10 Art Projects for Kids with Sensory Issues

Kids with sensory issues are sometimes resistant to art projects because they do not enjoy being messy or they do not enjoy touching the mediums that are squishy, ​​wet, or are made up of smaller parts, such as sand or rice. If you want to engage your child in art projects, it's best to start with non-messy experiences for your child and build up to bigger projects. Go slowly and encourage your child to try new things, even if it's just for a very short time. Here are some projects and activities to get you started.

1. Plastic baggy painting - This is a great project to start with for kids with sensory issues as it does not require the child to actually touch the paint and get messy, but it still gives them the opportunity to move and squish the paint around in the bag. This gives a more mild sensory experience. Simply squirt a small amount of paint into a zip top plastic bag (the freezer type are stronger), use multiple colors for mixing, close the top and tape to the table or the window and have your child "paint" inside the baggy. Observe what happens to the paint and discuss the mixing of colors and what colors make up other colors.
2. Water play -! Set out a large tub, fill up some smaller containers with water and a few drops of food coloring, pick out some utensils to play with and go to town Your child can experiment by mixing the containers of colored water and transferring liquids from container to container. Water is generally a non-threatening item to most children and can create a calming experience for a child. Be prepared with plenty of towels and a dry change of clothes!
3. Model Magic Clay -.. Model Magic Clay can be found at any craft store or big box store It will provide a non-messy clay experience for children It is light-weight and easy to manipulate for children of all ages and it dries in about 24 hours for those little ones that can not wait to play with their creations. Once dry you can paint your creation if you'd like!
4. Sensory tubs - As your child becomes more and more adapted to touching the world around them, a sensory tub can be a great place to really dig in, so to speak Fill a medium tub with rice, dry pasta, sand or whatever else you. can find. Food grains are generally a good option, and you can save them for another time. You will want to label them for crafts. Bury small objects for your child to find. It may take them a bit to be willing to dig for the items, but the surprise of what they'll find usually wins out! Give your child tools to use in the tub to move around the objects and the grains. It's best to start with one tactile substance in the tub at a time. As your child is more willing to touch different things, you can start mixing what you put in the tub.
   
5. Color Wonder -. Color Wonder provides art experiences for children without the mess The markers or finger paints will only show up on the special Color Wonder paper, which means that they are clear and will not show up on your child's skin as they are creating their masterpiece.
6. Painting with tools - Finger painting may be a long stretch for children with sensory issues, but creating an experience where your child will not have to touch the paint is a step between no painting and finger painting Have your child paint with unusual objects,. such as a fly swatter, spoons, rolling a car or marbles in a tray of paper with paint squirted on top or using string Let your imagination go wild;. just make sure whatever you paint with is washable.
7. Shaving cream play - Playing and painting with shaving cream is a messy project that your child may be resistant to, but knowing that clean-up will be easy may help them start this project Once your child has started playing in the shaving cream, you. They might want to see if they'd like to create marble paper with the foam. If your child is sensitive to smells, use unscented shaving cream so the smell is not overwhelming to them.
8. Puffy paint in squeeze bottles - You can make this puffy paint at home and put it in squeeze bottles Have your child squirt out designs and write with the paint Allow the paint to dry and then you can have your child trace the paint with their.. fingers, creating an entirely different experience for your child.
9. ! Styrofoam sculptures - Save Styrofoam from packaging and use it to create art projects Have your child create sculptures with the Styrofoam; you can use toothpicks, skewers or craft glue to keep items together while building.
10. Gak - Once your child has gotten used to handling objects and substances that are
    
    messy, squishy or even kind of gross, it's time to make gak Gak is a science experiment with a very fun result Making the gak is incredibly overwhelming for a lot!. of children, but that portion of the experiment only lasts for a short while and soon you have transformed some ordinary ingredients into a wonderful play substance that will provide hours and hours of entertainment!

Keep encouraging your child to try new things. You can start with just having them touch it, then put it away for another day if it's too much for them. It will take time to introduce your child to different substances and textures, and may take repeated exposure to get them to enjoy the experience. Praise them for their efforts and make the experience fun for them!

