Homeschooling provides a unique opportunity to tailor education to the individual needs of our children. For children with sensory processing challenges, incorporating sensory activities throughout the day can be a valuable addition to their daily routine. In this blog post, I will share several sensory activities for homeschoolers and how to easily integrate them at home.
It’s important to learn how to recognize sensory sensitivities. The basic aspects of understanding sensory needs start with the five senses—sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. These can manifest in a variety of ways, such as a preference for certain textures, aversions to specific smells, or seeking out certain sounds.
This post is sponsored by Forbrain by Sound for Life. My time was compensated however all opinions or my own.
The good news is that it doesn’t take a medical professional (although beneficial) to recognize sensory sensitivities. When my son started showing signs of sensory sensitivities like hand flapping and aversions to textures, etc, I was easily able to identify these sensitivities because I was already familiar with them and I began to incorporate sensory activities for him to do at home.
Let’s explore sensory activities for homeschoolers that meet specific sensory preferences.
Oral Motor
My son has a tendency to swish his spit around inside his mouth. One of the easiest things for me to give him is a piece of chewing gum. Some other options are:
- brushing teeth with an electrical toothbrush
- eating crunchy foods
- drinking from a straw cup
- blowing bubbles
- putting on chapstick
Vestibular
This one is easily done just by turning on some music to dance, going outside to play, or going to a playground to get his body moving. I’ve even put on YouTube workout videos for kids that work fantastic. Some other options are:
- jumping
- riding a bike or scooter
- running
- climbing stairs
Tactile (touch)
This one was one that I focused on immediately due to my son’s hand flapping. I started by using my hands to give him gentle squeezes on his hands. I also encouraged him to be creative with his hands and he loves to build Legos and cardboard vehicles.
Some other options are:
Proprioceptive
Proprioceptive activities have been one of the most beneficial for my son as I’ve seen him regulate much faster after doing heavy work like carrying heavy groceries or helping daddy carry in wood for the woodburning stove. Some other options are:
- jump on a trampoline
- push a shopping cart
- vacuum, mop, or sweep
- use a weighted blanket
- use a therapy ball
Auditory (sound)
Providing an auditory outlet was a simple addition. During school time, I play music in the background and use a sound machine for sleeping. Some other options are:
- listen to a podcast
- listen to an audiobook
- play an instrument
- wear noise-canceling headphones
Another way we have found beneficial is using ForBrain. Forbrain leverages the natural auditory feedback loop to improve skills such as speech fluency and comprehension, attention, and memory. It helps with focus and retaining information and is a safe, non-invasive device that’s easy to use at home.
ForBrain makes it easy to incorporate sensory activities for homeschoolers because it does not require extra effort to implement or complicated training and can be used while reading a lesson or a book out loud. I have incorporated ForBrain during Bible reading time.
So how does ForBrain work? Their unique bone conduction technology enhances your voice by delivering sound vibrations directly to your inner ear. This sensory stimulation provides instant auditory feedback, enabling you to hear yourself more clearly and accurately. With this heightened self-perception, you can fine-tune your pronunciation, identify speech patterns, and improve overall speech production.
It is recommended children aged 3 years and over practice with Forbrain for 15 minutes daily. Continue for 6–8 weeks followed by a one-month break to see optimal results. This cycle can be repeated as often as desired. Check out this demo to see Forbrain in action.
These activities have been beneficial for all my children and if we are honest, we all struggle with a form of sensory sensitivities. As the number one advocate for our children, we know how to best meet the needs of their sensory processing challenges. I have witnessed such wonderful benefits for my son to support his focus and engagement, eliminating meltdowns and more.
Share Your Sensory Activities For Homeschoolers
Thoughtfully integrated sensory activities for homeschoolers can easily be done in any home. I’d love to hear your ideas and experience in the comments below.
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