Once you understand a child's sensory profile (use this guide to get a free PDF checklist), you can start to create a sensory diet. These are a carefully selected set of sensory activities that meet an individual's needs, i.e. their seeking and avoiding behaviours. Sensory diets allow children to engage in things that they like whilst also helping them gradually approach their sensory challenges whilst also giving you tips on things to avoid. Here are some activities for both seeking and avoiding profiles for each sense.
Auditory
Sound is probably one of most common sensitivities, especially in children with autism.
Auditory Seeking
Offer toys that produce lots of sounds - shakers, drums, echo microphones, musical toys
Use songs to teach concepts - ABC's, numbers, colours etc
Play music in the background whilst working
Read books aloud
Auditory Avoiding
Visual
Sound is probably one of most common sensitivities, especially in children with autism.
Visual Seeking
Offer lots of opportunities for visual stimulation
Use toys or items with lots of changing colours, e.g. LED lights
Introduce optical illusions
Use visually stimulating toys like kaleidoscopes, fidget spinners, sensory toys and view finders
Play I-Spy games
Do lots of arts and crafts, e.g. painting, connect the dots, colouring, glitter painting
Visual Avoiding
Touch/Tactile
Touch is a difficult sense to understand; that’s because six different types of sensory receptors sense different types of touch. So, you may have mixed responses because your child may be a seeker of some forms of tactile input and an avoider of others. Try different sensory strategies to find what works best.
Tactile Seeking
Engage in play that features whole body tactile input - ball pits, swimming, playing in sensory rooms
Teach new concepts using touch - for example using physical blocks to teach new shapes
Tactile Avoiding
Smell and Taste
Smell and taste are grouped because they’re so closely related to each other. They’re both known as “chemical senses” because the sensory receptors receive messages from the molecular particles when they come in contact with them.
Smell/Taste Seeking
Use essential oils or diffusers in the home.
Paint with spices or herbs
Encourage them to get involved with cooking or baking a lot, both in school and at home
Offer foods with an intense flavour, for example sour foods or spicy foods.
Crunchy foods are great - raw carrots/celery/cucumber, crackers, pretzels
Smell/Taste Avoiding
Proprioception
Smell and taste are grouped because they’re so closely related to each other. They’re both known as “chemical senses” because the sensory receptors receive messages from the molecular particles when they come in c
Proprioception Seeking
Heavy work games and activities like tug-o-war, pushing and pulling heavy items, gardening
Stretching activities like yoga, pilates, Simon Says
High movement activities like trampolining, gymnastics, swimming etc. Seekers need lots of time to be active including moderate to intense physical activity.
Deep pressure like using weighted blankets, massage and large hugs
Proprioception Avoiding
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