Erin McNeill

www.4nannies.com

99 Sensory Activities For Any Child

Casey Halper, an Occupational Therapist who works at our school, recently gave a seminar to parents to teach us about sensory balance and activities for a sensory savvy schedule throughout the day. Many kids are now diagnosed with sensory integration issues, but the more I learn about this, the more I find that sensory issues are something that we all face and can all benefit from exploring. For instance, I now realize that my engine tends to run too low and I need to work harder at energizing myself throughout the day. I have actually become more sensitive to when I am running low and have incorporated some of the activities below to help keep my energy up. I find this whole thing really interesting because I never really thought about actually trying to manipulate my energy level this way, and certainly for kids it can be invaluable as sometimes any kid can be too hyped up or having trouble getting going. I thought it would be cool to put together a list of sensory activities. While these activities all revolve around sensory stimulation, I think they are just great all-around activities for any kid, and a great list to pull up when you are stuck at home and need ideas for how to pass that last hour in the day or when you need a calming or invigorating activity when your child is stuck in a bad mood. These sensory activities are perfect for any kid from toddlers on up and some are even good for babies.

If you are interested in other sensory topics check out our posts on sensory savvy snacks and OT recommended toys or visit our Special Needs Guide to see all of our special needs posts.

Sensory activities fall into different categories. Perhaps the most useful one for self-regulation is Proprioceptive Input. That's a fancy word for "heavy work" that engages your joints. These activities make you feel grounded and can be calming for a high-running child or invigorating for a low-running kid This first batch of activities create Proprioceptive Input.:

