By using the following advice, activities and games problems in sensory processing will diminish. To achieve this it is necessary to touch and move your child in such a way that he will start to use the resulting stimuli. This will lead to a change in behaviour. The best thing for you to do is to read through the advice and then choose an activity to carry out with your child.
Advice
The pieces of advice described here are important when carrying out the activities and games described further on and furthermore in dealing with your child in general. I advise you to read them first and try one that appeals to you.
- Stand behind your child
- Do not let your child distract you
- Give your child time and space to react
- Turn it into a game
- Think positively of your child
- Carry out an activity or game every day
Choosing the right activities and games
A game or an activity is suitable for your child if he starts to enjoy it. That is a sign that he is using the sensory stimuli. In order to choose the right activities and games you can make use of the division as shown below. It is possible that more than one description fits your child. You can also simply choose an activity or game that appeals to you. It is of major importance that your child will learn to experience the ‘fun’ of being touched and being moved.
- Your child is very active
- Your child is anxious
- Your child is clumsy or DCD was diagnosed
- Your child has an allergy
- Your child is highly sensitive
- Your child was diagnosed with ADHD
- Your child was diagnosed with autism, PDD-NOS or Asperger Syndrome
- Your child has Down Syndrome
- Your child has a motor handicap
- Your child has a mental handicap
- Your infant suffers from sensory processing disorder
- You suffer from sensory processing disorder yourself
- Your older child or teenager suffers from sensory processing disorder.
Activities and games
- Domestic activities
- Activities with both hands
- Provide enough physical exercise
- Physical exercise at school
- Sports and games
- The use of weights
- The use of vibrating material
- Sitting on a ball or ball cushion
- Sitting on a ball being touched with a cuddly toy
- Sitting on a ball and moving to music
- Sitting on a ball while watching television
- Exercise pressure with a ball
- Lying on top of different materials
- Swaddling or wrapping up in a blanket
- Towing on a blanket
- Rolling, walking on your knees or on all fours over different materials
- Skating on rugs
- Touching and moving on your lap
- Something to feel
- Hiding under cuddly toys
- Hiding in a playhouse or under a large piece of cloth
- Playing in a box
- Playing with shaving cream
- Playing with rice
- Playing with chestnuts
- Rubbing in body lotion
- Massage with different materials
- The use of the foot massage bath
- Drinking through a straw
- Blowing bubbles
Els Rengenhart © 2009