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Speech Language Therapy for Children with Sensory Integration Disorder

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Speech Language Therapy for Children with Sensory Integration Disorder

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Articles discusses the most important sensory systems associated with speech development. It also discusses the effectiveness of the PROMPT strategy for children with sensory integration disorder.

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Children with Sensory Integration Disorder - Speech Language Therapy

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The term -sensory integration- was developed by Jean Ayres, an occupational therapist. It refers to processes that occur in the central nervous system that are responsible for interpreting and processing information from the environment. These processes include audition, vision, taste, smell and the above-mentioned systems that provide information about touch, pressure and relative position in space.

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Emelia Baer

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The first time I heard the term 'occupational therapy', I had no idea what it meant. I assumed it had something to do with providing therapy to adults in the workforce, and while occupational therapists can (and do!) help improve the lives of adults within work settings, occupational therapy (OT) benefits people of all ages. Whether an individual is suffering from the effects of an injury or illness, or was born with developmental delays like autism, sensory processing disorder, or cerebral palsy, the main purpose of occupational therapy is to help them develop the skills needed to live an independent and productive life. Through the use of various occupational therapy activities, OT can improve a patient's sensory, motor, and cognitive skills, which in turn improves their quality of life and boosts their self-esteem

What I love most about occupational therapy is that it's fun. By assessing a child's challenges and using relevant occupational therapy activities that address their needs, occupational therapists are brilliant at finding ways to get kids to practice the things they find difficult without them even realizing it!

What's even better is that there are tons of occupational therapy activities you can do to support your child at home and at school, most of which cost next to nothing to set-up and provide meaningful ways for you to connect and have fun with your child while simultaneously helping him or her overcome their challenges.

Whether your child has sensory sensitivities, struggles with fine, gross, and/or visual motor skills, needs help with handwriting, or could benefit from core strengthening exercises, we have 56 activities and tips you are going to LOVE!

Sensory Activities

Proprioceptive Sensory Diet Activities
The proprioceptive system is responsible for helping us understand where we are in relation to the space around us. Our proprioceptive receptors exist in our muscles, joints, and ligaments, and these receptors are what enable us to sit, stand, stretch, bend over, climb stairs, run, etc. There are heaps of activities you can get your child involved with at home to help develop his or her proprioceptive system. Here are some simple ideas to get you started:

1. Carrying groceries from the car to the house

2. Carrying laundry up and down the stairs

3. Pulling a blanket with toys or pillows on top for added weight

4. Jumping on a trampoline

5. Animal walks

Vestibular Sensory Diet Activities
Often referred to as the 'sixth sense', our vestibular system is located in our inner ears and is responsible for our spatial awareness. It allows us to coordinate balance with movement and, when performing correctly, it works in conjunction with our other senses to ensure we feel safe in our environment. A child with vestibular processing challenges may avoid or seek vestibular input. They may appear clumsy, prefer sedentary activities, and have difficulty with fine motor tasks like handwriting, or they may be hyperactive and impulsive due to a constant need for movement. These activities offer a great way to develop a child's vestibular system:

Tactile Sensory Diet Activities
If your child has tactile sensitivities (think: textures, temperature, vibration, pain, etc.), engaging him or her in tactile sensory integration activities will help teach them to understand which tactile stimuli are important (the feeling they get when they cut their finger) and which aren't (the feeling of the tag on the back of their shirt). Here are some of our favorite tactile activities:

Auditory Sensory Diet Activities
Our auditory system is responsible not only for enabling us to receive auditory input from our environment, but it also helps us to recognize which sounds are important (the sound of mom calling your name), which ones keep us safe (fire alarms), and which ones we should ignore (the hum of the fridge). Some children with auditory processing disorder may be hypersensitive to sounds, causing them to become upset in the face of loud noises and cover their ears in public settings, while others may be hyposensitive and seek out loud noises. If your child has auditory processing challenges, consider some of these simple, yet fun auditory activities:

1. Scavenger hunt with sounds (instead of looking for objects, listen for sounds!)

2. 1-, 2-, or 3-step directions (found on Little Bins for Little Hands)

3. Listen to calming music

4. Match the Sound Game (found on Strings, Keys & Melodies)

Oral Sensory Diet Activities
Our oral system allows us to communicate with others, and also allows us to chew, swallow, and experience different textures and tastes, but what few of us realize is that our oral system is also closely related to our proprioceptive system. For example, you might notice that your child is constantly chewing and biting things (oral seeking behaviors), or your child might avoid certain food textures, have problems swallowing, and be very reluctant to try new foods (oral avoiding behaviors). If this sounds like your child, consider some of these fun oral activities!

1. Blow bubbles

2. Chew gum (I prefer Epic Dental Gum as it's sweetened with xylitol and free of aspartame)

3. Spider Races (found on Still Playing School)

4. Blow bubbles in water using a straw

5. Blow up balloons

Motor Activities

Fine Motor Activities
When teachers and therapists talk about a child's fine motor skills, they are usually referring to their ability to control the small movements in their hands and fingers, but fine motor skills are also essential in helping children make small movements with other parts of their body, like their feet, toes, lips, and tongue. When a child can't control the small movements in their hands and fingers, they will not only have difficulty in a school environment, but they will also struggle with basic life skills like getting dressed and feeding themselves. The good news is that there are tons of things that can be done to help develop fine motor skills, and early intervention is key. Here are some great fine motor activities you can do at home to help strengthen your child's hands and fingers.

1. Lacing Activities. There are so many inexpensive ways to setup lacing activities at home. Whether you use a bit of string and different types of pasta, or invest in a set like this Learning Resources Beads and Pattern Card Set, you can't go wrong.

2. Erasing Letters with a Q-Tip. This Q-Tip Activity by Gift of Curiosity is awesome. All you need is a white board, dry erase markers, and some Q-Tips, and you can find all kinds of ways to not only work on your child's fine motor skills, but also teach concepts like letters, numbers, and shapes.

Gross Motor Activities
When teachers and therapists talk about a child's gross motor skills, they are usually referring to their ability to control the large movements in their body required for things like walking, running, and jumping as well as the hand-eye coordination needed to ride a bike, catch a ball, or kick their legs in a swimming pool. When a child can't control the large movements in their bodies, they will find it difficult to sit upright at a classroom desk, navigate the playground equipment at recess, and feel in control of their movement. Here are some gross motor activities you can do at home to help develop your child's gross motor skills!

1. Balloon Tennis. Grab a couple of fly swatters and blow up some balloons and then check out this fun balloon tennis activity over on Little Bins for Little Hands!

2. Stair Scavenger Hunt. Using 2 puzzle sets (for example, you can use this wooden number set by Hapeas well as this wooden number puzzle by Lanka Kade), create a scavenger hunt on your staircase (in this example, your child would be matching numbers). Have your child choose 1 puzzle piece from a bucket and then walk up the stairs to find the matching piece. Ensure she doesn't use the hand rails while walking up and down the stairs, and that she crouches down into a squat position when picking up each puzzle piece. As an added twist, have her assemble both puzzles on the floor while standing on a stepping stool.

3. Animal Walking. Write a bunch of different animals on different pieces of paper, throw them into a hat, have your child randomly choose a few, and then have her walk across the living room while pretending to walk like the animal she chose and see how long it takes the rest of the family to figure out what the animal is. Make sure to include bunny rabbit, snake, bear, and crab in your choices and demonstrate the moves ahead of time so she engages her core properly.

4. Egg Races. You can make this as easy or as hard as you want to. Start with a simple race across your living room, and then make the game more difficult by putting blankets and pillows on the floor. You can also have your child switch between her right and left hands to add an even bigger twist!

5. Waddle Like a Penguin. This gross motor activity on Brilliant Beginnings Preschool doubles as a great boredom buster for bad weather days!

Visual Motor Activities
Also known as hand-eye coordination and visual motor integration, visual motor skills enable our hands and eyes to communicate effectively so we can write, draw, cut, etc. If your child struggles with handwriting or other activities that require hand-eye coordination, these activities offer a fun way to strengthen their skills:

1. Copy the Clay Monsters. If your child enjoys playing with play dough, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes (who doesn't?!), this copy the clay monsters activity by Your Therapy Source is sure to be a hit!

2. Shape Copying and Cutting. Draw shapes on a piece of construction paper, and have your child not only copy your drawings, but cut them out with a pair of scissors.

3. Osmo Tangram. My daughter received the Osmo system for Christmas, which I recommend to every single parent of kids over the age of 6. It teaches so many important concepts like letters and numbers in a fun and creative way, and if you're looking for visual motor activities, the Tangram game is one of my absolute favorites!

4. Lite Brite. An age-old classic, Lite Brite is another great activity that will help develop your child's visual motor skills. With 6 reusable templates, kids can copy designs for independent play, or create their own.

5. Visual Scanning Exercise. There are heaps of different visual scanning exercises you can engage your kids in, and these ideas by The OT Toolbox will give you lots of inspiration!

Handwriting Activities

1. Hand Strengthening Activities. Before you can teach kids to write, you need to make sure they have an opportunity to develop proper hand strength, and this collection of fun activities by The Inspired Treehouse is a great place to start!

2. Pencil Control Activities. If your child struggles with pencil control, this fun activity on The OT Toolbox will help!

3. Erasing Letters with a Q-Tip. I've already included this Q-Tip Activity by Gift of Curiosity in my collection of occupational therapy activities for kids, but it's so awesome it bears repeating! All you need is a white board, dry erase markers, and some Q-Tips, and you can find all kinds of ways to not only work on your child's fine motor skills, but also teach concepts like letters, numbers, and shapes.

4. Window Writing. If your child struggles with handwriting, and you want to find ways to make it fun, grab some window markers and let them practice on the windows of their bedroom!

Note: If your child struggles with pencil grip, there are a lot of different props you can purchase to help your child learn how to hold a pencil correctly, but with so many different options to choose from, it's hard to know which one is best. Most teachers and occupational therapists prefer to teach children how to write without the aid of pencil grips as they serve as a bandaid rather than a solution to poor pencil grip and have a tendency to get lost (!!!!), but if you are interested in giving one a test drive, here are 3 options to consider:

The Writing CLAW. What I love about this grip is that it can be used with pencils, markers, paint brushes, and eating utensils, and it's touted as a top-pick for kids with special needs who struggle with the fine motor skills needed for handwriting.

The Pencil Grip. Unlike older pencil grips, the soft, flexible material of this grip offers a comfortable way for kids to learn how to maintain the proper tripod grip needed for handwriting, and the ergonomic design helps reduce hand fatigue.

The Grotto Grip. Designed by an occupational therapist, this pencil grip will ensure your child's fingers don't slip while she's writing, and based on the reviews I've read online, a lot of teachers and parents swear by it!

Core Strengthening Activities

1. Tightrope Walking. All you need is a bit of masking tape and a little imagination, and you can make all kinds of tightrope obstacle courses using your child's favorite toys. A simple example is to have her walk from one end of the room to another with an object in each of her hands, and then have her stand on a step stool at the end of the 'tightrope' and bend over to place each object into a bucket. Simple, easy, and effective!

2. Twister. If your child has weak core muscles, this classic party game offers a brilliant way to engage her core while still having fun!

3. Planks. While boring on its own, engaging in a contest to see who can hold a plank the longest can make this core strengthening exercise a little more exciting, and you can step it up even further by having fun wind-up toys walk beneath your child while she holds the plank position.

4. Fun with Pillows. You can do a lot of core exercises for kids with pillows! If you have a couch with big pillows, set them up on the floor and ask your child to turn them over as many times in a row as she can. You can also have her drag them from one end of your living room to the next and place a couple of toys on top along the way to see how long she can go without dropping them! Don't have large couch pillows? No problem! Grab a couple from your bed and have your child walk up and down the stairs while holding the pillows in her arms and remind her NOT to use the handrail for better core engagement.

5. Superman Pose. Core exercises for kids have never been easier than with the superman pose. Have your child lie on her tummy and then lift her arms and legs off the ground and see how long she can hold the pose. She can do this on the floor and on an exercise ball, and you can keep her giggling by running race cars over her back!

