Sensory Activity Plan
By Kelli Arnone, MOT, OTR/L

All individuals require a certain amount of activity and sensation in order to be alert, adaptable and skillful. This is much like a person’s nutritional requirements. The important thing about a sensory plan is to help your child feel calm, alert and organized most of the time by using specific activities throughout the day. The following is a sample list of suggested activities. Try to incorporate these activities into daily routines for as little as 5-10 minutes to make a difference. Make them fun, and not so much a chore!

Heavy Muscle Work Activities: (10-15 minutes of input lasts up to 2-3 hours). Heavy muscle work activities are helpful to increase: attention, the ability to calm and the body’s ability to filter stimulation.

Vestibular Activities: (10-15 minutes of input lasts up to 6-8 hours). The vestibular system is our movement sense which consists of receptors in the inner ear that are essential for the development of posture, attention, eye skills and overall coordination. Children who are sensitive to movement need to use their muscles to help regulate their sense of movement, and should not be subjected to any type of movement they dislike.

Oral Calmers:
The mouth is a very powerful part of the body that can help regulate all incoming stimulation. It is helpful to have a travel container with “sensory tools” available to your child. This container might include: fruit roll-ups, dried fruit, gum or pretzels (for resistive chew or crunch to calm the body), juice boxes, a non-leaking sippy cup or sports bottle, pudding or jell-o packs with straws cut down to half the length (for resistive suck to calm the body), and/or bubbles or whistles for calming visual and respiration activities.

Determine which activities from the above list are satisfying to your child and provide them frequently throughout the day to help your child regulate his/her body.

Make sure you plan ahead to provide these activities, so you are proactive (versus reactive) to problems or undesired behaviors that you know are likely to occur.

Time
Activity
Morning Wake-up Routine
Turn on their favorite music before getting out of bed. Do jumping jacks, push ups and sit ups or other aerobic exercises for 5-15 minutes before breakfast.
Mid-Morning
Do chair push ups (push down on the edge of a chair and lift legs off the chair while seated), holding as long as possible.
Afternoon
Chew gum. P.E. or Recess activity (climb, run, play an active sport).
Late Afternoon
Ride bike. Rollerblade. Swim. Karate. Gymnastics. Soccer. Rock Climb. Do a dance or yoga video.
Evening/Dinner
Complete homework. Computer time. Prepare for the next day.
Evening Bedtime Routine
Turn on soft music. Warm shower. Quiet activities before bed (reading, journal writing).


By Kelli Arnone, MOT, OTR/L
Pediatric Potentials Rehab, Inc.
www.pediatricrehabcenter.com
407-322-3962