Improve Sensory Processing : The Importance of Proprioception

“These activities can provide a calming, grounding effect, helping them to better manage their nervous systems and feel more in control.  Think of it as a secret weapon for emotional regulation!”

Ever feel like your autistic child is constantly on the edge, teetering between calm and chaos?  You're not alone!  Many autistic kids struggle with regulation, and sometimes, the answer lies in something surprisingly simple:  proprioception.

Think of proprioception as your body's inner GPS. It's that amazing sense that tells you where your body is in space, how much pressure you're applying, and where your limbs are without even looking.  It's that sixth sense that keeps you from bumping into walls or spilling your coffee.

For autistic children, who often experience sensory sensitivities and difficulties with regulation, proprioceptive input—activities that stimulate this sense—can be a game-changer.  These activities can provide a calming, grounding effect, helping them to better manage their nervous systems and feel more in control.  Think of it as a secret weapon for emotional regulation!

Throughout this post, we'll explore fun and practical ways to incorporate proprioceptive input into your child's day, both at home and at school. We'll look at how to make this a regular part of life, not a chore. The key is invitation, not force.  We'll never push a child into a sensory activity.  We make it tempting, we make it fun, and we let them lead the way.  We’ll see how adults can join in the sensory fun!  It’s not just about helping your child; it can be a surprisingly calming experience for you, too!

Sometimes, kids will gravitate toward movements that may seem a bit unusual (or even alarming), like jumping, crashing into things, or spinning.  As long as they aren't hurting themselves, trust that they're likely seeking the exact type of proprioceptive input their bodies are craving. If there is self-harm, use that knowledge to create a safe alternative that still meets the same need.

Get ready to discover how simple proprioceptive activities can make a big difference in your child's day, and maybe even make parenting a little less like a rollercoaster and a little more like a pleasant stroll in the park. Let's dive in!

Activities that will provide proprioceptive input in different ways/ and at different times of day:

Mornings at home:

• Massage feet and back to help wake up

• Making a pillow sandwich – squishing your child as needed

• hugs

• Vibrating toothbrush or hairbrush

• Jumping from bed into bean bags or pillows/trampoline etc

Afternoon/daytime:

• Wheelbarrow walk races

• Various walks such as crab, bear, frog jumps

• Wrestling and roughhousing

• Play catch with a big pillow or ball

• Playdough or theraputty play

• Cooking – stirring heavy dough, chopping

• Tidying – carrying objects (the heavier the better) around the house

• Blowing games: bubbles, pinwheel, cotton balls across a table

Evening:

• Providing crunchy and chewy foods

• Carrying items on a tray to the table

• Rip paper or pieces of cardboard

• Yoga (cosmic kids yoga on youtube is quite good)

• Thick liquids through a straw

• Massage before bed/hugs/pillow sandwiches

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At schools where there are no formal sensory spaces, heavy work can be incorporated into a child’s day, with and without them knowing. Sometimes children don’t want to take breaks for the fear of seeming to be ‘different’. In those cases we can ‘hide’ heavy work breaks in creative ways. We may ask a child to wipe the white board clean, or push a cart of books to deliver to the library/office, ask a child to stack chairs, or push tables to the wall. Heavy work breaks can also be part of a whole class schedule. The class can work together and work together to try to push the will of the class over, they can do chair sit ups right in their seats. Classroom tools that provide deep pressure/weight such as heavy putty as a fidget, a weighted lap pad during seated or circle time, giving playdough to ply with while waiting, tactile balls that require squeezing, can help a child feel more focused and calm during those times of day where they find it harder to pay attention. 

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Action Points:

‍Choose one or two activities as above to include in the day. Experiment with what works for your child and keep the rest in your back pocket for when the sensory needs/preferences change

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Connection:

Share 5 minutes of special time with your child – touching them – hugging, stroking, sitting on your lap – singing, saying rhymes or reminiscing about a special memory you have of them. 

‍Conversation starters: What or who brought you the greatest happiness today?

‍Self-Compassion:

‍Take time alone. 

‍Notice an unpleasant emotion. Allow it to be for a few moments. Then watch it go.