6. Square Scooter. Square scootersaren't just fun - they also help create a ton of different core exercises for kids. For example, you can have your child lay with her tummy on the scooter, and then ask her to navigate around your living room using only her feet while she picks up various objects off the ground with her hands. Another idea is to have her sit cross-legged on the scooter and then move herself around the room using a broom while singing, 'Row Row Row Your Boat'!

7. Leg Kicks with An Exercise Ball. Have your child lie on her back with her hands at her side and her knees tucked into her chest. On the count of three, gently throw an exercise ball toward her, and have her straighten her legs in front of her so she can kick the ball back to you with her feet. It's challenging to get the hang of, but it can be lots of fun!

8. Fun with Blankets. Have your child pull something heavy on a blanket from one end of the room to another. This could be a sibling, a pet, or a bunch of her favorite books. It isn't easy, but if you cheer her own from the sidelines, she may surprise you with her strength!

9. Therapy Ball Exercises for Kids. If you're looking for simple core exercises for kids you can do at home, an exercise ball is a fabulous tool as you can do so many different things with it. Ask your child to lie on her tummy on the ball and sort objects from one container to another, have her sit on the ball and then lie backwards and reach her arms above her head so she can retrieve objects off of the floor, see how many times she can crawl over the ball, ask her to give you a 'massage' by lying on the floor while she rolls the ball up and down your back, get her to push the ball up a flight of stairs...the possibilities really are endless!

Mark Twain once said, 'The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking down complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.' I love that quote because it reminds me that, no matter how difficult the situation, there's always a way forward.

I hope this collection of occupational therapy activities inspires you to help the exceptional children in your life!
This post contains affiliate links. If you found this collection of occupational therapy activities helpful, please share this post on Pinterest! And if you're looking for more autism and sensory processing disorder resources, please follow our ASD & SPD board, where we share all kinds of great tips and ideas we find each day!

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Learning Through Play: 56 Occupational Therapy Activities for Kids

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Whether your child has sensory sensitivities, struggles with fine, gross, and/or visual motor skills, or needs help with handwriting, these occupational therapy activities will not disappoint!

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Maggie Bill

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Watch the Importance of Sensory Integration | Pathways.org

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Watch this quick explanation of sensory integration and how it might apply to your child.

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Treating Children with Sensory Processing 

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Treating Children with Sensory Processing 

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Treating Sensory Processing Issues - Child Mind Institute

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The benefits of sensory integration therapy: Treating kids with sensory processing issues in specialized gyms could help them develop the necessary skills.

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Claire Elliott

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Sensory processing is one of the most complex aspects of child development. Here at The Inspired Treehouse, we're passionate about providing easy-to-understand answers to the most common questions we hear about sensory processing in our pediatric therapy practice.

Take a few minutes to browse through our extensive list of sensory processing resources and come away with a better understanding of how kids process and integrate the sensory experiences they encounter every day.

General Information About Sensory Processing

What Does "Sensory" Really Mean? - This brief, easy-to-read post gives a basic understanding of how a child processes sensory experiences to help him understand his environment more clearly. You'll also find links to other helpful resources on sensory processing.

Sensory Processing: 5 Things OTs Want You to Know - In this post, our pediatric occupational therapists address some commonly held misconceptions about sensory processing, providing helpful suggestions and strategies for planning sensory activities with children.

Sensory Integration: Red Flags and When to Get Help Learn more about sensory red flags - behaviors related to sensory integration that might indicate that it's time to get some expert advice to help support your child's sensory needs.

Discussing Sensory Issues: A Guide for Parents and Teachers Whether you are a parent of a child with sensory needs or a teacher who has concerns about a child in your class, here are some ideas for how to start a constructive conversation about addressing kids' needs in a positive and respectful way.

Sensory Processing 101 You may have heard of Sensory Processing Disorder, but the truth is that understanding and supporting healthy sensory processing is an important part of promoting health in all children, not only those with diagnosed sensory needs. That's why we created our book, Sensory Processing 101.

Sensory Tips and Strategies

Sensory-Friendly Sleep Tips for Kids - Learn about some simple sensory strategies that any parent can use to help calm a child at bedtime - because a well-rested kid is a happy kid!

A Moving School Experience: Classroom Ideas for Kids With Sensory Issues Learn from experts in the field about Practical Classroom Ideas to Support the Sensory Sensitive Child.

Paying Attention: 30 Sensory Strategies For some kids, adding a sensory component or enhancing the existing sensory features of an activity can help promote attention and engagement. These sensory strategies can help children who require more sensory input to remain focused and attentive.

10 Calming Sensory Strategies for School There are many simple sensory strategies that can be used to help create calmer, less stressful school days for all kids, regardless of their school setting or whether they have identified sensory needs.

10 Tips for Facilitating Sensory Activities for Kids There are lots of ways to facilitate and modify sensory activities to meet a wide range of preferences, needs, and sensitivities. These are some of our favorite tips.

Getting to the Bottom of Sensory Behaviors: A 3-Step Formula A basic formula for addressing"inappropriate" or "challenging" sensory behaviors.

23 Ways to Create a Sensory-Friendly Classroom We've taken several common classroom activities and provided examples of how to turn them on their heads with a little extra dose of sensory input that can help kids attend, engage, participate, and truly show us what they know!

Play Dates and Sensory Issues: How to Support Your Child Even though sensory behaviors can definitely make social interactions more challenging, there are ways to support kids to create positive play experiences with peers despite sensory processing needs.

Sensory Tips for Teens and Older Kids Courtney Dickinson, an experienced Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT) certified pediatric OT provides tons of useful tips, tricks, and strategies to help support teens and older children with sensory issues.

Sensory Toys and Products

Toys to Promote Sensory Development - We believe that play is the best way to promote development and wellness for kids. This post gives a round-up of some fantastic toys that address each of the sensory systems. This guide is a great place to start if you're looking for toys that contribute to healthy child development.

The Best Toys for Vestibular System Development - What better way to help kids develop their vestibular systems than by getting them up and moving with some of these great toys!

Creating a Sensory Motor Study Space for Kids To us, creating a study space for kids means more than just setting up a desk and a chair. We know that kids are better able to "show what they know" when they can move, when they are exposed to hands-on learning activities, and when all of their senses are engaged!

Sensory Activities

20 Fun Ways to Explore the Sense of Smell - Today, we've rounded up 20 great activities for kids that will put those little sniffers right to work!

10 Great Sensory Activities for Toddlers Try one of these sensory activities for toddlers that allow them to touch, taste, listen, watch, smell, and above all - move!

10 Fun Sensory Activities for 2 and 3-Year-Olds Two and three-year-olds are developing at an incredible rate - they're talking, walking (...or usually running!), and exploring all day every day. Kids this age can't get enough sensory play - check out these fun and simple ways to encourage sensory development in your little one!

Sensory Activities for Preschoolers Preschoolers love to explore using their senses and by this age, they have the vocabulary and cognitive skills to make some real connections about the world around them as they engage in sensory play.

35 Mess-Free Sensory Play Activities for Kids Busy moms, dads, and teachers don't always have the time (or the energy) to clean up a huge mess after the kids have gone crazy with shaving cream or a big bin of sand. But what if we told you that making a mess with your hands is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sensory play?

The Sensory Systems

Sensory Processing: The Vestibular System - This post is all about the vestibular system - what is it, why is it important to growth and development, and what can you do to support it in your child. Learn about how this important sensory system helps us regulate balance and movement.

Sensory Processing: The Tactile System - Our pediatric occupational therapists break the tactile system down into terms everyone can understand, giving activities and suggestions for promoting healthy development of this sensory system through play.

Sensory Processing: Proprioception - Our sensory processing series continues with this post on the proprioceptive system. What is it? Why is it important to child development?

Sensory Processing: The Auditory System - Learn about a child's sense of hearing and how it contributes to development. Read about potential issues with the auditory system and find some great activities to promote healthy development in this area.

Sensory Processing: The Visual System - The next post in our series on sensory processing delves into the visual system and its role in child development. Learn from our pediatric occupational therapists about how you can support the development of a healthy visual system in your child.

Sensory Processing: The Olfactory System - The olfactory system (the sense of smell) is yet another way for our brains to receive information about what is going on around us. Find out more about this fascinating system in this post!

What Does Oral Sensory Mean? The oral sensory system is a complex and interesting part of sensory processing. From taste to texture to temperature and much more, the way we perceive oral sensory information helps us eat and drink in a functional way and allows us to enjoy mealtimes with family and friends.

Have you checked out our book, Sensory Processing 101? Whether you are a parent, educator, caregiver, or therapist, this easy-to-read guide is your starting point to gain a better understanding of sensory processing and the body's sensory systems. Get your copy today!

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Sensory processing is one of the most complex aspects of child development . Here at The Inspired Treehouse, we're passionate about providing easy-to-understand answers to the most common questions we hear about sensory processing in our pediatric therapy practice.

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Sensory Processing Disorder explained-- Olfactory "cheat sheet" and activities 

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Sensory Processing Disorder explained-- Olfactory "cheat sheet" and activities 

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Alyssa Tarquinio

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Sensory Processing can be such a confusing topic. From terms you may have never heard of to the spectrum of ways it effects all of us, it can be overwhelming. That is why I am excited to join with my friends at The Inspired Treehouse, a group of pediatric physical and occupational therapists, to bring you this series on all things Sensory Processing. This month we are talking about Olfactory Input and its importance for growth and development in kids.

{THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS TO MATERIALS I RECOMMEND. ANYTHING YOU PURCHASE THROUGH THESE LINKS HELPS SUPPORT LEMON LIME ADVENTURES. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR CHOOSING TO SUPPORT US.}

Just like last month, I will attempt to explain an aspect of Sensory Processing from my perspective. I will not attempt to use medical terms, explain what I don't understand myself, or pretend to be an expert. My good friends, at The Inspired Treehouse , will bring you their take on the same topic, giving you a better understanding of Sensory Processing.

I am not a therapist or a doctor.
I am, simply, a mom raising a child with sensory needs .
I am, simply, an educator who taught in Early Childhood Education for 12 years.
I am, simply, just like you.

The Olfactory System isn't one you will hear much about or read about as much as the other sensory systems. In fact, you might not even be familiar with this term until now. However, you have most like experienced the affects the olfactory system more than you realize. I will be the first to admit, writing about the olfactory system is something I have been dreading for the entire series, because lets face it... its just not as exciting as, let's say, the tactile system.

If I had to define the The Olfactory System without using medical terms, I would define it as our bodies ability to make sense of the world using our sense of smell. It is our bodies way of taking in information about our surrounding to help us gauge if they are safe, harmful and even whether they are important to notice or not. It isn't simply about our ability to smell pleasant and unpleasant odors, but our ability to discern and recognize safe and unsafe odors (which is vital in helping us regulate our sensory system.

From the sweet aroma of chocolate or pancakes to the pungent odor of trash, scents surround us. Noticing and deciphering these scents require us to use our olfactory sense to be successful day to day. If I had to define this system with one word, I would use...

Smell

Without a regulated olfactory system, we are unable to taste foods the way others do, focus on ...
NOTE: I want to be completely honest, and state that I am not completely clear on the olfactory system and its affects on children. I am going to attempt to explain it to the best of my ability and share stories from my life as an educator and as a mom, raising a child with sensory processing.
When I think of the olfactory system, I picture one of two things. I picture someone smelling flowers in a field with a smile on their face. The are in the moment, taking in everything around them, registering that moment in time, and making a positive memory that will last. In this scenario they are using their sense of smell to take in information, process it and make sense of their surroundings.

On the flip side, I also think of stench. Yep. Downright nasty smells that seem to linger and you can't seem to get out of your nose. Can you picture them? I bet you can even smell them again.

The truth is... our sense of smell is so much more than just a way to sense odors. It is a way for our brains to process information. It is so closely connected to our gustatory (taste) sense that it can actually improve or inhibit the way we taste things. This can be a problem. A BIG problem if your sense of smell is heightened or decreased. It can affect you child's eating, working memory, and ability to recall information.

When I sat down to write about this sense, I began to struggle. I thought "I don't know anything about the 'Olfactory Sense' as I am sure many of you might be wondering why the sense of smell is worthy of a post by itself. I even reached out to my Sensory Support Group on Facebook to ask them how the Olfactory Sense affects them and their children. The response was overwhelming! All of the sudden I began to remember exactly what the Olfactory system looks like.

As an educator, I have vivid memories of this adorable 3 year old in my blended preschool program. The very first day I met her I was immediately shocked by the way she reacted to new things. As she explored the classroom, she would smell EVERYTHING! New crayon... sniff. New block... sniff. New paint... sniff. I was so confused. I would later come to learn that this little girl, in fact, had sensory processing disorder, something I knew absolutely nothing about at the time.

As a parent, we actually struggle with this more than I initially wanted to admit. There are days my son won't eat ANYTHING.

They just don't taste right. It smells gross. I don't like it."

At first I am always a little frustrated. I know he liked it the day before. I know its one of his favorite foods. Learning about the importance of his olfactory needs, I am able to support him. When he is having trouble with the odors around him and it affects his eating, it tells me his sensory system is having trouble staying organized. This is when I know we need to get out our sensory toolkit and do some heavy work or other sensory activities.

Remember, Sensory Processing is Complex. It is different for every child, because every child is unique. The problems arise when a child either seeks or avoids vestibular input. For your convenience, I have compiled an Olfactory cheat sheet listing behaviors you might see if your child is with avoiding or seeking this type of input.

Now its time to hop over to my good friends at The Inspired Treehouse, where they are sharing their tips as Pediatric therapists to explain the Olfactory System and why it is important to the growth and development of all children.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE TACTILE ACTIVITIES

Scented Ice Lab | Experimenting with Smells | Rainbow Scented Cloud Dough

Follow Dayna :: Lemon Lime Adventures's board Sensory Processing Resources on Pinterest.

Just a few of my favorite books about Sensory Processing books include:

Do you know a child that seeks or avoids tactile input? Do you have a child with sensory needs? Has this post touched you in some way? I would love to know! Please send me a message or leave a comment. It helps when we know we are not alone. Click the picture below to join our Support Group for Sensory Needs.

MORE SENSORY PROCESSING RESOURCES

Sensory Processing | Tactile | Vestibular | Proprioceptive | Auditory | Visual

Make sure you don't miss the next in the series about Sensory Processing. We can connect on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribe by email in the sidebar.

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Sensory Processing Explained | Olfactory System

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Sensory Processing can be such a confusing topic. From terms you may have never heard of to the spectrum of ways it effects all of us, it can be overwhelming.

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Jasmine Jefko

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Affiliate and Referral links are used below to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission on any purchases made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.

In the last post, we looked at the basic idea behind what a sensory diet is, who can create one and who they are helpful for. Today I wanted to share some resources for creating sensory diets for therapists, parents, and teachers.

An Occupational Therapist who has been trained in sensory processing and sensory-related therapies is the best person to develop and create a sensory diet for your child. However, all children can benefit from sensory breaks or brain breaks throughout their day.

I am going to share resources for each to help you get started on creating sensory diets in your practice, at home, or in the classroom.

Creating Sensory Diets - for Therapists
Parents and teachers, don't skip this section either. This is good information to know if you are working with a therapist to create a sensory diet for your child.
Typically a therapist will begin by evaluating your child for sensory processing concerns. This is when you need to have very detailed information for the therapist on how your child reacts and responds to different things throughout their day.

The therapist will often do their own observation, as well as give you a sensory screening tool to fill out for your child. All of this information is then put together and the therapist will give their opinion based on all that information.

Once the therapist has an idea of what sensory processing issues your child is facing they can begin to develop strategies and a sensory diet to help your child focus and function throughout the day.

Remember the goal of a sensory diet is to help find that optional level of arousal for your child. So whether your child has a sensory overload or low arousal, there are many different sensory activities that can help.

Vestibular and proprioceptive input is typically the first 2 sensory systems a therapist will address when creating a sensory diet. These two systems are the primary organizers of your child's brain and body. Think big, gross motor movements, lots of pushing, pulling, spinning, bouncing, changing head positions, etc.
Resources for Vestibular and Proprioceptive Input:
After addressing these two systems, your therapist will look at all the other sensory systems including tactile, auditory, smell and taste, sight, seating, and floor time issues, writing and fine motor skills, meals, and snacks, transitions, etc. All of these may be addressed depending on your child's individual sensory processing difficulties.

Visual schedules for sensory diets are often very helpful. Here are some resources for that.

Creating Sensory Diets - for Parents & Teachers

For parents and teachers, it is important to follow through with all the sensory diet protocols your therapist sets up for you. Carryover into home and school will give you the best outcomes when working with a sensory diet. Consistency is KEY! Without it, you won't know if the sensory diet is really working or not.

It is also important to remember that sensory diets are not a one-time fix-all solution. You will need to work closely with your therapist to continue to tweak and add or take away items from your child's sensory diet until you find the right combination.

Remember that what may work for a couple of weeks may not work after a while. This is why communication with your child's therapist and the teacher is SO important.

Creating a sensory area or room in your home or school is a great way to get started. Having a variety of sensory toys such as fidgets, chewing items, dim lighting, etc. are important parts of a sensory room.

Planning ahead and having an idea of what types of input or transitions set your child's sensory processing behavior off and having ways to help them cope and transition, is important for you to recognize. Having a routine so your child knows what to expect for the day is definitely helpful.

Visual schedules are very helpful for this and here are a few resources for that:

There are so many resources out there that this post could go on and on. But this is a good starting point for creating sensory diets in your home or classroom. Remember to always consult with your therapist when developing and creating sensory diets.

Also, remember that all kids need sensory breaks, many of these resources will be helpful for including those in your child's day.

For more reading on sensory processing and how you can help any child, here is a list of books I recommend.

You can also follow my Occupational Therapy Tips board for more OT-related advice and articles.

Follow Heather G. | Golden Reflections Blog 's board Occupational Therapy Tips on Pinterest.
You May Also Like:

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Sensory diets can benefit many different children. This post continues resources for creating sensory diets.

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Molly Ream

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When your child has sensory processing issues, it can affect every part of his life-and yours. But there are ways you can help your child cope. Here are strategies that may help with different kinds of sensory experiences.

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Sensory Processing Issues: Strategies You Can Try at Home

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When your child has sensory processing issues, it can affect every part of his life-and yours. But there are ways you can help your child cope. Here are strategies that may help with different kinds of sensory experiences.

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Gabby Gravelle

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Learn more about the visual system and how our sense of sight can have a huge impact on functional performance during day-to-day activities.
This post contains affiliate links. Read more.
About Vision...

The sensory organ of the visual system is the eye. The eye and the brain communicate and work together to help us interpret our physical surroundings using sight, or, what we see. This happens through interpretation of light.

Light rays follow a path through many different structures of the eye, finally reaching the visual cortex in the brain. Here, the object is identified and given meaning. This includes details regarding color, three dimensional depth perception, where the object is in space, memory of the image, and gives the image context in the environment. Read on to learn more!

RISE With Sensory Course

Are you ready to learn powerful sensory strategies to support kids' sensory needs so they can RISE to their full potential?

Whether you're a parent or a professional, this course is for you!

The RISE With Sensory Course is This class is AOTA approved for 7 hours (.7 CEU) and is the perfect starting point for new therapists, or refresher for experienced therapists.

Looking for a streamlined approach for working with kids with sensory concerns and for communicating clearly with parents and caregivers about sensory processing?

Click here to learn more!

A Healthy Visual System

Vision is closely integrated with all of our other senses. If we see freshly baked cookies, we become hungry as our sense of smell and our taste buds kick in! If we see a large spider, our tactile system goes to work - we get goosebumps and may feel a sense of fear. Vision helps us process, understand, and take action in our environments.

Think about all the sights to be seen!! Look around you, there are thousands of images and details to look at in every direction. Children automatically focus in on the details in their environments that are most important at any given moment, depending on their purpose.

For example, during a game of hide and seek, kids filter out most of what they see around them except that awesome chair that they know will make a great hiding spot! When a child walks into his classroom after recess, he automatically scans the room and heads right to his desk to have a seat. Most often, vision has a purpose.

Problems With Visual Processing

Imagine that the visual system is a bike wheel. At the center of the wheel is the ability to see. All of the spokes coming off the center are the many different aspects of vision, including visual perception skills like visual discrimination, visual acuity, visual memory, visual form, visual motor abilities, etc.

There are many functions of the visual system that help our children grow, learn, and develop. These all individually play an important role. From a sensory processing perspective, issues with vision may interfere with some children's ability to successfully engage and participate in their environments.

Visual Hypersensitivity

A child may be highly distracted by the visual stimuli around him. He may be overwhelmed by the many colors in the room, the posters or art on the walls, and the movement of others around him. The movement of the picture on the television catches his attention. He may see activity outside the window or want to count the tiles on the floor that are different colors and textures.

Because of all of these visual distractions, it may be impossible for him to focus on a task like coloring a picture. This child needs an environment that is visually simplified. He would benefit from a neat, clear area to work and a classroom without so many visual distractions. This may mean fewer posters on the wall, more uniform color in the room, low lighting, and important information presented in a bold color. He may need a privacy divider to do his best work in a busy room. When receiving directions, he may benefit from the adult establishing eye contact with him first, ensuring that he is listening and attending.

Visual Hyposensitivity

The opposite of this child is the one who is visually under stimulated. He barely notices his surroundings unless details and objects are pointed out to him. He may stare at the same point for extended periods of time. He gets lost in a visual activity quickly and loses interest. This child needs a visual boost! He needs more visual stimulation in order to function. He may benefit from a bright piece of paper under his work to help him with paying attention and learning materials that are written in bright, large, or bold font. This child typically does well with online learning and applications that use movement and color. Visual sticker charts keep this child motivated. He needs to see more to stay alert.

The visual system can also play a role in execution of gross motor skills. Learn more about the link between vision and balance.

Our Favorite Visual Activities for Kids

Most children develop a strong visual system simply through engaging in play activities that allow for visual exploration in their everyday environments. There are many activities that can help promote the development of a healthy visual system, including:

Scavenger Hunts

I Spy Games

Partner Painting

Puzzles

Mazes

Picnic Drawing Activity

Spot It

Seed Collections

Hidden Pictures

Color By Number

Connect the Dots

Mirror, Mirror

Word Searches

Word Scrambles

Who's Missing?

Don't forget to click over to Lemon Lime Adventures to read Dayna's take on the visual system from a parent and educator's point of view!

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The Visual System - The Inspired Treehouse

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Learn more about the visual system and how our sense of sight can have a huge impact on functional performance during day-to-day activities.

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Under and over responsiveness to sensory input

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Under and over responsiveness to sensory input

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Carly Williamson

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1. Student refuses to participate in P.E. and playground games

Some students refuse to participate in P.E. and playground games because they dislike the sensation of the movement involved. They will particularly dislike fast movements (e.g. being pushed in a play car), backwards movements (e.g. on a swing) and spinning movements (e.g. on a roundabout). They may also dislike sudden changes in movement and so will avoid chasing games and many team sports.

Suggested strategies:

Provide alternative games and activities in P.E. and the playground which do not involve fast, unpredictable movement

Encourage the student to participate in activities which involve up/down movements and this is easier to tolerate than backward or spinning movements

Examples of suitable P.E. and playground activities may include:

Jumping e.g. star jumps

Hop scotch

Skipping

Walking

Throwing beanbags at a target

Throwing/catching a ball

Treasure hunt e.g. hide items in the playground and give the student the list of items to find

Nature trail e.g. give the student a list of natural items to find in the playground, such as a leaf, blade of grass, daisy

Set up a games room in school for break and lunchtimes and provide a range of board games as an alternative to playground activities

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2. Student refuses to use PE equipment e.g. wall bars, ropes, gym horse, balance beam

Students may refuse to use equipment which involves feet being off the ground as they experience gravitational insecurity. Using equipment such as wall bars and ropes will significantly increase anxiety and they may feel dizzy and nauseous. This will result in a refusal to participate in P.E.

Suggested strategies:

If using the balance beam to work on balance, use alternative equipment and activities:

Balance activities on the ground to provide a firm base of support e.g. standing on one leg, hopping, walking tiptoe along a line taped to the ground

As the student becomes more confident, they may be able to walk along lower equipment with a wide surface e.g. a bench

The student may be able to tolerate sitting on a gym ball if feet are on the ground. Encourage reaching to each side (e.g. to throw beanbag to a target) in order to develop balance.

