Not only do April showers bring May flowers, but with these rainy days also come the perfect opportunity to have your child engage in fun and exciting indoor sensory activities to get their creativity flowing!
Photo Credit: PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay
At-Home Olympics
Do you love watching the Olympics? Now you can create your own version at home! At home Olympics can be a creative and fun way to provide your child with proprioceptive input as well as vestibular input. Proprioception is the sensory system that allows our body to understand where we are in space through our joints. Have your child participate in tug-of-war challenges to squeezing pillow challenges to provide this input. The vestibular system allows our bodies to understand what orientation our body is in space, how fast we are moving, and in what direction. Creating challenges from animal walk races to long jumping challenges can provide your child with the vestibular input they are seeking!
Scavenger Hunts
Photo Credit: iheartcraftythings
Scavenger hunts are a great way to provide your child with sensory input when cooped up inside from the rain. Have your child go on a scavenger hunt for different colored items, textures, or even smells. Provide additional sensory input by using animal walks to search room to room for the hidden items!
Crunchy Snacks
Photo Credit: Foodlion
Rainy day munching with a movie or game night is a great opportunity to provide your child with sensory input! Have your child help you prepare a crunchy snack to target their various senses, from interacting with different textures and smells to proprioceptive input from the big crunch. The crunchier the snack the more sensory input to their mouth!
Questions or concerns?
If you have questions or concerns about your child’s responses to various sensory input, please contact us at info@playworkschicago.com or 773-332-9439.
Urooba Khaleelullah, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist