Sensory Play Ideas
Sensory diets can help children with autism regulate their senses. Examples of sensory diets can include activities such as rolling on a therapy ball, jumping on a trampoline, water play, hands-on play with various textures and tight hugs. Activities for a sensory diet should fit the individual’s needs and goals and a licensed occupational therapist can assist in developing one.
Sensory play with water beads can be very relaxing and soothing. Please note, this activity is not recommended for children who have a tendency to put items in their mouths. Ingesting water beads can be extremely dangerous and this activity should be monitored closely by an adult.
Exposing your child to various textures can help them cope with undesirable sensations over time by giving them the opportunity to explore (should they wish to). Giving them a choice, or even adapting the sensory experience can help too. For example, if your child doesn’t like the texture of sand, give them a Ziploc bag with sand so that they can explore the texture a different way. If your child doesn’t like sensory play with ice, give them the option to participate with mittens. Finding creative ways to adapt your sensory play activities will help your child with exposure and increase the likelihood of them exploring different textures.
Playdough activities are a huge hit in our household and can be part of your child’s sensory diet. We especially love the all natural, scented playdough from Dough Perfect.
One thing to keep in mind when it comes to sensory diets is that you should never expose or force your child to participate in an activity they’re not comfortable with. Leo and Lorenzo’s occupational therapists have explained that it can be traumatic for a child to be forced to touch textures they are not comfortable with. Furthermore, exposing them to harmful sensory stimuli (offensive textures, bright lights, loud sounds, etc.) does not make them less sensitive. Ideally, you just want to create an opportunity for your child to explore their senses in a safe, loving and nurturing environment where their differences and preferences are accepted and respected.
Painted chickpeas can be an interesting texture that can be implemented into a number of activities. In this activity, I used a cardboard that was fairly thick and I traced Lorenzo’s name on it. He used the chickpeas and pushed them into the cardboard which was great for fine motor and provided sensory feedback as the chickpeas popped through the cardboard.
Leo and Lorenzo are using handy scoopers in this sensory activity with kinetic sand.
Leo and Lorenzo exploring dinosaurs frozen in silicone hearts and warm water. I also used coffee for the “dirt”, but they weren’t really interested in that texture.
We recently purchased a sensory swing from Savoiz and the boys love spending time in it - I wish we had made this purchase sooner!
Lorenzo exploring with salt that I dyed with pink food colouring.
Overall, sensory diets aren’t just beneficial for children with autism. They benefit children of all abilities and can help in transitioning from one activity to another, increase attention span and regulate sensory seeking/avoiding behaviours.
Hope you found these recommendations helpful!
If you have any questions, feel free to send me a direct message on Instagram @natalieabkariancimini.
Lots of love,
Natalie Abkarian Cimini
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: For Little Monkeys Charity is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com or Amazon.ca. None of the links are sponsored and the recommendations are 100% based on my own opinion/experience.
