and gently mix.  Dip the sock covered bubble blower into the solution and gently blow.

We decided to add some color to the bubble snakes with food coloring.  The kids dropped the food coloring onto the sock covered end.  It was a bit messy, but the kids LOVED it!  Lots of fun giggles.

 

Rainbow snakes were definitely a hit in our house!

Please remind your kids to blow air out not suck air in!  If your child sucks in, they will be eating bubbles.  Please be careful when doing this with your kids.  My kids had a blast playing with these bubble snakes.  We did not have any trouble with the kids inhaling, but I have had a few readers mention that their younger kids needed continual reminders.  The fun will quickly end if the bubbles are inhaled!

For more great tips/advice from Angie Voss visit her FB page "Understanding Your Child's Sensory Signals" @ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Understanding-Your-Childs-Sensory-Signals/226232787490900

Articles:
http://sensorysmarts.com/sensory_diet_activities.html
http://specialneedshomeschooling.com/?p=534
http://fingerprintglasses.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/sensory-rooms-for-children-with-adhd-aspergers-syndrome-or-autism/  (signs, creating a sensory home)
http://www.takeaswing.com/bos.html  (the importance of swinging)
http://www.skillstrainer.co.uk/stnews2/brain2.html  (the brain/movement connection)
http://www.sensorysmartparent.com/sensoryissues.html
http://www.developmental-delay.com/page.cfm/286