Jumping on a small trampette or trampoline will improve balance. A student with gravitational insecurity may initially need to hold onto a bar.

If using the ropes to work on upper body strength, use alternative equipment and activities:

Pulling along a rope while lying on tummy on the floor. This requires the same reciprocal movement and upper body strength as climbing vertical ropes.

Wall push ups

Crawling e.g. set up an obstacle course so child crawls under, over and through obstacles; or child carries beanbag on back from one end of room to target at other end

Wheelbarrow walks e.g. set up races

Lying on tummy on a bench and pulling self along

Press-ups, either on hands and knees (for those with limited core strength) or on toes

Weight lifting

Tug of war

Hitting a ball with a bat

Throwing and catching balls of increasing weight

If using the wall bars to work on strength and motor planning, use alternative equipment and activities:

Obstacle courses e.g. jumping along mats, crawling through a tunnel, climbing over a bench. This will improve motor planning.

Crawling- this uses the same reciprocal movement and core strength as climbing wall bars.

Wheelbarrow walks

Scooter board- this improves core strength, upper limb strength and motor planning. A student who is sensitive to movement will prefer to control the speed and direction of movement of the scooter board.

If using the gym horse to work on core strength and stability, use alternative equipment and activities:

Activities lying on stomach and propping up on elbows to complete an activity e.g. rolling a ball to a partner, rolling a ball to skittles

Commando crawling i.e. pulling self along floor on stomach

Activities in tall kneeling position e.g. throwing and catching a ball, throwing a ball to a target

Activities in half kneeling position e.g. throwing and catching a ball, throwing a ball to a target

Crawling e.g. set up an obstacle course so child crawls under, over and through obstacles; or child carries beanbag on back from one end of room to target at other end

Scooter board e.g. student propels scooter board in/out cones; student propels scooter board from one end of room to the other, picking up as many beanbags as possible along the way. A student who is sensitive to movement will prefer to control the speed and direction of movement of the scooter board.

Sitting on gym ball and throwing beanbags at a target. Ensure the student's feet are on the ground while sitting on the gym ball to reduce anxiety.

Lying on stomach over gym ball and maintaining balance through arms. A student who has gravitational insecurity may refuse to participate in this activity and should not be persuaded if showing reluctance and anxiety.

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3. Student will only engage in sedentary activities

Students who are overresponsive to movement will often avoid all movement activities and instead select more sedentary activities e.g. reading, computer games. It is important to engage them in some physical activities to promote physical and emotional wellbeing and to encourage interaction with peers.

Suggested strategies:

Offer a range of activities which only involve gentle movements and do not incorporate fast movement, unpredictable movement, backward movement or spinning. Some ideas may include:

Throwing/catching/kicking ball with partner

Throwing/kicking ball to target

Going for a walk

Treasure hunt e.g. hide items in the playground and give the student the list of items to find

Nature trail e.g. give the student a list of natural items to find in the playground, such as a leaf, blade of grass, daisy

As the student becomes comfortable in these activities, you may be able to gradually increase the movement required e.g. instead of kicking ball to target, involve the student in a football game with a small number of classmates; running around the treasure hunt instead of walking

Provide the student with a choice of activities as this often improves motivation and participation. Choices can be presented on a visual choice board.

Use visual strategies to explain what it expected in an activity as this may also increase participation e.g. visual work system, written instructions

Use turn taking games so that the student is not constantly involved in movement; he will have a break from movement while waiting his turn

Provide a calm card so the student can request a break from the movement activity if he is feeling overwhelmed.

If the student refuses to engage in movement games in the playground, he may engage in more purposeful activities which have a clear function. Use activities which incorporate some physical movement. Examples may include:

Gardening

Brushing paths

Setting out materials and books for classes after Break and Lunch

Tidying away materials and books

Delivering mail from the office to classrooms

Helping to move furniture, stack chairs etc

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4. Student is distracted and/or fearful when sitting on a chair or toilet which is too high i.e. feet are off the ground

A student who experiences gravitational insecurity becomes fearful when feet are not on a stable surface. In school, these negative responses may be observed if the student is sitting on a chair or toilet which is too high.

Suggested strategies:

Ensure the student is sitting on a seat of the correct height so that both feet are on the ground and his/her back is against the back of the chair. This is also essential for correct posture which then facilitates improved fine motor skills e.g. handwriting.

If the student needs to sit on a higher chair in order to be at the correct height for the desk, provide a box or step on which he can set his feet. These are commercially available and can be attached to classroom chairs. Alternatively, a small box may be appropriate but consider health and safety factors i.e. risk of child tripping over it when not seated.

Provide a step at the toilet so that student can set feet on firm base of support if toilet is too high. This can be permanently fixed to the floor, or be moved into place when required.

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5. Student has regular episodes of motion sickness

Students who are sensitive to movement often experience motion (or travel) sickness. They may be ill on the bus, or they may arrive to school feeling nauseous. Fast speeds and frequent changes of direction and frequent stop/starts increase feelings of motion sickness.

Suggested strategies:

Student carries out head compressions during and after the journey.

Student is taught to look straight ahead and fix on a static point.

Student is allocated a seat at the front of the bus where he/she has a clear view through the windscreen.

Use of a weighted item can reduce motion sickness during travel but it is essential that this is assessed and monitored by an appropriately qualified occupational therapist.

If possible, arrange for the student to be collected towards the end of the bus run and left home near the start of the bus run in order to reduce the length of the journey.

Discuss with a pharmacist who may be able to recommend alternative methods to address motion sickness.
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6. Student complains of headache and nausea hours after engaging in movement activities

A student who is overresponsive to vestibular input can experience negative effects up to several hours after engaging in movement activities. The student may report a headache or feelings of nausea after using moving equipment such as swings or roundabouts.

Suggested strategies:

If the student is complaining of nausea, dizziness or headache, allow him/her to lie down in a quiet area until feeling better. If the student continues to feel unwell, contact a doctor.

Direct the student to carry out some deep pressure activities to reduce feelings of nausea, dizziness and headache. Examples may include:

In future, do not allow student to use moving equipment as his/her vestibular system is unable to cope with the movement sensations. Direct the student to use alternative equipment, such as the climbing frame or slide. A student who has gravitational insecurity is likely to avoid all playpark equipment so allow them to engage in other activities such as walking or ball games.

If you know the student has movement sensitivity and has been using playpark equipment, inform the parents so they can monitor for nausea and headache at home.

An occupational therapist qualified in Sensory Integration assesses and provides intervention for vestibular overresponsiveness.
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7. Student in wheelchair is fearful when wheelchair is moved backwards or tilted backwards

Some students in wheelchairs are overresponsive to movement. In particular, they may respond fearfully when the wheelchair is moved backwards or turned.

Suggested strategies:

If the student is able to propel their own wheelchair, do not move it for him/her.

If the student is unable to propel the wheelchair, ensure you prepare him/her for all movement. Avoid unpredictable and sudden movement of the wheelchair.

When pushing the wheelchair, use a forward movement as much as possible rather than backward movements.

Use ramps and dropped kerbs where possible rather than tilting the wheelchair backwards.

If you need to tilt the wheelchair to negotiate a step or kerb, prepare the student for this movement instead of suddenly tilting the wheelchair backwards.

Always move the wheelchair slowly, and when turning it or changing direction, ensure this is done slowly. Avoid fast movements and sudden changes of direction.

Control the speed of the wheelchair when going down ramps.
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8. Student is fearful when being transferred in hoist

Students with physical disabilities who require a hoist for transfers may experience feelings of movement sensitivity and gravitational insecurity. If the hoist is essential for transfers, this is unavoidable, but some strategies may reduce the student's anxiety with movement.

Suggested strategies:

Always prepare the student for the movement. Use a visual system to show what is going to happen and use this each time.

Give the student time to calm before the movement.

Stop the movement of the hoist if requested by the student if it is safe to do so. The student can be given a 'Stop' card to hold up if feeling anxious. Begin the movement again when the student is calm and ready.

Teach the student calming strategies which may reduce anxiety during the movement in the hoist. Examples may include:

Breathing exercises e.g. deep breaths in and breathing out slowly

Holding a favourite item as a distractor/calming object

Focusing on a static point during the movement

A weighted lap cushion may help to reduce feelings of movement sensitivity. Consult with an occupational therapist before using a weighted item.

Give the student time to use calming strategies after the transfer in the hoist is complete:

Breathing exercises e.g. deep breaths in and breathing out slowly

Deep pressure exercises e.g. hand pushes

Carrying out a preferred activity e.g. watching a favourite clip on the iPad
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Vestibular: Over Responsive - Best Practice: Sensory

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Some students refuse to participate in P.E. and playground games because they dislike the sensation of the movement involved. They will particularly dislike fast movements (e.g. being pushed in a play car), backwards movements (e.g. on a swing) and spinning movements (e.g. on a roundabout).

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Make this DIY fidget tool for use in the classroom or at home while writing and reading to help kids focus, attend, and perform tasks with tactile sensory input

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Alternative seating

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UPDATE: This post has received so much amazing feedback so I've reached out to Dawn & Carla to answer some of your questions. Please note, the pictures below are from Dawn & Carla's classrooms, these are not pictures from my classroom.
Lately I keep seeing blogs, instagram posts and tweets about teachers who are using alternative seating in their elementary classrooms. Naturally, I wanted to try it out. But, for the first time in a while I thought to myself, "Hey Melanie! Maybe you should research this before you go full steam ahead." So what better way to research alternative classroom seating than to talk to teachers who actually DO this in their classroom?
First, let's take a minute to meet the teachers who shared all of their best ideas with me!

Meet Dawn -She is a first grade teacher who has also spent time working as a reading specialist, a title teacher, a 2nd and 4th grade teacher. Dawn is a tech lover and dreams of attending the Ron Clark Academy (don't we all?!). When Dawn is not teaching she is focused on being the best dog mom and tennis player.
Meet Carla - "My name is Carla Ryan and this is my 6th year teaching 2nd grade. I teach in Virginia Beach, Virginia at the same Elementary School I went to when I was a kid! This year we were selected to be a digital anchor school, so every child is 1:1 with technology. We have laptops in my room this year which has been a fun learning experience."
You can follow Carla on Twitter@MrsRyans2ndgr.

So I asked my 10 most burning questions to 2 fabulous teachers. Take a look at part 1 of a 2 part series.

1. What seating options do you have available for your students?

Dawn: "I currently have 13 yoga balls. In addition, I have two little IKEA tables with 4 small kids yoga balls and 2 IKEA stools. I have a tall bar table, with 2 bar stools (donated from Krogers of all places because I loved the color) and room for another student to stand. I also lowered one desk to the floor and they can sit on a pillow or feet stretched out. 3 short stools. 3 poufs and two pillows that students can move around to a comfy spot. My meeting area is two big rugs. I also have a small ottoman (wasn't using at my house). Kids also love to lay stretched out on the floor with clipboards."

Carla: "In my classroom I offer students a choice between floor pillows, stools, crate seats, and regular desk chairs. Students are also free to work on the floor if the activity permits. I have clipboards available for students to use if they choose to work on one of the rugs in my room. In the beginning of the year I also had several individual desks for students who prefer to work by themselves. I found that this year my students prefer to work in groups so I got rid of the desks. However another teacher in my school who is doing flexible seating says that her individual desks are one of the more popular choices! See what works for your class, each grouping of students is different."

2. How did you get your hands on all of these unique items?

Dawn: "I started last year with trying yoga balls! I bought 1 yoga ball and let kids try it and wrote a letter to families last year with research as to why kids need to exercise, move, how it helps them concentrate, and included the fact that we only have 1 recess a day after lunch. I had 35 yoga balls donated within a week! A few families sent in money for me to get them. All sizes and colors. I found that 5 Below was the cheapest and cutest at $5 each. I got rid of half of my school chairs.
The school year was coming to and end and I realized that just switching to yoga balls met some of our needs but wasn't the right choice for everyone. I kept 13 balls (I have 26 kids this year) and sent on the rest to second grade so my kids could still use them.

