Children's Occupational Therapy Services Sensory Motor Tools for the Classroom Sensory Breaks Children's Occupational Therapy Services Sensory ...
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Children’s Occupational Therapy Services Children’s Occupational Therapy Services Sensory Motor Tools for the Classroom Sensory Motor Tools for the Classroom Sensory Breaks Sensory Breaks
Some children are easily over stimulated or distracted by sounds, Some children are easily over stimulated or distracted by sounds,
others by touch or visual stimulation. Some children need others by touch or visual stimulation. Some children need
movement of their hands, legs or mouth to focus their attention. All movement of their hands, legs or mouth to focus their attention. All
children need an appropriate environment and good seating. children need an appropriate environment and good seating.
Using some of the Sensory tools given below you can help to: Using some of the Sensory tools given below you can help to:
alert alert
organise organise
focus and settle children within the school day by focus and settle children within the school day by
increasing their attention increasing their attention
decreasing defensiveness and helping to modulate their levels decreasing defensiveness and helping to modulate their levels
of arousal. of arousal.
Some children might need to take a regular sensory breaks, Some children might need to take a regular sensory breaks,
perhaps every 20 minutes, others at transition times and others first perhaps every 20 minutes, others at transition times and others first
thing in the morning and afternoon. thing in the morning and afternoon.
Choose the activities the child enjoys and adapt as necessary. Choose the activities the child enjoys and adapt as necessary.
Chair Push Ups Chair Push Ups
1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. 1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Put your hands to your sides with palms flat and fingers curled 2. Put your hands to your sides with palms flat and fingers curled
around the edge of the chair. around the edge of the chair.
3. Push up so that your bottom comes off the chair seat and feet 3. Push up so that your bottom comes off the chair seat and feet
come up off the floor. come up off the floor.
4. Use your arms and hands to help push you up and lower you 4. Use your arms and hands to help push you up and lower you
down. down.
5. Whatever your age do that 5. Whatever your age do that
many Chair Push-ups. many Chair Push-ups.
Trampette bounce you can increase the Trampette bounce you can increase the
difficulty level for the child as necessary. difficulty level for the child as necessary.
1. Do 10 - 20 jumps counting out loud. 1. Do 10 - 20 jumps counting out loud.
2. Do 10 Star jumps counting out loud. 2. Do 10 Star jumps counting out loud.
3. Jump around in circles and jog for a minute. 3. Jump around in circles and jog for a minute.
4. Jump and catch a ball or bean bag 10 to 20 4. Jump and catch a ball or bean bag 10 to 20
times. times.
Wall press ups Wall press ups
1. Lean against wall arms ex- 1. Lean against wall arms ex-
tended and hands flat. tended and hands flat.
2. Bend your elbows as you low- 2. Bend your elbows as you low-
er your body towards the wall. er your body towards the wall.
Keep your feet still. Keep your feet still.
3. Hold for a count of four and 3. Hold for a count of four and
then slowly push yourself then slowly push yourself
back. back.
4. Repeat 10 times. 4. Repeat 10 times.
Rolling ball- do slowly Rolling ball- do slowly
1. With tummy on the therapy ball walk hands out as far as 1. With tummy on the therapy ball walk hands out as far as
possible without falling off and return to starting position. possible without falling off and return to starting position.
2. You may need support. 2. You may need support.
3. When you feel confident, collect bean bags and throw into a 3. When you feel confident, collect bean bags and throw into a
bucket in front of you. bucket in front of you.
Bouncing ball – good for balance Bouncing ball – good for balance
1. Sit on the ball with feet on the floor. 1. Sit on the ball with feet on the floor.
2. Bounce all the way round the ball and back again with out stop- 2. Bounce all the way round the ball and back again with out stop-
ping. ping.
3. Bounce while throwing and catching. 3. Bounce while throwing and catching.
The seat walk - gets all parts of your body The seat walk - gets all parts of your body
working together working together
1. Sit on the floor with your legs and 1. Sit on the floor with your legs and
arms straight out in front of you. arms straight out in front of you.
2. Lift up one side of your bottom by 2. Lift up one side of your bottom by
leaning to the side and push for- leaning to the side and push for-
wards. wards.
3. Shift and do the same thing on the 3. Shift and do the same thing on the
other side. other side.
4. Keep on moving! 4. Keep on moving!
5. You might find it easier at first to go 5. You might find it easier at first to go
backwards. backwards.
6. Time how long it takes you to move across the room. 6. Time how long it takes you to move across the room.
Simon Says Simon Says
Put together a series of actions such a Put together a series of actions such a
hopping on one leg, clapping five times, hopping on one leg, clapping five times,
jumping three times for child to copy. jumping three times for child to copy.
You can make it easy by keeping it You can make it easy by keeping it
simple with just one action to copy at a time or extend it by using a simple with just one action to copy at a time or extend it by using a
combination of combination of
sequences and include spoken Instructions sequences and include spoken Instructions
Tug of war Tug of war
Play tug of war with ropes, scarves, stretchy bands. Play tug of war with ropes, scarves, stretchy bands.
The Plank The Plank
1. Get onto all fours with your hands shoulder width apart. 1. Get onto all fours with your hands shoulder width apart.
2. Take one leg behind you and push up onto your toes. 2. Take one leg behind you and push up onto your toes.
3. Once balanced take the other leg behind you and do the same. 3. Once balanced take the other leg behind you and do the same.
