With the rise of technology, there has been an increase in sensory seeking behavior. In this article, we will discuss a few activities for your child to help them cope with their sensory needs.
Sensory seeking behaviors are a common issue for children. There are many activities that can help with this issue, but one of the best is Genius Activities for Sensory Seeking Behavior in Your Child. Read more in detail here: sensory seeking behaviors.
To organize and control sensory seeking behaviors in your “wild” kid or toddler who never seems to stop moving, use sensory seeking activities.
Do you consider your kid to be wild, rough, or dangerous? In such case, they could be indications of sensory seeking behavior.
Sensory seeking activities may be utilized to assist calm and concentrate children who never seem to stop moving, despite the fact that there are many reasons why a child may continually appear to have a lot of energy or engage in excessive behaviors.
Giving your kid the chance to get the sensory input they require might even lessen their need drive to keep compulsively seeking out sensations if sensory difficulties, or needs as I like to call them, are the reason.
That’s pretty awesome, no? I have some tried-and-true sensory seeking techniques as a pediatric occupational therapist that work for a range of children. Of course, since every kid is different, so will be how they react to various sensory tactics.
Sensory Seeking Behavior Signs
Parents often use the word “WILD” to characterize their sensory-seeking youngster.
I’ve entered a family’s home for the first time many times only to hear them remark, “You’ve never seen a child like mine. They climb the furniture, run all the time, bully other kids, and then, even though you’d think they’d be sleepy, they have difficulties falling asleep.”
Of fact, I have really seen a lot of youngsters that are like this! It’s not just you.
Children that are sensory seekers are often in motion and can find it difficult to play with other children because they are so rough or focused with obtaining sensory input. They could also find it difficult to sit still and concentrate on tasks. These might range from doing schoolwork to having supper.
Children who are always seeking sensory stimulation may even be blind to threats that other children appear to perceive. They could act in in dangerous ways, such trying to climb the refrigerator, or rush mindlessly into the street or a parking lot.
Here are some more Sensory Seeking Behavior Signs:
- sprinting, leaping, and colliding with objects or other people.
- always hanging upside down.
- rotating continuously.
- unsafely climbing furniture and other high things in their surroundings.
- inappropriately licking their hand, the window, or the blocks they’re playing with.
- I’m touching everyone and everything.
- Loves to get their hands dirty and will take pleasure in covering themselves with mud, fingerpaint, or lotion.
- smells the surroundings, including people and other things.
- loves making loud sounds
- looks intently at moving items or bright, flashing lights
Your child is a sensory seeker—why?
Why do some kids seek out sensory stimuli so much? It all has to do with how they use sensory processing, which is how the brain interprets each feeling it gets. Others, including ADHD, food allergies, or other neurological issues, might make it difficult for certain children to concentrate or remain still.
From a sensory perspective, proprioception, or bodily awareness, and vestibular sense, or movement, are often strongly related to sensory seeking. Our body can move across the surroundings efficiently and maintain equilibrium thanks to these senses.
The typical experiences that sensory-seeking children experience during the day to excite those sensory systems are often not processed, leading them to seek it out more. They seek out pursuits that provide them with a lot of proprioceptive and/or vestibular stimulation.
Of course, they can do the same for the other senses as well, including taste, smell, hearing, vision, and hearing.
A kid may be diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) if their sensory processing issues significantly impact their everyday lives. Children with autism, ADHD, and anxiety often have SPD or sensory issues as well. However, many children don’t need a diagnosis if they have some sensory processing difficulties.
How to Support Children Who Engage in Sensory Seeking
The good news is that by providing your kid with chances to engage in sensory-seeking activities, you can support their sensory-seeking behavior and help them become more attentive, focused, and capable of calming down.
For children who need a chance to exercise their bodies and are seeking sensory stimulation. At stressful moments of the day, such as dinner, schoolwork, or sleep, a tailored sensory activity may then be a beneficial or secure release.
Setting up sensory activities on a regular basis, sometimes referred to as a sensory diet, may be beneficial. Others who are sensory seekers may not need or prefer a structured regimen. It’s crucial to provide sensory activities when they’re needed and to keep an eye on whether or not they’ve been beneficial.
To have them on hand, print out our list of 25 Strong Sensory Activities for free.
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Strong Sensory Seeking Exercises
The majority of parents of sensory seekers are overwhelmed and believe that their children’s continual movement makes it hardest for them to focus, learn, and interact with others.
For these youngsters, concentrating on activities that provide vestibular and proprioceptive input would probably be most beneficial.
Anything that applies pressure to the muscles and joints qualifies as a proprioceptive activity, thus squeezes, hangs, climbs, and jumps all provide information to this sense. In addition to our Intro to Sensory website, you can discover hundreds of proprioceptive exercises here and learn more about this sensation powerhouse.
Vestibular activities include anything that involves movement, and children often seek out these activities by spinning, swinging, or scaling tall objects.
Here are Strong Sensory Seeking Exercises:
Jumping is the first sensory-seeking activity.