I wrote a grant for $100: UPDATE: Many of you have been asking how Dawn was able to get gift cards from Target.
Target gives out $25 gift cards to teachers frequently. I have no problem asking companies if they will donate to me. The worse they can say is no. And of course my paycheck. I had a couple things at my house I wasn't using. It's important to note I got rid of some random tables, two big file cabinets that were not used, a giant reading table. And I did not have an official teacher desk. I use a table that my computer sets on. One goal I had was to create more space."
She says...
"As far as the Target gift card, Target has a donation request form at their Customer Service Counter. It was a quick and painless form. They accepted it on the spot. Lot's of places love to donate to teachers, you just have to ask. I'm not afraid to get a 'no!' I ask for donations for everything (local florist for Open House flowers, free movie tickets to pass out to students as rewards, seeds and soil for the spring science lesson, etc.)
I also have written a few grants for various supplies and received them all. I am waiting for 10 ErgoErgo chairs to be delivered from the latest grant.
Parents are more than willing to help too. The district I am in is high free or reduced but I wrote a letter about the benefits of alternative seating and I had so many yoga balls donated in a week. I gave 30 to another teacher in my school. I let the family send in $5 or bring in balls from Five Below, whatever was easiest for them. I was also able to purchase a couple of Wiggle Cushions from Amazon with the money. I had the custodian lower the legs on a table and the Wiggle Cushions are on the floor."

UPDATE: These stools can be found at Five Below.

Carla: " The seating I have accumulated over the past few years. I already had some stools (from cvs, and ikea) that I used at my guided reading table and computer table. The crate seats I made to keep in my classroom library. This year the only purchase I made was 4 pillows from Five Below. Those I used at a lower table in my room. I plan to set up a gofundme or donorschoose project to purchase some yoga balls later this year. I would say that thrift stores, and donations from teacher and parents of old chairs/seats would be the easiest place to start."

Learn about how to fund a successful DonorsChoose project here.

3. How do you introduce alternative seating to your students at the beginning of the year?

Dawn: "We talk a lot about expectations, and how learning looks and sounds. We talk about how our learning space makes us learn better. I model, model, model. They know if they do not make responsible choices."

Carla: "During teacher meet and greet prior to school starting, students were able to come into the classroom and see the different seating options. This allowed me to explain the concept to parents and prepare the students. On the first day I had name tags out at each seat. I explained to students that this was their seat for the day. After morning meeting, one of the first things I did was to model sitting at each of the different seats. I had students model how to sit on the pillows, and stools. We talked about not leaning back while sitting on the stools, or lying down on the pillows etc. Each day for the first week I put the students at different tables. This way in the first week they got multiple opportunities to sit at each table. I also stressed that they would get plenty of chances to sit in the different areas throughout the year. They were to think about where they learned best. Starting the second week I would let students sit anywhere during morning work. Then each time we moved from the rug to the desks I would call rows on my rug and say "Blue row you may choose a spot where you learn best....Red row you may choose a spot..etc" Now students don't even need me to say this they just choose an empty spot and get to work."

4. Do you have clear rules/expectations for picking a work spot? If so, what are they?

Dawn: "I told them that not all seating is the best for everyone. I told them I thought I would like the big stools best but didn't like that my feet didn't touch the ground. Our yoga ball rules are: little wiggles only, keep sharp objects away, two feet on the floor. If they choose to sit around the room, they must be in their own personal space (unless it is a partner activity)."

Carla: "In the beginning of the year I stressed that if there was fighting over the seats, then the seats would go away. Students saw how many opportunities they had to sit in the different areas so this has not been an issue for me. I also stressed to students that they should choose a spot where THEY learn best. I have had to say that some students are no longer to sit at the same table. Some students just cannot resist sitting by a friend that they constantly get in trouble with even after reminders. In the very beginning I told students they could not sit at the same table more than once during a day (we move from the tables to the rug several times during the day). However now I find that I no longer need to enforce that rule as the students just choose empty spots without issue. Also keep in mind that not every student will always be able to handle making these choices. Going into this I was fully prepared to assign some of my "behavior challenges" to specific seats. I occasionally remind students that making choices is a privilege, and will be taken away if they cannot handle it. Fortunately this has not been an issue this year, however had I used flexible seating in years past it might have been a different story. :)"

5. Do students ever "fight" over spots?

Dawn: " I have enough awesome comfy spots they seem happy."

Carla: "Only a few times have I had students fight over spots. I simply remind them that if they fight over the spots the entire seating choice (stools, crates, pillows, etc) will go away. Once or twice I have had to tell students who were arguing that both students needed to find a different seat. This really has been a non issue in my classroom. I think the key is allowing them to change seats frequently and to provide enough options so that there isn't "one table" with fun seating. I have 1 pillow table, 2 crate seat tables, 1 stool table, and 2 regular chair tables."

Be sure to check out part two of this series. In our next post Dawn and Carla will answer the following questions:

6. How do parents respond to it? Do you do anything to explain it to them?
7. Where do the kids keep all their stuff?
8. Do you still have a meeting place (carpet) for mini-lessons?
9. What do other teachers in your building think of your set up?
10. What is your best advice to a teacher who wants to try alternative seating?

Do you use alternative seating in your classroom? I'd love to hear from you too!

UPDATE: Some other questions that came up were about end of year testing, class parties and transitions.

State Testing

Carla says, "For end of the year state testing in 2nd grade we do not have to take the VA SOL test. Instead we take quarterly citywide tests. For those tests (or any tests) I give in my room students simply choose a seat and put up 'offices' their dividers. Students are not allowed to sit on the rug and must remain seated and quiet until all 'offices' are down. To make these offices I purchased tri-fold display boards from the dollar store and cut them in half. So far the offices are going strong on their 4th year! This may be different in upper grades who do state wide testing, as I'm not sure what the regulations are but for me it hasn't been an issue."

Class Parties

Carla says, "For class parties we simply clear off the table boxes and party! Often parents will set up food on my back horseshoe table and again students can sit at any table for the party. I do have more seating options at tables than students in my room so each child does have a table spot at all times. This would be much more difficult if you relied on carpet spots in your total number of seats."

Transitions

Carla says, "For transitions I often play short music clips. Students clean up prior to the music ending. I will announce before I play music 'rug' or 'table'. Then the students know where to go when the music is over, again during this time they know if I say 'table' students must choose a table spots and cannot sit in the scoop rockers on the rug, for example. The only issue I have had is when we have push in specialists, ex. gifted or guidance. They would make a big deal about the kids having to work with groups or in partners before they choose their seats. This then caused students to rush to find seats with their friends. I spoke to the specialists and asked them to dismiss students from the rug first, and then give instructions so they were not rushing to create groups."

Dawn says, "In my grade we did switch for Social Studies, Science, etc. The other teachers had traditional seats so I always needed to talk about expectations when a new class came. I did a lot of modeling! I would catch my students using the seating appropriately and take pictures to show the other students."

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UPDATE: This post has received so much amazing feedback so I've reached out to Dawn & Carla to answer some of your questions. Please note, the pictures below are from Dawn & Carla's classrooms, these are not pictures from my classroom.

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5 Ways To Support Students With Sensory Processing Disorders
by Rebecca Dean

Sensory processing disorder is characterized by difficulties in accurately processing a range of sensory information, such as touch, sound, and smell. It can be tricky for parents and teachers to manage due to the two opposite ways it can manifest - hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity.

In over a decade working in pediatrics, I've seen how teachers with a better understanding of these children's needs can have an amazing impact on the quality of a classroom. Therefore, it's important to identify which of these classifications your student falls under before you think about how to offer support.
Hypersensitivity
This is the child who actively sensory stimulation. It's the child who screams as if in pain at the sound of the hand dryers in the bathroom. Phrases like these are typical markers of this type:

"Get it off me!" Children may be extremely sensitive to the feeling of clothes, such as seams or labels. They might insist on wearing clothing inside out to avoid the feeling of certain stitching or always want a particular T-shirt, regardless of the weather. Grooming routines might also be problematic, especially anything concerned with nails or hair.

"It hurts!" Children with hypersensitivity often complain that certain everyday sounds or sights "hurt." This might be the noise of the vacuum cleaner or the light of a table lamp.

"Yuck!" Smells can also be aversive to children. Foods that don't bother others might cause them to gag, resulting in very specific eating habits.
Hyposensitivity
This includes the thrill-seeking child who can never quite get stimulation. This is the child who comes in from the playground surprised to see that he's cut himself because he just didn't feel it or react. Typical markers are:

"Grrrr!"Hyposensitive children often appear frustrated, biting or scratching themselves to achieve any kind of sensory feedback.

"Whoops!" Appearing clumsy or unaware of the personal space of others, children with hyposensitivity have difficulty judging distance and force. This means they often bang into other people, slam doors more forcefully than they should, or have trouble just sitting still. They seem to crave movement and activity to maintain comfortable levels of stimulation.

It's important to note that many of these signs can also be indicative of other disorders. For example, children with autism often prefer playing alone, and the distraction that comes with some of these aversions could also be caused by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This is problematic for diagnoses, and teacher input can really help pinpoint the of these behaviors to other professionals.
What Can I Do?
Most classroom environments contain a large amount of sensory information: bright posters, other children talking, the teacher explaining something, the feeling of the carpet, the school bell ringing, etc. If a child has difficulties integrating and processing this information, it's bound to impact his ability to learn.

As educators, we all want to create the optimum learning environment. If you have several children in your classroom with SPD, their behaviors and needs will impact other students as well. Therefore, it's important to try to target and support their difficulties.

Find the hotspots.It's worth investing the time to identify every child's individual triggers. Do they always bite themselves when the classroom is quiet? That's the time to provide a chew toy. Try to go through the day with the children's eyes to identify and react to their trigger points.

Keep calm.Watching children in distress can be stressful for you as well, but you must be the calm in the storm. Avoid touching or speaking too loudly, as these might be the very things upsetting them. Try to get down to their eye level and ask them what they need.

Keep it consistent. Make sure the approaches you adopt in the classroom are consistent with those used elsewhere. Speak to family members and other educators about children's needs and what you've found to be effective in dealing with them. Feeding back to occupational therapists and others involved in the children's care is a great way to collaborate on implementing successful strategies.

The classroom environment can be intimidating for children with sensory processing disorder. The key is to work with families and other professionals to come up with a plan that's as multifaceted as the disorder. With everyone on the same page, the child's well-being becomes that much easier to achieve.
Rebecca Dean is the president of 5 Ways To Support Students With Sensory Processing Disorders; adapted image attribution flickr user woodleywonderworks Tiny Tots Therapy Inc. and a partner in Therapy Nook and Kids Blvd. She earned her degree in occupational therapy from Kean University, and she's certified and trained in sensory integration. Rebecca believes in a holistic therapeutic approach and realizes that alternative methods, combined with traditional therapy, allow children to acquire functional and developmental skills and retain them.

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5 Ways To Support Students With Sensory Processing Disorders -

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5 Ways To Support Students With Sensory Processing Disorders by Rebecca Dean Sensory processing disorder is characterized by difficulties in accurately processing a range of sensory information, such as touch, sound, and smell. It can be tricky for parents and teachers to manage due to the two opposite ways it can manifest - hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity.

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25 sensory activities

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Sensory activities are almost always a no fail activity. It opens the door for free play. It lets the kids explore a material. And its just fun!

Sensory activities tend to end in a mess at our house. But if you're not a mess fan, take preventative measures with our 10 tips for keeping messy play clean.

Sometimes, I have a hard time differentiating a sensory activity from any other activity, because really, everything the kids do has to do with their senses, right? Touch especially.

I'm challenging myself in the next few weeks to get the kids to explore with senses other than touch. I'm going to find more activities that intentionally get them to use their sense of sound, taste, sight and smell. I'm kind of excited to really stretch ourselves out of our normal element!

Most of these sensory activities listed are to do with the sense of touch. However, a couple break out of that too. Can you find the ones that explore the other senses?

Enjoy our 25 sensory activities for kids!

I've broken our list up into two sections. The first is the majority of our sensory activities and they're more of a 'sensory tub', even though they're not necessarily always in a tub. They're set out as an activity to explore a material or some sort.

