Sensory Processing Disorder Parent Support

Sensory Diet Activities For Children Who Have Sensory Processing Disorder  









Sensory input plays such an important role in our daily lives, influencing our emotions, and behavior. We receive sensory input through our eight senses - sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, interoception, proprioception and vestibular. For children, proper sensory input is essential for their development and learning. 

A sensory diet is a schedule that is planned daily of sensory activities that are just for your child's sensory needs. Just like a regular diet, a sensory diet is tailored to meet the specific needs of each child. 

It includes a variety of sensory activities that stimulate the senses and help children regulate their responses to sensory input.

Sensory Diet Activities For Children Who Have Sensory Processing Disorder 2 boys playing on merry go round sensory activities for their sensory diet




There are many different types of sensory activities that can be included in your child's routine each day. 

Sensory bins - These are small bins filled with rice, beans, sand, or water that children can play in using their hands for a sensory tactile activity. This activity provides tactile input and can help with fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Swinging - Swinging is an excellent activity for providing vestibular input. It can help children regulate their balance, body awareness, and coordination.

Messy play - Activities such as finger painting, playing with slime, or making mud pies can provide a range of sensory input and can be fun for children. This type of play can also help with sensory integration and regulation.

Heavy work activities - These activities involve pushing, pulling, or carrying heavy objects, which provide proprioceptive input. They can help children regulate their energy levels and improve their focus and attention.

Sensory walks - A sensory walk involves taking a walk and incorporating different sensory experiences along the way. Children can feel different textures or listen to different sounds. This activity can help with sensory exploration and regulation.


There are so many benefits of sensory activities. They can help children regulate their emotions, improve their attention and focus, and enhance their motor skills. Sensory activities can also help children develop a better understanding of their own bodies and their responses to sensory input.

Sensory activities for children are different for everyone depending on their sensory needs because everyone has different sensory needs. Some children may require more frequent activities, while others may only need them a few times a week. It is very important to work with your child's occupational therapist to determine the appropriate amount and types of sensory activities for each child.

Sensory diet activities are `important for children because they can help them cope with everyday challenges. Children with sensory processing disorder may struggle with different daily sensory activities such as eating or getting dressed. A planned sensory diet can help children regulate their sensory responses and make these activities easier for them.

Sensory input is vital for children's development. Sensory activities, incorporated into a sensory diet, can provide children with the necessary sensory input to help them regulate their responses and improve their functioning. 


child with sensory processing disorder doing olfactory activities
Sensory Diet Olfactory Activities

- play with scented play dough 
- scratch and sniff scented stickers
- wear essential oil diffuser necklace
- make sensory scented bottles
- chew scented bubble gum
- play with scented fidget toys
- guess the scent game
- play with scented rice sensory bin
- write with scented pens
- blow scented bubbles
- bake and cook
- use scented sensory paints
- use scented markers






Gustatory Sensory Diet Activities

- vibrating toothbrush
- blowing bubbles
- whistling
- drinking through a straw
- blowing through musical instruments
- eating crunchy snacks
- blowing up balloons
- exploring food temperatures, tastes and textures
- chewing gum
- exploring edible sensory bins
- chewing sensory chew necklace 
- chewing sour candy
- blowing a pinwheel
little boy with gustatory sensory needs Gustatory Sensory Diet Activities






little boy doing visual sensory diet activities Sensory Diet Visual Activities
Sensory Diet Visual Activities

- sensory bottles
- color matching games
- light table activities
-  visual schedules 
- marble mazes
- light up toys
- spinning toys
- kaleidoscopes
- catching a ball
- I spy games
- bean bag toss
- stringing beads
- liquid motion toys
- drawing pictures
- dot to dot worksheets
- water play
- shadow puppets
- bubbles
- firgets 






Sensory Diet Auditory Activities

- use noise reduction headphones 
- listen to music
- play clapping games
- walk and listen to nature
- play an instrument
- listen to audio books
- use a sound machine
- shake a rice sensory bottle 
- sing in a microphone
- play matching sound games
- play speaking and listening games
- storytelling
- play with sound puzzles
- dance to different music
- play telephone games
- practice heavy work activities 
little girl doing Sensory Diet Auditory Activities sensory processing disorder






little boy filling sensory diet and doing Sensory Diet Proprioceptive Activities sensory processing disorder
Sensory Diet Proprioceptive Activities

- rough and tumble play or play wrestling
- tug of war with rope or fabric
- crawling through tunnels and boxes
- pulling or pushing a cart or wagon
- catching and throwing a weighted ball
- wheelbarrow walking
- scooter board activities
- squishing between pillows
- squeezing stress balls
- joint compressions 
- exercise (push ups, yoga, sit ups)
- rolling out play dough 
- hanging from trapeze
- pulling apart resistant toys or objects
- gross motor activities
(obstacle courses or stretching)






Sensory Diet Vestibular Activities

- swinging in a hammock 
- jumping on crash pad or trampoline
- bouncing on a yoga ball or teeter totter
- rolling up in a blanket
- spinning in a chair or sit n spin toy
- rocking on a rocking horse
- hanging upside down off couch, from monkey bars or from trapeze bars
- playing on toys with wheels
(roller blades, wagons, trikes or scooters)
- playground on playground equipment (slides, teeter totter, merry-go-round)
- playing gross motor games
(soccer, basketball, tag or hopscotch
child jumping with sensory processing disorder doing Sensory Diet Vestibular Activities






child with sensory processing disorder doing his Sensory Diet Tactile Activities
Sensory Diet Tactile Activities

- brushing different textured brushes over the skin
- drawing with chalk on the body
- massage with oils, lotions and powders
- brushing for sensory defensiveness 
- rubbing different fabric textures against the skin
- drawing in sand or salt
- sensory play (water, sand, slime play dough, clay)
- finger painting
- sensory bins (rice, beans)
- face and body painting
- bubble bath and swimming
- body tattoos or stickers on the body
- deep pressure 
- gardening and plating flowers
- toys with vibration
- playing in the mud
- cooking and baking














DISCLAIMER: I am not an Occupational Therapist. I am an adult who has Sensory Processing Disorder, a sensory parent and a Grandma. The information on this website is not medical advice and does not replace the information that your child's therapists gives you. These are just ideas and information that I have learned myself over the years of being a parent and an adult living with SPD. If you are concerned for your child, please always seek medical attention through a family doctor, pediatrician or therapist. This website is for suggestions and informational purposes only. Each child is different and what works for one child may not for another because all children have different needs. Please always consult with a professional.

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