Understanding Proprioceptive Sensory Activities

Children with sensory differences ... painting the world beautiful.

Understanding Proprioceptive Sensory Activities

Jeanette Loftus

Proprioception refers to the body's ability to sense its position and movement in space through internal cues from muscles and joints. This proprioceptive sensory system is important for a lot of different physical activities, it supports a child's development, coordination and their motor skills too.

Proprioceptive activities or sensory heavy work activities can be extremely beneficial for children who struggle with sensory processing difficulties. There are a variety of proprioceptive activities that include squeezing, pinching, climbing, pushing, pulling, and jumping.

Heavy work activities require the use of muscle strength and effort. These activities include carrying heavy items, pushing furniture or pulling a wagon filled with toys. Even very basic chores like sweeping can be very effective heavy work.

These sensory heavy work activities provide deep pressure input to a child's the joints and muscles, which can make them feel calm and regulated. Including regular heavy work activities into a child's sensory diet and routine can significantly increase their focus, help them feel calm and improve their self-regulation.

There are so many different benefits when children participate in proprioceptive heavy work activities. Children can experience improved body awareness, better motor skills and better self-regulation. The repetitive use of of a child's large muscle groups promotes physical strength and provides the sensory input to help calm a child. Heavy work has been shown to help with attention and focus.

Proprioceptive heavy work activities can offer children numerous advantages such as improved body awareness, they can help children understand their body's position and movements, spatial awareness and coordination. When a child engages in heavy work activities they can feel reduced anxiety and an ability to focus on tasks better.

Sensory proprioceptive activities involve resistance and force and can help build muscle strength and improve a child's motor skills. For children with sensory processing differences, sensory heavy work activities can help children with sensory overload and regulate them.

When a child participates in sensory pushing and pulling activities they will use different muscle groups while providing important sensory input. Pushing heavy objects can help provide resistance and challenge a child's muscle strength. Dragging or pulling a wagon can stimulate proprioceptive senses and help develop coordination.

Squeezing and pinching are excellent proprioceptive activities that can be easily incorporated into a child's daily play. Pinching a clothespin or manipulating dough provides resistance, which helps a child use their muscles and improve their fine motor skills. These activities can be calming especially for children who may be overwhelmed by their surroundings.

Climbing activities are great sensory proprioceptive activities for children. Climbing on a jungle gym, a rock wall or climbing structures at home, these sensory activities encourage children to use their muscles and body awareness.

Climbing not only promotes strength and coordination but also helps children develop spatial awareness, balance and confidence in their capabilities. Including safe climbing opportunities into a child's playtime can encourage important developmental skills.

Climbing encourages movement against gravity and strengthens muscles by providing proprioceptive input.
Playgrounds with climbing walls, ropes and climbing nets offer very beneficial sensory input.
Indoor climbing gyms are a controlled environment with different climbing challenges to promote a child's body awareness.

Pushing and pulling heavy work activities such as pushing a cart or pulling wagon are very effective ways to engage the proprioceptive system. These require significant muscle engagement and offer a child the chance to build their strength while also having a lot of fun.

Involve your child in games that require them to push against objects or pull something heavy because it provides them with important proprioceptive sensory input.

Jumping activities are both proprioceptive and vestibular input. This makes them very beneficial for developing body awareness and a child's balance. Sensory heavy work activities such as bouncing on a trampoline or participating in different jumping games can help s child understand how their body moves through space.

These sensory activities not only help build a child's physical strength but enhance their coordination and motor skills. Jumping on a trampoline supports proprioception through repetitive bouncing and helps develop a child's core strength. Jumping on and off different surfaces can help a child explore different levels of pressure and resistance.

Lifting and carrying heavy work activities can help develop a child's strength and coordination. Carrying weighted backpacks can improve a child's muscle strength and body awareness.

Chewing can be very calming and provide sensory input. Chewy snacks or crunchy foods can help with oral motor skills. Chewing gum can provide sensory input and can help a child with focus.