1. Jump (on a mini-trampoline, from a chair to a sofa, on the bed, etc.)
2. Wheelbarrow walking or races
3. Donkey Kicks
4. ABC Pushups (Push-up plank position, touch chest with hand and say a letter of the alphabet, all the way up to the letter Z. Each letter said, the student changes the hand that touches the chest)
5. Bear walk
6. Crab walk
7. Play leap frog
8. Tummy time push ups (for babies)
9. Toddlers can push their own stroller, the laundry or grocery cart
10. Have your toddler or child carry a backpack full of their own toys and books
11. Hammer ice cubes in a plastic bag (then use them for lemonade!)
12. Pillow Fight
13. Stuffed animal catch
14. Hanging from a chin-up bar
15. Bouncing on hopping ball
16. Tug-of-war
17. Hopscotch
18. Wrestling
19. Tickle fight
20. Drumming
21. Banging on pots and pans
22. Have a parade and march
23. Wiping the counters
24. Sweeping
25. Swiffering
26. Dustbusting
27. Unloading the washing machine and the dryer
28. Taking out the trash
29. Water balloon catch
30. Beanbag catch
31. Push-o-war (put palms against each other and push as hard as you can)
32. Animal footsteps (Child lays down and chooses and animal and using your fingers or hands try to make it feel like that animal walking over back and limbs. Vestibular Input (swinging and spinning) is intense and long-lasting sensory input. It should be provided in doses and parents should watch and be sensitive to how their children react and help them learn to manage this type of input to keep them even.
33. Swinging: Try different types of swinging to see how it feels (tire, rope, belly, etc)
34. Spinning
35. Run in circles
36. Hang upside down
37. Swing your child around from their arms or legs
38. drag them on a sheet or blanket
39. Rock in a rocking chair Tactile Input. Many kids are overly sensitive to tactile input. Tags, pant buttons, getting wet, or even the feeling of foods in the mouth can drive some kids batty. Doing these activities can help children get used to tactile stimulation gradually and can be fun for all kids.
40. Make a kid sandwich by pressing down on him between two pillows or couch cushions
41. Make a kid burrito by rolling her tightly in a blanket
42. Roll out the cookie dough by rolling a big ball firmly over the back and limbs
43. Make your own sandbox with a bowl full of dry beans or styrofoam peanuts.
44. Pour salt on a cookie sheet and paint with your fingers.
45. Spread beans out in a baking tray or pan and make a construction site for trucks.Bury small toys in rice and have them do an archeological dig
46. Go on a texture walk
47. Have a texture scavenger hunt at homeIn the bath: Some sensory defensive kids hate getting wet, but these activities make bathing more fun for all kids:
48. Add food coloring to the water
49. Ladles, cups, strainers, squirters, funnels
50. Play with shaving cream
51. Soap crayons or bath paints
52. Rub with different textures while in the bath, a smooth or nubby washcloth, a loofah, a nail brush.
53. Put shaving cream on a placemat to squish around
54. Mix cookie dough or cake batter with hands
55. Make play dough
56. Make a touch book of different textures from your home
57. Put single items in paper bags and let kids try to guess what they are
58. play with face paints
59. Repot the plants
60. Use a vibrating toothbrush
61. Sip seltzer
62. Lick lemons Some kids need extra oral-motor activities, but they tend to be calming for everyone.
63. Crunch ice
64. Use chewelry
65. Make smoothies and suck through a straw
66. practice chewing gum and blowing bubbles
67. Use crazy straws Breathing is especially important for kids with low muscle tone, but we can all use to exercise our lungs and benefit from the therapeutic effects of breathing deeply.
68. blow whistles
69. Make and blow pinwheels
70. blow feathers off your hand
71. play soccer by blowing a cottonball across the table scoring if you can blow it off the other person's end.
72. Have a cottonball race.
73. Make bubble mountains in a bowl with a straw and soapy water
74. Blow gently on each other's faces (see who can blow the longest) Visual, Olfactory (Smell), and Auditory Stimulating Activities:
75. Sit quietly and listen to nature. (You can also use nature sounds recordings)
76. Play a listening game. Sit very quietly and try to guess the sounds you hear.
77. Let them play with the stereo dial to experiment with loud and soft sounds.
78. Play by candlelight
79. Turn off the lights and play flashlight tag
80. Shadow puppets
81. Build a fort or tent
82. Hide under a blanket and read by flashlight
83. play catch with a balloon
84. Do mazes or dot to dots
85. Trace your body or hands
86. Wear sunglasses Smells
87. Explore how your child reacts to different smells. If you find some are soothing or alerting, get lotions, soaps, or candles to help regulate mood.
88. Using a blindfold have them guess different smells. (Peanut butter, maple syrup, apples, etc)
89. Try giving a child a strong flavored candy or gum before trying a new food at dinner.
90. Eat sensory savvy snacks
91. Tickle Fingers (trace fingers lightly over the skin)
92. Put on lotion
93. Pet the cat
94. Butterfly kisses (eyelash kisses)
95. Give each other massages
96. Make extreme faces
97. Practice blowing out birthday candles on playdough cakes
98. Put dollops of different colored paints in a baggie and squish around to mix the paints.
99. Create a sensory savvy spot (beanbag chair or pile of pillows with soft lighting, soothing items such as books and stuffed animals, music with headphones and a snack)

Most of these activities are taken from Raising a Sensory Smart Child:. The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Penske This is the best book I have found on practical advice for parents on sensory issues and I think a really valuable book for ANY parent.

Most kids that I know tend to have at least one situation that makes them, well, pretty much freak. In addition to tons of advice on dealing with sensory issues, Raising a Sensory Smart Child has great tips and advice for how to be sensitive and help children negotiate whatever their particular tough spot is, whether it's bath time, brushing hair, getting dressed, loud noises, as well as sleeping better. This is a book worth having on every bookshelf.

MOMMY POPPINS

Improve your brain study methods.

Do you analyze subjects analytically? Do you prefer a step-by-step learning process with many details? If so, you might be a left-brained learner.

HERE ARE A FEW CHARACTERISTICS OF LEFT BRAIN LEARNERS FROM MATH POWER:

-Verbal

-Responds To word meaning

-Sequential

-Processes Information linearly

-Responds To logic

-Plans Ahead

-Recalls People's names

-Speaks With few gestures

-Punctual

-Prefers Formal study design

-Prefers Bright lights while studying

THE POWER OF YOUR BRAIN

Are you a left brained or right brained learner? Try the quiz here to find out! Learning about whether you are a right brained or left brained learner may help you improve your brain study methods.

Are you a right brained learner? Go to this Funderstanding article to read more about the right brain.

LEFT BRAIN DOMINANCE

Being left brain dominant does influence your learning style and even, how you write with a pen.