Since jumping involves so much proprioceptive and vestibular information, it’s a fantastic exercise for sensory seekers. You may let your kid bounce on a trampoline, which is one of my favorite sensory toys, the sofa, the bed, or other surfaces. It’s nearly always my first suggestion for children that are really energetic, rough, or wall climbers.
I was given the Fold and Go Trampoline from Fun and Function to check out, and we adore it! My wild child really enjoys it, but all of my kids do. He often starts using it on his own, and if he starts to get restless before meals or bed, I’ll ask him to jump on it for a while.
Climbing is a second sensory-seeking activity.
Proprioception and vestibular input are also stimulated during climbing! In the house, using monkey bars, steps, and jungle gyms is a terrific exercise. I really like the cloth tunnel, which needs an adult or another kid to hold open one end while you use the other. You may either buy a ready-made version here or make your own version here. The tunnel is also causing a great deal of deep pressure, which is quite relaxing.
Vibrating toys are a third sensory-seeking activity.
Believe it or not, vibration provides some vestibular and significant proprioceptive input. If your child reacts well to vibration, this vibrating seat is ideal for meals, schoolwork, story time, etc. Not all kids appreciate vibration, so you may want to try a little bug like this first (as a therapist, I’d always carry one in my purse).
4. Pressure Sensory Seeking Activity
This may be accomplished by cramming into small areas, such as a dedicated cool-down zone or under the sofa, as well as by giving large bear embraces. Another easy thing you can use to assist your kid feel pressure when they get into a stretch sack and spread their arms and legs out against the constricting material is a body sock. The greatest body sock and instructions for usage are in my photos.
Sometimes a really energetic youngster won’t want to sit still for this; they may need to first bounce on the trampoline or crawl many times through a tunnel. If I were utilizing the body sock, I may tell them bedtime tales there or even assign them their schoolwork and let them do it there.
A easy and inexpensive technique to provide pressure to your youngster is via joint compressions. If you’re not acquainted with how to utilize joint compressions, be sure to visit our guide for a video demonstration.
#5: Get Messy in a Sensory Bin as a Sensory Seeking Activity
Give your kid a big container with a texture to play in if they like touching things. This will help them develop their tactile sense. This may be in a baby pool, an empty plastic container, or a bathtub. Shaving cream, slime, or dry rice are often favorites of tactile sensory seekers. Discover a ton more inspiration for sensory bins.
You might also consider messy play in general rather than just the sensory bin. Making mud pies in the backyard, finger painting, or creating sculptures out of kid-friendly clay are a few messy play options for seekers. Find more ideas for messy play.
#6. Bouncing, a sensory-seeking activity
For sensory seekers, an exercise ball is a cheap and essential sensory device. They can bounce on top of it while having their feet completely off the ground, roll on top of it over their tummies, and bounce up and down on it. They often LOVE THIS.
If you want to vary your bouncing, you may also look at a peanut-shaped ball that makes it simple for kids of all ages to sit on it while they are at a table or in circle time, but particularly for toddlers and preschoolers.
Find out more about the seven exercises using the sense of touch.
#7. Scooter Board: A Sensory Seeking Activity
Scooter boards are a straightforward toy that is simple to put away, but when a youngster rides one—especially on their belly—they provide a strong sensory experience! Although often utilized in occupational therapy, it also works well at home. Encourage them to move about on a hard floor surface using their palms or as you pull them back and forth with a rope.
Always be aware of your child’s response while providing sensory stimulation, and stop if they show signs of discomfort or exhaustion.
Check out 5 Ways to Incorporate Sensory Input Using a Scooter Board.
#8. Obstacle Course Sensory Seeking Activity
Combine all of the sensory seeking activities listed above into one to keep your sensory seeker active while their sensory system is receiving what it needs. There are infinite possibilities, but here is just one:
- Take a trampoline jump
- They follow the course you’ve outlined when you grab some bean bags and place them on the scooter board…
- 10 times, bounce on the yoga ball.
- Look locate three concealed items in a sensory bin filled with dry rice.
- Crawl into a tunnel
- On their arms and legs, use a vibrating toy
- the reverse
You would put these things in a circuit or loop and demonstrate how to use it to your youngster!
Aren’t these sensory activities doable? Try putting some of these sensory-seeking activities into practice and see how your wild kid reacts to them; it might really make a world of difference for both of you.
Get a free seat in my sensory workshop (free workbook included) if you want to learn how to use sensory exercises to soothe and concentrate your kid.
Information about Sensory Activities
Awesome and Simple Sensory Diet Activities: 100+
The Complete Guide to Oral Sensory Processing
21 Toddler-Friendly Sensory Activities that Advance Development!
10 Sensory Warning Signs
Proprioceptive sensory seeking behaviors are a set of specific, observable behaviors that children engage in. These include climbing, running, jumping, and walking. They also include the exploration of objects and their environment with hands and feet. Reference: proprioceptive sensory seeking behaviors.
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