Key Benefits of Sensory Rich Activities

We can all agree that life is full of challenges. So how can we build resiliency in our kiddos to help them thrive everyday? In our clinic we use sensory rich activities to help our clients overcome challenges that arise when building new skills. These same activities can just as easily be incorporated into your daily routines to support your family.

What Are Sensory Rich Activities?

A sensory rich activity is any activity that involves multiple sensory systems. Ideally we want to shoot for 3 sensory systems, but more than two will do. Our system includes eight senses. There are our five basic senses – sight, touch, sound, smell, & taste – with the addition of three other senses that have emerged the past few years in the medical field – movement (vestibular input), muscle awareness (proprioceptive input), & interoception (communication between our internal organs).

The three ‘powerhouse’ senses we suggest prioritizing are touch, muscle work (proprioception), and movement (vestibular).

Now that we know what makes an activity sensory rich, let’s talk about what makes them so powerful (& why the heck you should prioritize incorporating them into your routines).

3 Key Benefits of Sensory Rich Activities

Build nerve connections in the brain

Nerve connections are needed for higher level learning, completing complex tasks like homework & learning, problem solving, language development, & more.  

Promote emotional regulation

When we move & use our muscles, our body releases serotonin & dopamine. These hormones are key hormones that our limbic system uses to regulate our emotions.

Maximize attention when doing hard work

When we use our eye muscles we are engaging the same part of the brain that is used for attention & focus. In turn, that builds more nerve connections that are available to use during tasks that require attention & are more challenging.

Examples of Sensory Rich Activities

Now that we’ve talked all about sensory rich activities, let’s brainstorm some activities together. Remember, an activity is considered sensory rich when multiple sensory systems are used at once.

or example, when we play with scented play dough we are using our muscles, our sense of smell, and our eyes all at the same time. When we dance, we are moving our body, using our muscles, and listening to the music. When we take a straw and blow down a pyramid of stacked cups, we are using our eyes, using our lip muscles to blow, and we are hearing the cups fall.

You could also add sensory input to activities your child already enjoys. For example, if your child enjoys playing video games, have them sit on a bouncy ball or lay under a weighted blanket to give their muscles more input. Obviously an off-screen sensory rich activity is preferred, but sometimes it’s about baby steps & meeting your child where they are.

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You officially know my secret to keeping everyone happy & able to be their best selves. Incorporating sensory rich activities will not magically solve of all your problems – I wish it was that easy! But incorporating these activities as frequently as you can could make a big difference.

We’ve created a workbook filled with 4 weeks of sensory rich activities to help you take the next step & start incorporating sensory rich activities into your daily life.

In the workbook you will find a list of activities for you to experiment with over the next four weeks, supplies list included! All of these activities are really easy to implement & adjust based on your child’s interests and your available resources. I use a bunch of these same strategies in my practice on a daily basis, so I know you’re kids are going to love them. Grab your workbook here!