Sensory Based Activities for Young Children

This list has been compiled over time from a number of different occupational therapists that work with young children.  We have organized the list by area of sensory processing.  Our hope is that these ideas will be helpful to you and increase your child’s success at school and at home.  A good starting out book is The Out-of-Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz.  Also, the sequel, The Out-of-Sync Child has Fun is available.  This author explains the neurology behind sensory processing difficulties in an easy to understand manner and she may give you some additional ideas to try with your child.  These books and others are available through Amazon.com, major bookstores, and local library systems.  Contact your OT for additional resources.

I will post ideas following the categories presented in the Short Sensory profile, an evaluation tool we use to assess the degree to which sensory processing issues affect the daily life of the child.

Here's #1 - Activities to address Tactile Sensitivity

• Increase tactile discrimination – finding toys in putty
• Reduce tactile defensiveness – sensory table filled with dry noodles, rice, beans, birdseed, sand, water, mashed potato flakes, snow, ice (pour, touch, mix)
• Play in shaving or whipped cream, fingerpaint, etc., have a car/doll wash, encourage but don’t force, encourage line drawing and tracing
• Fill Ziploc bags with shaving cream, pudding, ketchup, etc. if child is not willing to touch messy textures or have them wear gloves initially
• Rub-a-dub-dub rub in the tub a variety of textures (different types of soaps, oatmeal soap, shaving cream, lotion soap, loofa sponges, thick washcloths, foam pot-scrubbers, plastic brushes)
• Water play pouring, sponges, toy water pumps
• Bury items in the sand encourage finding
• Feelie box –insert item and guess what you have
• Hands on cooking
• Handling pets
• Swaddling – roll up in a blanket
• Back rub—deep firm pressure
• Dress up with different texture clothing
• Secret hideaway, make it fun by adding a variety of toys with texture in a large cardboard box or tent