With the cold weather upon us, a lot of families will be spending time inside more frequently. We know that this can pose a challenge for parents when it comes to entertaining your child. Do not worry! With a little bit of prep and planning, there are a wide variety of sensory-friendly indoor activities that you can facilitate to help keep your child engaged and active indoors.
#1 Build A Sensory Bottle
A spin off the well-known and loved sensory bin, sensory bottles can help children to calm by focusing on the movement of the objects inside the bottle. All you will need is a water bottle stripped of the lining, small items such as rocks, beans, marbles, and beads, water, glycerin drops, and super glue. Fill the bottle with the small items of your choosing, add the water and glycerin drops, and then seal the lid shut with super glue. It is as easy as that to have a sensory toy that can entertain your child for hours.
#2 Play Dough or Slime
These two activities are great for strengthening your child’s fine motor skills! These quiet activities are also great for children with an aversion to loud noises. Encourage your child to touch and describe the textures they feel. Show them how to roll the Play Dough into a ball or incorporate adding small objects to their slime for a larger variety of textures. You can even make your own slime at home if you don’t have any on hand! You can do this by putting one egg white in a bowl, stir it, mix it with a bit of dish soap, and then refrigerate for 10 hours.
#3 The Floor is Lava
This is a great game for children of all ages. The goal of the game is to not touch the ground at any point. Use a variety of soft items from your home (pillows, couch cushions, etc.) to create an obstacle course. You can even use rugs, table placemats, or sensory textile squares. Encourage your child to navigate from one item to the next without touching the ground, as the ground is “hot lava”. This game is great for achieving gross motor goals and working on sensory processing!
#4 Start a Band!
Making music can be such a fun activity to do with the whole family. Use any kid-friendly instrument that you have at home, or you can even make your own! Cut up pool noodles to make awesome drumsticks, use tin soup cans to make drums, or make your own homemade maracas using a water bottle and dried rice or beans! The possibilities are endless for encouraging creativity!
#5 Finger and Food Painting
This activity provides a great opportunity to introduce your child to new textures and smells. Pour a few colors of non-toxic paint on a plate and let them make their own masterpiece! If you want to go the food route, you can use foods consistent with the texture of pudding, yogurt, or applesauce to appeal to their sense of smell!
Make the indoors fun for your child by trying out some of these DIY activities! There is nothing you can’t accomplish with a bit of imagination!
References:
https://drnozebest.com/blogs/the-doctor-is-in/7-sensory-activities-to-do-with-kids-at-home
https://www.understood.org/articles/sensory-friendly-indoor-games-and-activities
https://www.edutopia.org/article/diy-ways-meet-childs-sensory-needs-home/
This educational content is provided by Macaroni KID Fayetteville sponsor Kids Unlimited Learning Academy. In Northwest Arkansas, they have Farmington, Springdale and Fayetteville locations. Kids Unlimited Learning Academy highly trained staff offers services in early childhood development as well as medical care. We provide occupational, physical and speech-language therapy services that are designed to meet the unique goals of each child. Our treatment rooms and innovative therapy equipment are designed to mirror playful activities to the child, the the therapists are actually drawing upon extensive training to provide therapeutic activities aimed and developing greater capabilities and skill levels. Additionally, an infant-toddler, preschool and pre-K curriculum is provided. The on-site services are designed to encourage and support the growth and well-being of each child. Our goal is to build partnerships with parents and caregivers to create meaningful independence in the lives of children.
