Kids love to move and run in and around places…no matter where they are. With each passing phase, they crave deep muscle, head tilting movements and for most part they are happy to climb and jump. I am sure there have been times when you have been asked… Does your kid ever sit still?
Well, you know what..they shouldn’t sit still at all. It’s their age to indulge in the sensory activities and tasks, which activates their brain and turns them into proactive beings. If your kid loves to jump and climb, you should contribute to their development by providing them with age-appropriate sensory activities.
Sensory activities are any activities for kids that engage any of their 5 primary senses…smell, touch, sight, taste, hearing.
Let’s think of how we can achieve this…
- Tidy up!
Strolling and bending to pick up objects enables our little ones to figure out how to maintain their balance, while they are on the move! Just tidying up the toys around the room along these lines is incredible for regaining balance and improving their poise. - Get a mini trampoline
Mini Trampolines are the real saviours, when it comes to kids jumping on couches. They are popular among children of all ages and are fun to jump and do somersaults on. Not just this, but they help in improving spatial awareness and can be very effective in terms of tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular systems based therapies too.
( Source: https://childmind.org/article/treating-sensory-processing-issues/ )
- Balancing beams
This is another great and simple sensory activity to set up, and can be done both indoors or outdoors. All you need is a wooden beam or plank strong enough to support your little one’s weight. You can start with just putting it on the ground for younger kids. For older ones you might need to prop it up on something like small chairs or bricks. As simple as it sounds, walking along it will be great for their proprioception and vestibular processing.Be around them thought and make sure there is a soft landing surface
- Make an indoor jungle gym or monkey bar obstacle course
So, this one’s really fun and interesting for both kids and parents to do it together. Make your DIY Crash mat – stack pillows, cushions, bean bags, blankets, make little tunnels from cardboard boxes or any other type of object that allows your child to climb on or go through and jump on. Now make an obstacle course around the house and have everyone take a chance at it. To add more fun to it, be competitive and calculate the time each participant takes and reward the fastest person A.K.A. The Winner!
P.S. Always make sure that there is no way for your child to fall
- Take your kid to a play area.
This one may appear to be a no-brainer. Be that as it may, getting your kid outside for some fresh air amidst a fully-caught up day will enable them to get the ‘break’ that they really need. After spending a busy day at school, hopping around the play area, swinging, bouncing over, under, is always welcome
- Vaulting or Tumbling Lessons
It gives the required proprioceptive and vestibular input, which is beneficial for spatial strengthening, maintaining balance and numerous different gross motor skills.