Sensory and Movement Ideas for Better Participation and Behavior

Little Alex comes into your therapy space like a Tasmanian Devil!

He hasn’t stopped moving since he stepped foot in the door and he’s touched everything in reach.

In fact, half of your stuff is already on the floor.

What’s a therapist to do?

Never fear, my friends! I’m speech-language pathologist Carrie Clark and in this episode of The Speech and Language Kids Podcast, I’m going to show you how to use incorporate sensory and movement into your speech/language therapy sessions for better participation and behavior.

Listen to the Podcast Here

You can listen to the full podcast episode below:

How to Tell when a Child is Sensory Seeking

So many of our clients just seem…off.

Dysregulated.

And often that’s because their little bodies are just not getting the input that they need.

When we see children doing things with their bodies that are outside the “expected” behaviors, we have found our first cue that they need something different.

And if we observe and pay attention to their bodies, we can usually tell what it is.

How to Tell when a Child is Sensory Avoiding

Just as our students are sometime seeking sensory input….

….they may also be trying to avoid a sensory input.

Maybe they cover their ears or eyes.

Maybe they spit out a certain food or refuse to try it.

Maybe they pull away from our touch or have trouble wearing certain types of clothing.

The Different Sensory Input Systems

When trying to identify what sensory input a child is craving, we can consider these different sensory systems:

Visual: A child who is seeking visual input may enjoy staring at things that are spinning, flashing, sparkling, etc. They may watch things out of the corner of their eye. Or they may close their eyes to them all together if they are avoiding a visual input.
Auditory: Our auditory seekers may enjoy making certain noises or they may be drawn toward sources of sound. Our avoiders may cover their ears or scream to cover up a sound they don’t like.
Smell/Taste: Seekers may smell or taste things that you wouldn’t expect. Avoiders may refuse to eat certain things or may gag uncontrollably.
Touch: Those seeking a touch input may enjoy rubbing or feeling certain textures or fabrics. They may need something in their hands like a fidget. Our avoiders may refuse certain touches, whether from other people or from objects like clothing, seatbelts, chairs, etc.
Vestibular: Our vestibular systems help us regulate our balance and movement. Children who are seeking this input may love jumping, spinning, swinging, crashing, falling, and going upside down. Alternatively, a child who is avoiding these things may become very agitated when they are not firmly attached to solid ground, such as when on a swing, in a car, or standing on something tall.
Proprioceptive: This system tells our body where we are in space. It tells us that our arms are out to the side or that our legs are curled up underneath us. If a child has low awareness of their body, they may feel better when they get heavy pressure against their bodies, as it helps them feel their body better. Our seekers may bump or crash into people or objects excessively. They may love deep pressure, hugs, squeezes, or tight clothes. They may sleep nestled in between a billion stuffed animals and toys on their beds. Avoiders will react negatively to touch and pressure.

How to Incorporate Sensory and Movement into Therapy:

If we can tell what type of input a child needs, we can provide that at the beginning of our session or during our sessions to help them stay engaged with our learning.

But even if we’re not sure what type they need, we can still try different activities to see which ones help!

Some children will become overstimulated by an activity.

Others will calm down by it.

Trial and error is key here!

Sensory and Movement Activity 1: Heavy Work

Any activity that requires the child to use their muscles can be effective at helping them focus!

Consider jobs that require strength, such as carrying, pushing, stacking, lifting, etc.

If they feel like they are helping, they are more likely to do it than if they feel like it’s a meaningless task.

Ideas:

Carry the materials (something heavy) to the speech room
Push a box/laundry basket down the hall to take it to the office (while you practice their speech skill)
Taking down and stacking chairs
Rearranging furniture
Wiping down tables or dry erase boards
Punching paper with a 3-hole punch
Sharpening pencils

Sensory and Movement Activity 2: Playground or Gym

Therapy on the playground or gym is my favorite!

Allow the students to free play as long as they agree to work with you while they do it!

Follow them around and find ways to work their speech into the play.

Or have them freeze and do a certain number of reps to unfreeze.

Draw things in sidewalk chalk to help them practice their skill.

Sensory and Movement Activity 3: Fine Motor/Sensory Play

Slime.

Putty.

Playdough.

A bin full of dried rice and beans.

There are so many things that kids can stick their hands into that will light up a totally different part of their brains!

Sensory and Movement Activity 4: Alternative Seating

Find different ways for kids to sit (or stand) to make drill and practice more appealing:

Wiggle seats
Wobble stools
Balance boards
Exercise ball
Beanbag chair
Swing/Hammock
Hanging

Sensory and Movement Activity 5: Two-Person Movement Activities

If you can figure out what type of input a child needs, you can find ways to give them even more of that input in a way that they would need your help for.

If they like swinging, push them on the swing to go higher!

If they like bouncing, sit on an exercise ball with them on your lap and bounce HIGH!

If they like spinning, spin them in an office chair.

Once they know you can get them what they need, they’ll be more willing to communicate with you to get it or work to get more.