The second section is the accidental sensory exploration through the creation of something else. I love these the most because there seems to be a purpose for the exploration even though the sensory part is an activity in itself.

Be prepared for sensory fun with these affiliate products:

What's your child's favorite material for sensory exploration?

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25 Sensory Activities for Kids | Hands On As We Grow

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Sensory activities are almost always a no fail activity. It opens the door for free play. It lets the kids explore a material. And its just fun! Sensory activities tend to end in a mess at our house. But if you're not a mess fan, take preventative measures with our 10 tips for keeping messy ...

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David Roberto

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Understanding Sensory Processing " Empowered to Connect

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Sensory processing is an important topic for anyone who loves and cares for a child from a hard place. Beacuse of their histories, children from hard places often experience altered brain development which impacts the way in which they process sensory data.

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Differences in sensory processing can be described as symptoms of sensory processing disorder. These checklists ask questions about manifestations of differences in sensory processing that are considered outside the 'typical range'.

Many of the symptoms listed in the following categories are common to that particular age group. Where more than a few symptoms are found in a child, we recommend you talk to your doctor or check the STAR Institute's Treatment Directory for a professional experienced with treating Sensory Processing Disorder.*

Infant/ Toddler Checklist:

____ My infant/toddler has problems eating.

____ My infant/toddler refused to go to anyone but me.

____ My infant/toddler has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep

____ My infant/toddler is extremely irritable when I dress him/her; seems to be uncomfortable in clothes.

____ My infant/toddler rarely plays with toys, especially those requiring dexterity.

____ My infant/toddler has difficulty shifting focus from one object/activity to another.

____ My infant/toddler does not notice pain or is slow to respond when hurt.

____ My infant/toddler resists cuddling, arches back away from the person holding him.

____ My infant/toddler can not calm self by sucking on a pacifier, looking at toys, or listening to my voice.

____ My infant/toddler has a "floppy" body, bumps into things and has poor balance.

____ My infant/toddler does little or no babbling, vocalizing.

____ My infant/toddler is easily startled.

____ My infant/toddler is extremely active and is constantly moving body/limbs or runs endlessly.

____ My infant/toddler seems to be delayed in crawling, standing, walking or running.

Pre-School Checklist:

____ My child has difficulty being toilet trained.

____ My child is overly sensitive to stimulation, overreacts to or does not like touch, noise, smells, etc.

____ My child is unaware of being touched/bumped unless done with extreme force/intensity.

____ My child has difficulty learning and/or avoids performing fine motor tasks such as using crayons and fasteners on clothing.

____ My child seems unsure how to move his/her body in space, is clumsy and awkward.

____ My child has difficulty learning new motor tasks.

____ My child is in constant motion.

____ My child gets in everyone else's space and/or touches everything around him.

____ My child has difficulty making friends (overly aggressive or passive/ withdrawn).

____ My child is intense, demanding or hard to calm and has difficulty with transitions.

____ My child has sudden mood changes and temper tantrums that are unexpected.

____ My child seems weak, slumps when sitting/standing; prefers sedentary activities.

____ It is hard to understand my child's speech.

____ My child does not seem to understand verbal instructions.

School Age:

___ My child is overly sensitive to stimulation, overreacts to or does not like touch, noise, smells, etc.

___ My child is easily distracted in the classroom, often out of his/her seat, fidgety.

___ My child is easily overwhelmed at the playground, during recess and in class.

___ My child is slow to perform tasks.

___ My child has difficulty performing or avoids fine motor tasks such as handwriting.

___ My child appears clumsy and stumbles often, slouches in chair.

___ My child craves rough housing, tackling/wrestling games.

___ My child is slow to learn new activities.

___ My child is in constant motion.

___ My child has difficulty learning new motor tasks and prefers sedentary activities.

___ My child has difficulty making friends (overly aggressive or passive/ withdrawn).

___ My child 'gets stuck' on tasks and has difficulty changing to another task.

___ My child confuses similar sounding words, misinterprets questions or requests.

___ My child has difficulty reading, especially aloud.

___ My child stumbles over words; speech lacks fluency, and rhythm is hesitant.

Adolescent/Adult:

___ I am over-sensitive to environmental stimulation: I do not like being touched.

___ I avoid visually stimulating environments and/or I am sensitive to sounds.

___ I often feel lethargic and slow in starting my day.

___ I often begin new tasks simultaneously and leave many of them uncompleted.

___ I use an inappropriate amount of force when handling objects.

___ I often bump into things or develop bruises that I cannot recall.

___ I have difficulty learning new motor tasks, or sequencing steps of a task.

___ I need physical activities to help me maintain my focus throughout the day.

___ I have difficulty staying focused at work and in meetings.

___ I misinterpret questions and requests, requiring more clarification than usual.

___ I have difficulty reading, especially aloud.

___ My speech lacks fluency, I stumble over words.

___ I must read material several times to absorb the content.

___ I have trouble forming thoughts and ideas in oral presentations.

___ I have trouble thinking up ideas for essays or written tasks at school.
*While this checklist can't diagnose a child with SPD, it can be a helpful guide to see if additional testing should be done. When filling out this checklist, think about the child's behavior during the past six months.
Find treatment in your area by searching our Treatment Directory.

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Differences in sensory processing can be described as symptoms of sensory processing disorder. These checklists ask questions about manifestations of differences in sensory processing that are considered outside the 'typical range'. Many of the symptoms listed in the following categories are common to that particular age group.

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Sensory Hacks to Focus a Fidgety Child (That don’t involve a Fidget Spinner)

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Sensory Hacks to Focus a Fidgety Child (That don’t involve a Fidget Spinner)

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-Maria

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Fidgets seem to be all the rage right now. With all the banning of fidget spinners in schools everywhere, people are starting to see "Fidgets" in a whole new light. My fear is that with all this national media attention, that fidgets will get a bad name and many will dismiss fidgets as an actual helpful device. Don't believe me? Read the following list and see if this sounds familiar...

Do you know a child who seems to always have something in their hands? They're always touching something? Does this child seem to need extra help staying focused during activities? If so, I think I have some sensory hacks to help you focus any fidgety child. Sensory hacks can be a great alternative to the newly famous fidget spinners. I thought it would be really helpful to do a mini-series of Sensory Hacks that could be used to help with many of the difficult behaviors that are often linked to sensory needs. A couple weeks ago, I shared some sensory hacks for the angry child, which continues to be extremely popular. I hope you like these ideas just as much!

{THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS TO MATERIALS I RECOMMEND. ANYTHING YOU PURCHASE THROUGH THESE LINKS HELPS SUPPORT LEMON LIME ADVENTURES. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR CHOOSING TO SUPPORT US.}

When I was in the classroom, I always had those kids! You know the ones. They touch everything. While I was teaching they would tie and untie their shoes 15 times, or tug on the little girls hair that sat in front of them. Better yet, some of them would tap their pencils while the rest of the class was diligently working.

At home, its not different. My oldest son (9) has to have something in his hands at all times. He needs to pull, stretch, squeeze and move his fingers at all times. If he is not fidgeting his fingers, they go straight to his mouth. That's why over the last few years I have made it a point to find and collect simple, easy to make sensory hacks for a fidgety child.

Sensory Hacks for Fidgety Fingers

If you have a fidgety kid, you might have already researched the best fidgets on the market. You might have even purchased a few that you love. I know we have this hand fidget and we love it and take it everywhere. However, sometimes you need something that doesn't cost money. You need something that doesn't matter if your kiddo loses it (because you are quite sure they will), and you need more than one thing!

Use Nuts and Bolts to make a simple hand fidget kids can keep in their pockets or at their desks.

Even the most novice seamstress can whip up a simple Fabric Maze using just a little bit of fleece and a marble!

I know we have our fair share of Dollar Store sensory balls, but what about making your very own Sensory Balls?

Have you ever thought of making Hand Fidgets out of pipe cleaners? Yes they can be that easy!

I absolutely love the simplicity of this Shredded Paper Ball.

Bead Slides are great for fidgety fingers during read-alouds and under the desk during instruction.

When I was in the classroom, we used to add Velcro Strips under the table and on the chairs to help with the need to touch!

Make a simple desk fidget for kids using just a popsicle stick! Kids will love this silent way to keep their hands active and their brains engaged.

If you have a kid that normally fidgets with their pencils or plays during writing, these DIY fidget pencil toppers are fantastic!

Your LEGO Lover will love making a DIY Lego Fidget Spinner to use during busy times or in the car.

In fact, There are tons of DIY fidget spinners you can make with your kids, just be sure to teach them when and where to use them!

These adorable worry pets are perfect for any kid that needs to squeeze, rub, or hold an item to reduce their worries and wiggles.

Instead of the slap bracelet you probably used as a kid, try making a DIY fidget bracelet with beads inside.

We have recently started using a drop of Peace and Calming essential oil before any seated work.

Make a paper pokemon fidget that spins in your fingers to keep hands busy and active.

Appeal to your kid's creative juices with a colorful DIY paper fidget flextangle.

Don't forget a DIY Fidget bag to put all the awesome new fidgets in. The bag itself becomes a pretty amazing fidget for busy fingers as well.
Related: 5 Reasons to BAN FIDGET SPINNERS in Every School In America (VIRAL)
Sensory Hacks for Fidgety Feet

Add bands on the bottom of chairs with bungee cords for kids to have something to fidget their feet on.

Don't have those on hand, you can even use old bicycle tube , with balls, or a therapy band.

Make a DIY weighted lap pad out of mermaid fabric, and no kid will resist!

Fill a glove with beans for a weighted fidget that is perfect for busy hands and feet!

Weight down a stuffed animal and add pellets to it for proprioceptive input. This is perfect for reading time at the carpet or when your kid needs to settle their feet in the waiting room.

When I went to a friends classroom, I saw that she had added a pool noodle to the bottom of the chair with a rope and I thought it was a brilliant way to get those wiggles out while sitting.

More Sensory Resources For Kids that Fidget

Are you still looking for more resources to help with your fidgeter? Knowing and understanding the why behind the fidgeting is KEY in helping your child! I highly recommend the following links and resources to help you find answers and solutions! Remember, there are usually many reasons a child fidgets and understanding those signals and reasons is incredibly important.

5 Ways to Teach a Kid that Fidgets | Lemon Lime Adventures
What is a Fidget Toy | Inspired Treehouse
The Real Reason Kids Fidget | Timbernook
More DIY Fidget Toys | OT Toolbox
What is Proprioceptive Input? | Lemon Lime Adventures
5 Reasons to Ban Fidget Spinners in Every Classroom in America (VIRAL POST)

15 Tips to Calm Angry Child | 10 Hacks for an Angry Child | 15 Super Simple Brain Breaks

TOOLS FOR FIDGETING AND TACTILE INPUT

Therapy Hand Fidget | Wacky Tracks | Tangle Hand Fidget

How about you? Can you relate? Do you have a go to resource when your child starts to get super fidgety? I'd love to hear about it and I am sure other readers would to! Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribe by email. I can't wait to hear your ideas.

I could seriously go on and on. I have over 100 calm down tools and strategies you can use to help ALL kids focus and feel successful. Take this as a chance to try new things.

Oh, and while you are here. If you are looking for more ways to engage your wiggly kids, provide support for your disorganized kiddo, or simply want to take all the frustration out of your day with your little one and you know a kid with hidden "super powers" ... you will want to check out my new book coming out in August, The Superkids Activity Guide to Conquering Every Day (Awesome Games and Crafts to Master Your Moods, Boost Focus, Hack Mealtimes and Help Grownups Understand Why You Do the Things You Do)!

With over 75 day to day solutions for your kiddos from DIY fidgets to games that teach social skills, it empowers children to help adults understand why they do the things they do. You can pre-order now and send me a receipt to PREORDER at SUPERKIDSGUIDE.COM for a special gift just for you and your Superkid! Psss... It's gonna be epic!!!

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Sensory Hacks to Focus a Fidgety Child (That don't involve a Fidget Spinner)

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Fidgets seem to be all the rage right now. With all the banning of fidget spinners in schools everywhere, people are starting to see "Fidgets" in a whole new light. My fear is that with all this national media attention, that fidgets will get a bad name and many will dismiss fidgets as an actual helpful device.