4. Make sure your bottom is as flat as possible. 4. Make sure your bottom is as flat as possible.
5. Hold for a count of 4 and then get back onto your knees. 5. Hold for a count of 4 and then get back onto your knees.
6. Repeat 5 times. 6. Repeat 5 times.
7. If this is too difficult keep on your knees and push through your 7. If this is too difficult keep on your knees and push through your
arms and shoulders. arms and shoulders.
Bear walk Bear walk
1. Begin on the floor on you hands (flat) and knees. 1. Begin on the floor on you hands (flat) and knees.
2. Keep your arms straight, elbows only slightly 2. Keep your arms straight, elbows only slightly
bent. bent.
3. Start doing a ‘bear 3. Start doing a ‘bear
walk’ with knees bent. walk’ with knees bent.
Try other animal walks Try other animal walks
– waving one arm for a – waving one arm for a
trunk for an trunk for an
elephant walk. elephant walk.
Spider Push-ups Spider Push-ups
1.Place the back of one hand against the table top. 1.Place the back of one hand against the table top.
2.Place the other hand (the spider) on top, matching the fingers 2.Place the other hand (the spider) on top, matching the fingers
(pinky to pinky, ring to ring, etc.). (pinky to pinky, ring to ring, etc.).
3. Extend the fingers from the bottom hand (mirror) up in the air fin- 3. Extend the fingers from the bottom hand (mirror) up in the air fin-
ger tips together (like a tee-pee). ger tips together (like a tee-pee).
4. Then bring the fingers back down against the table. 4. Then bring the fingers back down against the table.
5. Do this five times. Then turn the hands over so now 5. Do this five times. Then turn the hands over so now
6. the spider is upside down. 6. the spider is upside down.
Blowing activities Blowing activities
1. Blowing bubbles. 1. Blowing bubbles.
2. Blow football using straw and cotton balls or paper balls. 2. Blow football using straw and cotton balls or paper balls.
3. Whistles. 3. Whistles.
4. Blow toys. 4. Blow toys.
Hand Fidgets - (relieves Hand Fidgets - (relieves
stress and helps stress and helps
concentration) concentration)
1. Stretch toys such as Koosh 1. Stretch toys such as Koosh
balls and bendable rubber balls and bendable rubber
toys. toys.
2. Fidget pencils – see pic- 2. Fidget pencils – see pic-
ture. ture.
3. Beanie-like toy. 3. Beanie-like toy.
4. Fiddle toys such as hair 4. Fiddle toys such as hair
bands, key rings, bracelets. bands, key rings, bracelets.
5. Therapy putty, silly putty or 5. Therapy putty, silly putty or
other ‘slime’ or ‘gloop’ to shape. other ‘slime’ or ‘gloop’ to shape.
Sensitive Hearing Sensitive Hearing
For children who are easily distracted and For children who are easily distracted and
disturbed by unexpected noise, or even the usual classroom noises, disturbed by unexpected noise, or even the usual classroom noises,
earplugs, earphones and ear muffs can be useful. earplugs, earphones and ear muffs can be useful.
Fidgeting Fidgeting
Very restless, fidgety children who cannot sit still can be helped by Very restless, fidgety children who cannot sit still can be helped by
using a ‘move and sit’ cushion. These help to give the child tactile using a ‘move and sit’ cushion. These help to give the child tactile
and and
proprioceptive feedback as they move, and proprioceptive feedback as they move, and
reduce the need for excessive fidgeting they also improve posture. reduce the need for excessive fidgeting they also improve posture.
Wrap ‘Theraband’ around the legs of the child’s chair to give them a Wrap ‘Theraband’ around the legs of the child’s chair to give them a
resistive surface to kick against when sitting down. resistive surface to kick against when sitting down.
Sensory Bags Sensory Bags
While each child's "bag" should be based on his or her individual While each child's "bag" should be based on his or her individual
sensory needs, here are some sensory needs, here are some
suggestions that may help you get started. suggestions that may help you get started.
Fidget toys. Fidget toys.
Two footprints that can be put on the floor for jumping or stomp- Two footprints that can be put on the floor for jumping or stomp-
ing on. ing on.
Lotion with one of the more calming scents, such as Lotion with one of the more calming scents, such as
Vanilla. Vanilla.
Two handprints that can be placed on a wall as a deep pressure Two handprints that can be placed on a wall as a deep pressure
"push place," "push place,"
Natural smells Natural smells
Mouthing toys such as blow toys, harmonica, chew toys, Mouthing toys such as blow toys, harmonica, chew toys,
chews. chews.
Small toys with movable parts. Small toys with movable parts.
Fabric swatches. Fabric swatches.
A beanie baby type of tactile toy. A beanie baby type of tactile toy.
Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service
Redgrave Children & Young People’s Centre Redgrave Children & Young People’s Centre
Redgrave Gardens Redgrave Gardens
Luton LU3 3QN Luton LU3 3QN
Telephone: 01582 708141 Telephone: 01582 708141
Email: ccs.beds.childrens.ot.redgrave@nhs.net Email: ccs.beds.childrens.ot.redgrave@nhs.net
Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service
Child Development Centre Child Development Centre
Hill Rise Hill Rise
Kempston Kempston
Bedford MK42 7EB Bedford MK42 7EB
Telephone: 01234 310274 Telephone: 01234 310274
Email: ccs.beds.childrens.ot@nhs.net Email: ccs.beds.childrens.ot@nhs.net
0726 - July 2021 (V1) 0726 - July 2021 (V1)
July 2021 July 2021
July 2024 July 2024
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