Proprioceptive Activities

Calming:

1. Weighted Blanket: Use a weighted blanket or vest for deep pressure input.
2. Bear Hugs: Give or receive a firm hug.
3. Yoga: Practice slow, gentle yoga poses.
4. Deep Pressure Massage: Get a massage or use a massage tool.

Alerting:

1. Jumping on a Trampoline: Engage in vigorous jumping.
2. Carrying Heavy Objects: Carry grocery bags or a heavy backpack.
3. Pushing/Pulling: Push a vacuum cleaner or pull a wagon.
4. Climbing Activities: Climb on playground equipment or an indoor climbing wall.
5. Resistance Bands: Use resistance bands for stretching and pulling exercises.

Organizing:

1. Therapy Ball Activities: Sit on a therapy ball and bounce or roll back and forth.
2. Animal Walks: Bear walks, crab walks, or crawling like different animals.
3. Body Socks: Move and stretch inside a body sock to provide full-body proprioceptive input.
4. Wheelbarrow Walking: Walk on hands while someone holds your legs.

The proprioceptive sense is a bit different from the others because it is rare to become overstimulated from proprioceptive stimuli. Check out my post about this topic here.

Vestibular Activities

Calming:

1. Rocking: Sit in a rocking chair or on a therapy ball.
2. Swinging Slowly: Use a swing with gentle, rhythmic movements.
3. Slow Spinning: Spin slowly on a swivel chair.
4. Gentle Walking: Take a slow, steady walk.

Alerting:

1. Fast Swinging: Swing quickly on a swing set.
2. Spinning: Spin rapidly in a swivel chair.
3. Jumping Jacks: Do a set of jumping jacks.
4. Dancing: Dance to fast-paced music.
5. Tumbling: Perform somersaults or roll on the floor.

Organizing:

1. Rocking in a Chair: Use a rocking chair or rocking on a therapy ball.
2. Slow Spinning: Spin slowly in a swivel chair and then stop to process the movement.
3. Balance Beam: Walk slowly and steadily along a balance beam or a straight line on the floor.
4. Rolling: Roll back and forth on a mat or the floor.

Tactile Activities

Calming:

1. Soft Textures: Use soft fabrics like fleece or plush toys.
2. Warm Water Play: Play with warm water, such as taking a bath or using a water table.
3. Therapeutic Brushing: Use a sensory brush in a slow, rhythmic manner.
4. Playdough: Knead and mold playdough.
5. Weighted Toys: Use weighted stuffed animals or blankets.

Alerting:

1. Messy Play: Engage in activities like finger painting or playing with shaving cream.
2. Textured Surfaces: Use sandpaper, Velcro, or other rough textures.
3. Cold Water Play: Play with cold water, such as in a water table or a cold bath.
4. Sensory Bins: Play with bins filled with rice, beans, or sand.
5. Fidget Toys: Use fidget toys with various textures.

Organizing:

1. Playdough/Kinetic Sand: Mold and shape playdough or kinetic sand.
2. Texture Exploration: Explore different textures with hands, like fabric swatches or textured balls.
3. Sensory Bins: Search for hidden objects in bins filled with rice, beans, or sand.
4. Theraputty: Stretch, squeeze, and manipulate theraputty.

Auditory (Sound) Activities

Calming:

1. White Noise: Use a white noise machine or app.
2. Soft Music or nature sounds: Listen to calming, soft music or nature sounds.
3. Earplugs/Noise-Canceling Headphones: Use to block out overwhelming sounds.
4. Whispering: Engage in quiet whispering or humming.

Alerting:

1. Loud Music: Listen to upbeat, loud music.
2. Musical Instruments: Play drums, tambourines, or other loud instruments.
3. Clapping Games: Play clapping games with rhythmic patterns.
4. Singing: Sing loudly or participate in group singing.

Organizing:

1. Rhythmic Music: Listen to music with a steady, rhythmic beat.
2. Drumming: Play a drum or beat on a surface with a steady rhythm.
3. Guided Listening: Listen to guided meditations or audio stories with a steady, calm voice.
4. Sound Matching Games: Play games that involve matching sounds to objects or pictures.

Visual (Sight) Activities

Calming:

1. Dim Lighting: Use soft, dim lighting or candles.
2. Calming Visuals: Look at calming images or scenes, such as aquariums or lava lamps.
3. Coloring: Engage in coloring with soft, muted colors.

Alerting:

1. Bright Lights: Use bright lights or flashlights.
2. Bright Colors: Engage with brightly colored objects or toys.
3. Visual Puzzles: Solve visual puzzles or play games with rapid visual changes.

Organizing:

1. Visual Tracking: Follow a moving object with your eyes, like a ball hanging from the ceiling.
2. Sorting and Matching: Sort objects by color, size, or shape.
3. Pattern Games: Engage in activities that involve recognizing and creating patterns.
4. Puzzles: Complete visual puzzles with varying levels of difficulty.

Oral (Taste and Smell) Activities

Calming:

1. Warm Drinks: Sip on warm drinks like herbal tea or warm milk.
2. Chewing Gum: Chew mint or lavender-flavored gum.
3. Sucking: Suck on a straw with a thick smoothie or yogurt.
4. Mild Flavors: Eat foods with mild, familiar flavors.
5. Aromatherapy: Use calming scents like lavender or chamomile.

Alerting:

1. Crunchy Snacks: Eat crunchy snacks like carrots, pretzels, or granola.
2. Sour Candy: Suck on sour candies or lemon slices.
3. Cold Drinks: Sip on cold, icy drinks or popsicles.
4. Spicy Foods: Eat spicy or strongly flavored foods.
5. Strong Scents: Use alerting scents like peppermint, eucalyptus, or citrus.

Organizing:

1. Blowing Activities: Blow bubbles, blow through a straw, or use a pinwheel.
2. Scent Exploration: Smell different scents and identify them, using essential oils or scented objects.