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A fun way for Students to Stimulate their senses

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Our all about sensory bins is your best resource for getting started with sensory bins. Whether you are making a sensory bin for one child or a classroom, there are a few things to know. Learn about the benefits of sensory bins and how to make simple sensory bins kids love. They are much easier to make than you might think. Sensory bins are a wonderful tactile sensory play activity for all kids!

There are a few things to know as you learn about sensory bins!

Over th past few years we have learned a lot about sensory bins! I am so excited to share our thoughts on sensory bins with you! You will also want to check out our Ultimate Sensory Play Resource Guide which includes more types of tactile sensory play as well as many sensory bin ideas for different All about sensory bins is some of what I have learned from experimenting over the last few years. We began using sensory bins before I understood why he enjoyed them so much! We have gathered so many andfor continuous play!

To learn about sensory bins, you need to know what one is! The simplest definition is a tactile experience in a contained area such as a storage container. A sensory bin is a simple container filled with a preferred filler in quantity. Our favorite fillers include craft sand, birdseed, rice and water! The container should be large enough to let your child explore without moving the filler out of the container. A sensory bin can be easily switched for an unique or novel experience every time!
WHY MAKE A SENSORY BIN?
Sensory bins are awesome hands-on tools for children to learn about their world and their senses! Sensory play may calm a child, focus a child, and engage a child. I would love for you to read our story, Here's what a sensory bin can offer a young child as well as the parent!

~ Sensory bins let a child explore, discover and create play using practical life skills (dumping, filling, scooping) and learn valuable play skills.

Play Skills {emotional development} ~ Great for both social play and independent play, sensory bins allow children to play cooperatively or side by side. My son has had many positive experiences over a bin of rice with other children!

~ Sensory bins increase language development from experiencing with their hands all there is to see and do which leads to great conversations and opportunities to model language.

Understanding The Bodies Senses ~ Many sensory play bins include a few of the senses! Touch, sight, sounds, taste and smell are our bodies senses. Children can experience several at a time with a sensory bin. Imagine a bin of brightly colored rainbow rice: touch the loose grains against the skin, see the vivid colors as they mix together, hear the sound of sprinkling over a plastic container or shaken in a plastic egg! Did you add a scent like vanilla or lavender? Please do not taste uncooked rice, but there are plenty of sensory play options that you use edible ingredients like our pigs in mud pudding play.

HOW DO YOU MAKE A SENSORY BIN?
I just wrote an awesome post as a Step-by Step Guide to making sensory bins! The basics are below, but check out the post on How to Make Sensory Bins for more details.

Choose a bin ~ I like clear storage containers the best, preferably 25 QT size with measurements of 24″ long, 15″ wide and 6″ deep. Use what you have if you don't have these exact measurements! We have used all sorts of sizes.

~ Have I got you covered on that one! Our favorites include rice, sand, water, aquarium rock and birdseed but I have some great resources to pick out more fillers to try.

Add a scoop or shovel and container ~ I save all sorts of things from the kitchen as well as collect fun containers from the dollar store! Funnels are great fun to add too. Often the kitchen drawers hold fun goodies to add.

Theme ~ If I have chosen a theme, I add matching materials like trucks, TOOBs animal or figures and other bits and pieces from an ever-growing stash of sensory bin goodies! No theme is fine too! Take a look at my sensory bin resources page to see how we make themes and incorporate books as well!

OUR FAVORITE SENSORY BIN FILLERS
And if you can't use or don't want to use food in your sensory bin, we have option!
NON FOOD SENSORY BIN FILLERS HOW DO YOU PRESENT A SENSORY BIN?
There is no wrong way to present a sensory bin! I usually put something together and leave it out for him as an invitation to explore. Some children may be especially curious and ready to explore so stand back and enjoy watching! It's also a great opportunity for independent play. Other children may be reluctant and need your help modeling play ideas. Dig in with them to show them how fun it can be to explore. Scoop, dump, fill, and pour yourself! Talk about what you are doing, seeing and feeling. Ask them questions too! Play cooperatively or individually with your child. You know your child best!

Everyone asks about the mess! Kids can't resist dumping things! That's pretty easy to see. We have had sensory bins in our house for so long, that the mess is minimal. The younger the child, the more challenging it will be to teach proper use of the sensory bin but with time, patience and consistency it will happen. I treat sensory bins as any other toy in the house. We don't throw our toys, we respect them. We don't scatter them around the house just because we feel like it, we use them and put them away.

Of course there are accidents! We still have them and it's OK!

We also have a small dustpan and broom handy and it is great fine motor work picking up loose beans or other fillers! If a child gets into the habit of throwing for fun, your sensory bin play will be less productive and more frustrating. Sensory bins can take a time out too! Though with exploration comes some mess. Be consistent with what you are willing to allow. Tip: put a blanket or sheet under the sensory bin or try a birdseed sensory bin outside! Take messy play like shaving cream in the tub or kitchen sink or even outside.

Some children, like my son, have more interest in learning when presented a sensory bin. Several thoughts include heightening the child's ability to attend and focus and keep interest. We have used sensory bins for a variety of learning areas.

Read about sensory bins and get started today! I am confident that once you know all about sensory bins, you will be creating a new sensory bin each week! Learning about sensory bins and making sensory bins will open up a whole new world of play!

LEARN ABOUT SENSORY BINS TO ADD TO YOUR DAY!

Follow Sarah McClelland's board Sensory Bins for Kids on Pinterest.

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About Sensory Bins How to Get Started with Sensory Bins

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Our all about sensory bins is your best resource for getting started with sensory bins. Whether you are making a sensory bin for one child or a classroom, there are a few things to know. Learn about the benefits of sensory bins and how to make simple sensory bins kids love.

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4 Sensory Activities to Explore With Your Kids

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4 Sensory Activities to Explore With Your Kids

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Dylan Eaton

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In 2015 my daughter was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder (SPD), a relatively unheard of condition until the last decade.

Sensory Processing Disorder impacts a child's ability to process a variety of senses like taste, smell, touch, and sound. Every child with SPD is different, and their interaction with their senses in unique.

The SPD Foundation defines it as, "a condition that exists when sensory signals don't get organized into appropriate responses."

Given that as many as one in 20 children have sensory processing issues, it's clear that parents need more awareness and information.

By completing a simple online checklist , you can find out if your child may need a bit of extra help integrating their senses.

For some families, receiving help and a diagnosis can be tricky. In Canada, where I live, it seems doctors and therapists shy away from the official diagnosis of "sensory processing disorder," and many doctors have little knowledge of sensory issues, some brushing it off as typical childhood behavior.

It wasn't until my husband and I connected with a pediatric occupational therapist that we really became knowledgeable about the condition itself, and found resources to help our child.

One of the ways that we have been encouraged to help our daughter integrate her senses is by introducing various sensory activities into her daily life.

Truthfully, all of us can benefit from sensory activities to either calm or energize us, depending on what we need.

Patricia Wilbarger, an innovative occupational therapist, coined the term "sensory diet." The concept of a sensory diet is that, similar to our unique nutritional requirements, some of us also require a specialized sensory activity plan. The goal for this daily plan is to help children and adults remain focused and organized throughout the day. Sensory diets are created for children with SPD, autism, and even adults with dementia.

Our daughter doesn't require a "strict" sensory diet, however she has benefited from regular sensory activities to encourage sensory integration. We have noticed when we encourage her to engage in sensory play, she experiences a calmer and more fluid day.

I encourage you to try out some of these activities, and pay attention to your child's behavior and response.

1 | Encourage the same physical motions every day.

Experience a smoother transition from activities when involving your child in physical sensory tasks that help them to move from one activity to the next. These are called "p roprioception " activities, which help children in a variety of ways, including understanding their daily schedule, or soothing them at night.

Some of the ways that you can do this is by having your child help to set the table before dinner, carrying an armful of books to their room for story time, and laying on the couch with heavy weighted blankets for quiet time.

2 | Involve your child in daily tactile sensory activities.

Throughout our day we touch a variety of objects with many different textures. Over time we become accustomed to these sensory experiences, and hardly notice them as we get older. For children with sensory processing difficulties, something as simple as picking up a wet grape can be challenging and overwhelming.

Involve children in regular daily sensory activities to integrate these senses. This includes having them help you wash and dry their dishes, giving them daily sensory activities like playing with , , and sensory bins , and having them help with food prep.

3 | Introduce different foods into your child's diet.

A common challenge for parents whose children struggle with sensory issues is trying new foods. In fact, most parents around the world can relate to "picky eaters," and most would benefit from researching sensory input and gentle ways to introduce new foods.

Instead of force feeding, consider challenging children to try out new flavors and tastes.

Many occupational therapists believe that allowing a child a small sip of a bubbly drink, like water with a bit of seltzer, will help to wake up the senses in their mouth.

Afterwards, offer your child a mix of new and familiar foods, and encourage them to touch, smell, and lick the food. Even if they don't bite and chew the new food being introduced, consider it a victory if they have some kind of interaction with it.

One way that we have helped our daughter introduce new foods into her diet is through food chaining. By identifying a type of food that your child really enjoys, and finding different versions of that food, you are able to open a child up to new textures and food experiences.

For example, our daughter loves whole wheat bread. We try to offer her whole grain crackers, pitas, tortillas, chips, and rice cakes. Having her branch out and try new foods that are similar to her comfort food gives her courage to continue to branch out and try new things.

4 | Exploring different scents with your child.

Spending time identifying and exploring different smells with your children helps to encourage the integration of their olfactory system.

Try going on a walk and smelling flowers that you pass by, or having children smell different foods and spices in the kitchen. Looking for new smells will encourage a sense of exploration in their young minds.

Help them to identify smells that may seem foreign to them, like the scent of a distant campfire, or the earthy scent of the air after a night of rain.

There are many fun ways to explore different scents, but try and keep it to natural smells, as artificial fragrances can do than good.

Regardless of whether or not your child has sensory processing disorder, or difficulty integrating their senses, all children can benefit from a daily schedule that involves different sensory inputs.

Try some of these activities at home, and let us know if you noticed a difference in your child's sensory integration!

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4 Sensory Activities to Explore With Your Kids

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In 2015 my daughter was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder (SPD), a relatively unheard of condition until the last decade. Sensory Processing Disorder impacts a child's ability to process a variety of senses like taste, smell, touch, and sound. Every child with SPD is different, and their interaction with their senses in unique.

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Understanding the basics of sensory processing issues. Tips to help prevent sensory overload.         

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Understanding the basics of sensory processing issues. Tips to help prevent sensory overload.         

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LaToya Griffin

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For some individuals, especially those with an autism spectrum disorder, there may be sensory processing dysfunctions or difficulties.

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Ian McDonnell

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Treating Sensory Processing Issues - Child Mind Institute

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The benefits of sensory integration therapy: Treating kids with sensory processing issues in specialized gyms could help them develop the necessary skills.

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Diagnoses of sensory processing disorders are challenging. It is unknown whether some children lack sensory pathways or they just have different developmental differences. The categories include sensory modulation disorder, sensory discrimination disorder, and sensory-based motor disability.

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A new study backs parent reports that sensory integration therapy improves daily function in children with autism. The research, led by occupational therapists at Philadelphia's Jefferson School of Health Professions, appears online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. The study was funded by an Autism Speaks treatment research grant.

Autism's symptoms often include difficulty processing sensory information such as textures, sounds, smells, tastes, brightness and movement. These difficulties can make ordinary situations feel overwhelming. As such, they can interfere with daily function and even isolate individuals and their families.

"This study is one of the first to show that a therapy is effective in helping to ease such sensory difficulties in ways that improve daily function," comments child psychologist Lauren Elder, Autism Speaks assistant director for dissemination science.

Sensory integration therapy, as practiced by occupational therapists, uses play activities in ways designed to change how the brain reacts to touch, sound, sight and movement. While the therapy is not new, it has remained somewhat controversial.

"Part of the problem has been the many different techniques that have been used under the name sensory integration," Dr. Elder notes.

In their study, the Farber researchers combined two measures to improve the reliability of their assessment. They used the recently developed Sensory Integration Fidelity Measure to ensure that each therapist was delivering the intervention in a manner faithful to its principles. They also used a proven goal attainment scale to objectively measure benefits against parent-set goals for each child.

