According to the STAR INSTITUTE, sensory needs can be met in 8 different ways. Below is directly from their website.
Your 8 Senses
Photo: Child and Therapist learning in the STAR Institute Treatment Center's world famous sensory garden.
You Have Eight Sensory Systems
(Please note: figures below are from Wikipedia)DESCRIPTION OF THE EIGHT SENSORY SYSTEMS
The five basic sensory systems:
1. Visual
2. Auditory
3. Olfactory (smell) System
4. Gustatory (taste) System
5. Tactile System
The three sensory systems Ayres focused on in describing sensory integration dysfunction:
5. Tactile System (see above)
6. Vestibular (sense of head movement in space) System
7. Proprioceptive (sensations from muscles and joints of body) System
The most recently discussed set of sensations related to internal organs
8. Interoception
I'm sure as parents, you can quickly identify which sensory needs your child has more of. Often times students can not express the need, but we can use these strategies to help children learn to meet their own needs. Below are some ideas for sensory activities or breaks.
Shaving Cream/Whip Cream
If you're okay with a little mess, this is a fun activity for students who like the soft feeling of shaving cream or whip cream. We do this activity a couple times a month at school and let the kiddos practice writing their names, numbers, shapes and letters in the shaving cream. Whip cream could be a replacement if you think your child might put the shaving cream in their mouth.
Yoga Ball
Yoga balls can be a great way for children to stretch, balance, bounce or receive slight pressure.
Bean/Rice box
If you have extra beans or rice laying around, dump them in a basket or bowl and let kids put their hands and feet in it! To make it even more exciting, hide some little treasures in it! To make it educational and fun, hide some letters or numbers in it.
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| This is also a great fine motor activity |
**Some images were from google and are simply used to show examples of the activities. Most are linked to the web page if you click on it.
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