Sensory Activities for Heavy Work or Deep Pressure

Over the next few weeks, I want to offer simple activities for sensory integration.

There so many different types of activities so I will start with my favorite...Heavy Work. As I explained before, as a child and still presently, my brain does not process touch well, so I need extra input...deep pressure or heavy work.  This is so calming to me. It helps me regain focus and concentration. 
Again, these activities can benefit all children.  Because all children are different, some activities may calm them, while others may 'energize' them, so carefully observe how each activity affects them.  An Occupational Therapist would be the best to help you decide which activities, how many times as day, how intense the activities.  Definitely, use trial and error.  Our goal is to expose our kids to different sensory inputs in a fun, safe, and stimulating way.

Warning: This list is not even a tenth of the activities possible for heavy work in Gross Motor or big movements.  These are just the ones that are most used or my favorites.

Heavy Work- Gross Motor/Big Movement

Rough Play- I know you love to play with your babies, now we just have to make that play even more meaningful...

• army crawl across the floor
• steam roll across the floor
• lizard crawl across the floor
• Make the crawl and roll even more fun by turning it into a game, Have your child start at one end of the room. while you are turned around(no cheating). Toss a small throw pillow behind you trying to tag your child. If he/she makes it across the floor, he/she wins
• Bear Hugs, Super Hero Hugs
• Use any of the Mother-May-I steps when walking short distances(from the house to the car): scissor steps, giant steps, dinosaur stomps, tornado twisties, etc.

• Make your child a pizza, no, no, don't go put a pizza in the oven, Make YOUR CHILD the PIZZA. 

• knead out the dough-massage belly, arms, legs, etc.
• spread out the sauce-gently rub belly, arms, legs, face
• sprinkle the cheese-use spirit fingers, similar to lightly tickling

• Use large bed pillows or throw pillows to make "a sandwich" out of your child.  The pillows are the bread, your kid is the meat, your can use blankets for the cheese, spread on the mustard/mayo
• Make a hot dog! Use a thick bath towel to snugly wrap around your child, don't forget the toppings. 

Swimming

Swinging

Riding a tricycle/bicycle

• Jumping in the pool, Jumping on the ground, Jumping on the trampoline, 
• Playing hopscotch,
• Pillow Pile Up-On laundry/sheet day gather all the pillows in your house.  Start piling them on top of your child.  Then let them break free.
• Theraputty, Play-doh, Stress Relief Balls,

Imaginative Play- You are more brilliant than any strategy I can give you.  You know what your kids like. Use your imagination.

• Construction Equipment-Let's pick up all toys like we are backhoes, or dump trucks, or excavators. etc.
• On a rainy day, one pretends to be a small seed on the  ground, the other is the weather: sprinkle each other with rain, wind, sunshine, snow, etc. if you are the seed you will start to stretch out and grow upwards.
• Bakery-stir the batter>fast/slow, knead the batter, press down the cookie cutter, scoop onto the pan, push into the oven, sprinkle sprinkles.

Have a blast playing with your kids, they won't even know they are 'working!'