For example, a parent of a child who wakes during the night due to extreme sensitivity to sounds might set a goal of improving tolerance of ordinary noises and sleeping through the night. For a child who hates touching food, the goal might be to decrease touch sensitivity to the point that the child can comfortably eat a meal.

Researchers randomly assigned 32 children with autism, ages 4 to 8, to one of two groups. Over 10 weeks, the control group received "usual care" with standard speech, behavioral and other therapies for autism spectrum disorder. The experimental group received the same "usual care" plus three hours per week of sensory integration therapy.

Assessors who didn't know who was in which group met with parents before and after the intervention to set goals and assess progress.

At the end of the study, analysis showed that the children in the sensory integration group scored significantly higher on attaining their goals. In addition, standardized tests showed that the children receiving sensory integration therapy required less assistance from their parents in self-care and social situations.

"The rationale is that by changing how sensations are processed by the brain, we help children with autism make better sense of the information they receive and use it to better participate in everyday tasks," says lead researcher Roseann Schaaf. Dr. Schaaf's group plans future studies that will include additional outcome measures and follow children for longer periods to see if improvements remain over time.
For more perspective, see "Sensory Integration: Changing the Brain through Play," by occupational therapist Alison Wheeland, who is completing a doctoral residency with Autism Speaks.

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Study Finds Sensory Integration Therapy Benefits Children with Autism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A new study backs parent reports that sensory integration therapy improves daily function in children with autism. The research, led by occupational therapists at Philadelphia's Jefferson School of Health Professions, appears online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders . The study was funded by an Autism Speaks treatment research grant.

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Sensory Break Strategies in the Classroom

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Sensory Break Strategies in the Classroom

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http://www.miriamstl.org/

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Independent special education program for students in Pre-K through 8th grade with complex learning disabilities. Learn More Educates high school students with learning disabilities in an environment designed to help them excel. Learn More Assessment, therapies, tutoring, rec therapy classes, in-school supports, social skills groups and counseling for ages 3-21.

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Sensory Integration

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Abstract

Sensory-based therapies are increasingly used by occupational therapists and sometimes by other types of therapists in treatment of children with developmental and behavioral disorders. Sensory-based therapies involve activities that are believed to organize the sensory system by providing vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory, and tactile inputs. Brushes, swings, balls, and other specially designed therapeutic or recreational equipment are used to provide these inputs. However, it is unclear whether children who present with sensory-based problems have an actual "disorder" of the sensory pathways of the brain or whether these deficits are characteristics associated with other developmental and behavioral disorders. Because there is no universally accepted framework for diagnosis, sensory processing disorder generally should not be diagnosed. Other developmental and behavioral disorders must always be considered, and a thorough evaluation should be completed. Difficulty tolerating or processing sensory information is a characteristic that may be seen in many developmental behavioral disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, developmental coordination disorders, and childhood anxiety disorders.

Occupational therapy with the use of sensory-based therapies may be acceptable as one of the components of a comprehensive treatment plan. However, parents should be informed that the amount of research regarding the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy is limited and inconclusive. Important roles for pediatricians and other clinicians may include discussing these limitations with parents, talking with families about a trial period of sensory integration therapy, and teaching families how to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapy.

Background: Development of the Sensory System

Sensory integration is a framework first described by occupational therapist A. Jean Ayres, PhD, in the 1970s. It refers to the body's way of handling and processing sensory inputs from the environment. Ayres felt that the sensory system develops over time, much like other aspects of development (language, motor, etc), and that deficits can occur in the process of developing a well-organized sensory system. A well-organized sensory system can integrate input from multiple sources (visual, auditory, proprioceptive, or vestibular). Ayres postulated that sensory integration dysfunction occurs when sensory neurons are not signaling or functioning efficiently, leading to deficits in development, learning, and/or emotional regulation.

The ability of the brain to process sensory information from the environment has been an expanding area of basic neuroscience research. Hubel and Wiesel were among the first to document the important effects of early experience (eg, deprivation) on the way visual sensory input is processed in the brain. ⁻ Animal and human research is beginning to explore how other senses are processed and integrated ⁻ and how those processes are disrupted in specific syndromes (eg, autism,, schizophrenia,) and by specific experiences (eg, institutionalization, international adoption,).

Statement of the Problem

Since Ayres described sensory integration dysfunction in the 1970s, sensory-based therapies have been used increasingly, mainly by occupational therapists (but sometimes other health professionals) to treat a range of symptoms seen in children presenting from across a variety of settings, including the home, community organizations, clinics, and schools. Sensory integration, sensory "diets," and other sensory-based therapies typically are based on classic sensory integration theory but often do not use all of the originally described sensory integration protocols. Sensory-based therapies involve activities that are believed to organize the sensory system, by providing vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory, and tactile inputs, by using brushes, swings, balls, and other specially designed equipment to provide these inputs. Occupational therapists and other health professionals may also use a sensory processing approach when identifying and modifying barriers that limit the individual's ability to participate in everyday activities or occupations.

Proponents of sensory integration theory believe that inappropriate or deficient sensory processing is a developmental disorder amenable to therapy and that treatment can improve developmental outcomes. A definition of sensory processing disorder has been proposed but has not been universally accepted. Standardized measures, such as the Sensory Profile, have been developed to classify a child's sensory deficits. The Sensory Profile provides a standard method for professionals to measure a child's sensory processing abilities and to provide a profile of the effect of sensory processing on functional performance in the daily life of a child. Such standardized measures are commonly used by occupational therapists to quantify how much these developmental and behavioral differences affect the child's functional performance of the daily activities of childhood.

The possible diagnosis of sensory processing disorders remains a challenging clinical issue. In the sensory processing disorder classification system proposed by Miller et al, sensory processing disorders are subdivided into 3 specific patterns: sensory modulation disorder, sensory discrimination disorder, and sensory-based motor disability. These patterns are then categorized into subtypes. Sensory modulation disorder is subdivided into overresponsive, underresponsive, and sensory seeking/craving subtypes. Sensory discrimination disorder has no subtypes. Sensory-based motor disability is subdivided into postural disorder and dyspraxia.

Sensory processing disorder or a similar diagnosis has been included in Zero to Three's Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood Revised and the Diagnostic Manual for Infancy and Early Childhood of the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders, where "regulatory-sensory processing disorder" in infants has also been classified as a developmental difference for this group. For older children and adolescents, no commonly accepted definition of sensory processing disorder exists. Some experts have proposed that the definition of autism spectrum disorders in the forthcoming Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition be expanded to include definitions of associated sensory issues, such as under- and overresponsiveness; however, the committee that is preparing the textbook has requested that more studies be performed before sensory processing disorder can be officially recognized.

It remains unclear whether children who present with findings described as sensory processing difficulties have an actual "disorder" of the sensory pathways of the brain or whether these deficits represent differences associated with other developmental and behavioral disorders. Specifically, the behavioral differences seen in children with autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and developmental coordination disorders overlap symptoms described in children with sensory processing disorders. Studies to date have not demonstrated that sensory integration dysfunction exists as a separate disorder distinct from these other developmental disabilities. Furthermore, numerous challenges exist for evaluating the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy, including the wide spectrum of symptom severity and presentation, lack of consistent outcome measures, and family factors, which make response to therapy variable. ⁻

Despite the challenges of defining and studying the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy, it is possible that the treatment of sensory processing difficulties is helpful to children who have problems identified in sensory processing measures. Some published case series and observational studies have reported positive outcomes of sensory integration therapy for children with sensory processing disorders., Older meta-analyses, and at least 2 more recent reviews, have been published that suggested a positive trend in meeting occupational goals with the use of sensory integration therapy. However, the authors of the 1999 meta-analysis cautioned that most studies in the field were of insufficient scientific rigor to be included in a meta-analysis, studies varied in the use of outcome measures, and the ability to draw conclusions and detect a treatment effect was limited. Many of the more recent studies, unfortunately, share some of these traits.

One recent small study cautions health care practitioners about the possible negative behavioral effects of sensory integration therapy in certain populations. Devlin et al reported on the comparative effects of sensory integration therapy and behavioral interventions on rates of challenging or self-injurious behavior in 4 children in whom autism spectrum disorder was diagnosed. A functional assessment was conducted to identify the variables maintaining the challenging behaviors. The sensory integration therapy was designed by an occupational therapist who was trained in sensory integration therapy. The sensory integration therapy and a behavioral intervention were compared within an alternating treatments design. Results from this study clearly demonstrated that the behavioral intervention was more effective in reducing challenging behavior and self-injurious behavior than was the sensory integration therapy. Finally, in the best treatment phase, only the behavioral intervention was implemented, and further reduction was observed in the frequency of challenging behavior and self-injurious behavior.

Recommendations

1. At this time, pediatricians should not use sensory processing disorder as a diagnosis. When these sensory symptoms are present, other developmental disorders-specifically, autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, developmental coordination disorder, and anxiety disorder-must be considered and thoroughly evaluated, usually by appropriate referral(s) to a developmental and behavioral pediatrician, child psychiatrist, or child psychologist. The American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report on the management of children with autism spectrum disorders is a useful resource to help with these referrals.

2. Pediatricians should recognize and communicate with families about the limited data on the use of sensory-based therapies for childhood developmental and behavioral problems.

3. If the pediatrician is managing a child whose therapist is using sensory-based therapies, the pediatrician can play an important role in teaching families how to determine whether a therapy is effective.

1. Help families design simple ways to monitor effects of treatment (eg, behavior diaries, pre-post behavior rating scales). Help the family be specific and create explicit treatment goals, designed at the onset of therapy, focused on improving the individual's ability to engage and participate in everyday activities (eg, ability to focus, tolerate foods, and be in a room with loud noises).

2. Set a time limit for seeing the family back to discuss whether the therapy is working to achieve the stated goals.

4. Pediatricians should inform families that occupational therapy is a limited resource, particularly the number of sessions available through schools and through insurance coverage. The family, pediatrician, and other clinicians should work together to prioritize treatment on the basis of the effects the sensory problems have on a child's ability to perform daily functions of childhood.

With input from the following committees/councils: COCWD, ASC, SOAI, COPACFH, SOAH, SODBP, SON, SOEH, and COCHF.

Lead Authors

Michelle Zimmer, MD

Larry Desch, MD

Section on Complementary and Integrative Medicine Executive Committee, 2011-2012

Lawrence D. Rosen, MD, Chairperson

Michelle L. Bailey, MD

David Becker, MD

Timothy P. Culbert, MD

Hilary McClafferty, MD

Olle Jane Z. Sahler, MD

Sunita Vohra, MD

Liaison

Lt Col Della Livesay Howell, MD - Section on Young Physicians

Staff

Teri Salus, MPA, CPC

Council on Children With Disabilities Executive Committee, 2011-2012

† Gregory S. Liptak, MD, MPH, Chairperson

Nancy A. Murphy, MD, Interim Chairperson

Richard C. Adams, MD

Robert T. Burke, MD, MPH

Sandra L. Friedman, MD

Amy J. Houtrow, MD, MPH

Miriam A. Kalichman, MD

Dennis Z. Kuo, MD, MHS

Susan Ellen Levy, MD

Kenneth W. Norwood Jr, MD

Renee M. Turchi, MD, MPH

Susan E. Wiley, MD

Liaisons

Carolyn Bridgemohan, MD - Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Georgina Peacock, MD, MPH - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Bonnie Strickland, PhD - Maternal and Child Health Bureau

Nora Wells, MSEd - Family Voices

Max Wiznitzer, MD - Section on Neurology

Staff

Stephanie Mucha Skipper, MPH

† Deceased.

Footnotes

This document is copyrighted and is property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Board of Directors. All authors have filed conflict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors. The American Academy of Pediatrics has neither solicited nor accepted any commercial involvement in the development of the content of this publication.

All policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.

View Abstract

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Sensory Integration Therapies for Children With Developmental and Behavioral Disorders

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sensory-based therapies are increasingly used by occupational therapists and sometimes by other types of therapists in treatment of children with developmental and behavioral disorders. Sensory-based therapies involve activities that are believed to organize the sensory system by providing vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory, and tactile inputs.