Kiddipedia
With the holidays fast approaching, you may be dealing with a range of behaviours right now.
Some kids will be exhausted, particularly younger students, struggling with a particularly long school term. Others may only now be hitting their stride, finally getting into the groove and finding their feet.
You’ll also have the kids pushing the boundaries, itching to get to the school holidays and the freedom of being home. While others might be overwhelmed and feeling anxious about pretty much everything.
My kids are showing a variety of these behaviours right now, which makes navigating these last few weeks of the school term particularly tricky. However, most of these issues can be addressed by introducing sensory activities to give kids the input they need to keep going until the end of the term.
What does the sensory system have to do with behaviour?
Each day we’re bombarded by input from external sources. It’s the job of our sensory system to filter this input and determine what we need to pay attention to. Most of the time, this is an unconscious process – we go through our day blissfully unaware that our sensory system has filtered thousands of separate pieces of input.
Unfortunately, some of our kids struggle to process this input. They may not be able to filter out the sound of the squeaky ceiling fan or the ticking of the clock on the wall. Bright glare may be distracting, people moving about might disturb their concentration and strong smells may turn their stomach.
Sensory processing issues can distract and upset students, impacting on learning and leading to problem behaviours, both at school and at home. Introducing sensory activities might just be a way to calm your kids over the next few weeks of term and into the holidays as well.
Depending on their sensory needs, here are some ideas for you to try with your own kids.
Touch (Tactile)
- Fill a tub with rice, hide items and get your kids to feel for them
- Playdoh, slime, water beads and shaving cream offer lots of hands-on fun
- With eyes closed, get your kids to identify small items by touch alone
Smell (Olfactory)
- Light incense or candles to create a calm aroma in the home
- Make scented doh or slime or cook up a storm in the kitchen
- Head into the garden and gather scented flowers, plants and herbs
Sound (Aural)
- Play calming music as your kids read, colour or play
- Hang chimes or bells outside to provide more aural stimulation
- Offer headphones/earmuffs if your child is overwhelmed with noise
Sight (Visual)
- Sort blocks, stones, lego, etc into coloured piles
- Create your own sensory jar and watch the ingredients move and settle
- Match cards, pictures or photos that have been cut in half
Taste/Chew (Oral)
- Create a crunchy tasting plate for morning or afternoon tea
- Make chewy jewellery with dry, uncooked pasta
- Blow bubbles through a straw
Balance (Vestibular)
- Go to the park and enjoy the playground equipment (esp. swings)
- Have a handstand competition
- See who lasts the longest on a wobble board or homemade balance beam
Movement (Proprioception)
- Give deep pressure by ‘squishing’ your child with pillows and cushions
- Create an obstacle course in the backyard
- Jump around and have a dance party
Introducing sensory activities may not solve every behaviour, but they may just be the circuit breaker your child needs to get back on track again.
You may also like to read:
How to Create a Sensory Friendly Bedroom for your Child
5 Top Sensory Experiences that can be Achieved within the Home
