Sensory Processing & Integration
Master these essential components of Sensory Processing & Integration
Tactile Processing
The ability to interpret and respond to touch sensations, such as pressure, texture, temperature, and pain.
Activities:
- 1Sensory Bins: Play with bins filled with rice, beans, sand, or water beads.
- 2Finger Painting: Use hands to explore different textures like paint, shaving cream, or mud.
- 3Texture Boards: Create boards with materials like fabric, sandpaper, or foam to touch and explore.
- 4Massage: Use lotion or a soft brush for calming tactile input.
- 5Playdough: Squeeze, roll, and shape playdough to improve tactile awareness.
Vestibular Processing
The ability to process information related to movement, balance, and gravity through the inner ear.
Activities:
- 1Swinging: Use swings at the playground or indoors to stimulate the vestibular system.
- 2Spinning: Spin in circles on a swivel chair or sit-and-spin toy.
- 3Balance Activities: Walk on balance beams, curbs, or logs.
- 4Rolling: Roll down a hill or on a mat.
- 5Dancing: Move to music with jumps, twirls, and spins.
Proprioceptive Processing
The ability to sense body position, movement, and force through muscles and joints.
Activities:
- 1Heavy Work: Push or pull heavy objects like wagons, carts, or laundry baskets.
- 2Jumping: Jump on a trampoline or do jumping jacks.
- 3Climbing: Climb playground equipment, trees, or rock walls.
- 4Weighted Activities: Use weighted blankets, vests, or lap pads.
- 5Obstacle Courses: Crawl, jump, and climb through obstacle courses.
Auditory Processing
The ability to interpret and respond to sounds in the environment.
Activities:
- 1Sound Discrimination: Play games to identify different sounds (e.g., animal noises, instruments).
- 2Listening Walks: Go on walks and identify sounds in nature or the neighborhood.
- 3Music Activities: Play musical instruments or listen to different types of music.
- 4Noise-Canceling Games: Use headphones to block out noise and focus on specific sounds.
- 5Sound Matching: Match objects or pictures to the sounds they make.
Visual Processing
The ability to interpret and respond to visual information, such as shapes, colors, and movement.
Activities:
- 1Puzzles: Complete jigsaw puzzles or shape-sorting games.
- 2I Spy Games: Play 'I Spy' to identify objects based on visual clues.
- 3Tracking Activities: Follow a moving object with the eyes, like a ball or flashlight.
- 4Coloring and Drawing: Use coloring books or draw pictures to improve visual-motor skills.
- 5Matching Games: Match objects, colors, or patterns.
Olfactory (Smell) Processing
The ability to interpret and respond to smells in the environment.
Activities:
- 1Scented Playdough: Use playdough with added essential oils or extracts.
- 2Smell Jars: Create jars with different scents (e.g., vanilla, lemon, mint) to identify.
- 3Cooking Activities: Engage in cooking or baking to explore different smells.
- 4Nature Walks: Smell flowers, leaves, or herbs during outdoor walks.
- 5Scented Art: Use scented markers or paints for creative activities.
Gustatory (Taste) Processing
The ability to interpret and respond to different tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami).
Activities:
- 1Taste Tests: Try small samples of different foods with varying flavors.
- 2Cooking Activities: Prepare and taste new recipes.
- 3Flavor Sorting: Sort foods by taste (e.g., sweet vs. sour).
- 4Sensory Snacks: Explore textures and tastes with snacks like crunchy, chewy, or smooth foods.
- 5Blindfolded Tasting: Guess foods while blindfolded to focus on taste.
Interoception
The ability to sense internal body signals, such as hunger, thirst, or the need to use the bathroom.
Activities:
- 1Body Check-Ins: Regularly pause to identify how the body feels (e.g., hungry, tired).
- 2Mindfulness Exercises: Practice deep breathing or meditation to tune into internal signals.
- 3Hydration Reminders: Drink water and notice how it feels in the body.
- 4Hunger Awareness: Track hunger and fullness levels before and after meals.
- 5Yoga: Practice yoga to connect with internal sensations.
Sensory Modulation
The ability to regulate responses to sensory input (e.g., not overreacting or underreacting to stimuli).
Activities:
- 1Calm-Down Corner: Create a space with calming sensory tools like weighted blankets or fidgets.
- 2Deep Pressure Activities: Use weighted vests, compression clothing, or bear hugs.
- 3Sensory Diet: Incorporate a schedule of sensory activities throughout the day.
- 4Noise-Canceling Headphones: Use headphones to reduce overwhelming auditory input.
- 5Breathing Exercises: Practice deep breathing to regulate sensory responses.
Bilateral Coordination
The ability to use both sides of the body together in a coordinated way.
Activities:
- 1Clapping Games: Play hand-clapping games like 'Patty Cake.'
- 2Jumping Jacks: Perform jumping jacks to coordinate both sides of the body.
- 3Crawling: Practice crawling through tunnels or obstacle courses.
- 4Ball Games: Play catch or dribble a ball with both hands.
- 5Biking or Scootering: Ride a bike or scooter to improve bilateral coordination.
Motor Planning (Praxis)
The ability to plan and execute unfamiliar motor tasks.
Activities:
- 1Obstacle Courses: Navigate through courses with varied movements.
- 2Simon Says: Play games that require following movement instructions.
- 3Dance Routines: Learn and perform simple dance steps.
- 4Building Activities: Construct structures with blocks or Legos.
- 5New Sports: Try new sports or physical activities that require planning.
Sensory Discrimination
The ability to distinguish between different sensory inputs (e.g., hot vs. cold, loud vs. soft).
Activities:
- 1Texture Sorting: Sort objects by texture (e.g., rough, smooth, bumpy).
- 2Sound Matching: Match objects to the sounds they make.
- 3Temperature Play: Explore hot and cold sensations with water or objects.
- 4Weight Comparison: Compare the weight of different objects.
- 5Visual Discrimination: Sort objects by size, shape, or color.