"In 95 percent of right-handers, the left side of the brain is dominant for language. Even in 60-70 percent of left-handers, the left side of brain is used for language," the Web site, Neuroscience for Kids said .

Left brain thinkers will also excel in math, language studies and logic problems.

Classroom Learning

If solving problems seems to be difficult because it is challenging to arrange them in a logical order, you might need to take a look at your dominant side.

".. The left side of the brain processes information in a linear manner It process from part to whole It takes pieces, lines them up, and arranges them in a logical order; then it draws conclusions," Dr. Carolyn Hopper's Practicing College Study Skills: Strategies for Success 3rd edition said.

Left brained thinkers also like to make lists and have the fine details organized.

"In addition to thinking in a linear manner, the left brain processes in sequence - in order The left-brained person is a list maker If you are left-brained, you would enjoy making a master schedule and doing daily planning You... complete tasks in order and take pleasure in checking them off when they are accomplished, "Dr. Hopper's guidelines said.

"For example, spelling involves sequencing;.. If you are left-brained, you are probably a good speller The left brain is also at work in the linear and sequential processing of math and in following directions"

PROCESSING REALITY

People who are left brain dominant will be able to adapt to their situation, whereas right brain dominant learners will try to change the situation.

Future Occupations for Left Brained Learners

There are many occupations that will suit left-dominant people. Most are in fields that have the employee analyzing or computing numbers.

-Engineering

-Computer Programming

-Accounting

-Human Resources

-Administrative And clerical positions

-Banking / Finance

From: Are you a Right Brain- or Left-Brain Thinker?

TEACHING TO THE LEFT BRAIN

There are many ways for parents and educators to tailor lessons to the left brain learner Here are a few ideas:

Use sequence: By writing an outline of the lesson on the chalkboard and using a step-by-step process, you will allow your student to better grasp what they are about to do.

Ask students to take notes: The left brain student will usually like to take notes and arrange them in order.

Foster independence: Not all projects have to be group work Facilitate a healthy balance of individual and team projects and allow left-brain thinkers to work on their own every once in awhile..

Keep the classroom orderly and clear: Students will appreciate working in a quiet and well contained classroom.

NOT ONLY LEFT BRAINED OR RIGHT BRAINED

While left-brain learners have different characteristics and learning styles than right-brain learners, it is important to keep in mind that there is a gray area for most learners. A person does not have to be strictly left-brain or right-brain and could have traits of both. If you feel like some of your students may need characteristics from both sides, you can incorporate right and left-brain activities into your classroom equally.

- Kelly McLendon

Left Brain Vs. Right Brain Teaching Techniques

The human brain is separated into two distinct hemispheres connected by a corpus callosum, or a bundle of nerve fibers that facilitates communication between the two hemispheres. It is known that popular psychology sometimes makes broad generalizations about certain functions of the brain being lateral, that is , located in either the right or left side of the brain The lateralization theory -. developed by Nobel-prize-winners Roger Sperry and Robert Ornstein - helps us to understand our behavior, our personality, our creativity, and our ability to use the proper mode of thinking when performing particular tasks. Understanding how we learn and process information is valuable for educators in numerous ways.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEFT AND RIGHT BRAIN

The left hemisphere is often described as analytical because it specializes in recognizing the parts that make up a whole Left-hemisphere processing is also linear and sequential;. It moves from one point to the next in a step-by-step manner It is. most efficient for processing verbal information, such as encoding and decoding speech.

According to Linda Verlee Williams, a lifetime teacher of all levels who also served as instructor at University Extension, University of California and as an associate of The Learning Circle in Berkeley, while the left hemisphere is busy separating out the parts that constitute a whole, the right specializes in combining those parts to create a whole; it is engaged in synthesis "It seeks and constructs patterns and recognizes relationships between separate parts," she said "The right hemisphere does not move linearly but processes simultaneously, in parallel... It is most efficient at visual and spatial processing Its language capacity is extremely limited;. words play little or no part in its functioning It could also be said that the right hemisphere sees the picture while the left hemisphere sees the components of the picture.. "

Though students use every part of their brain in the learning process, and none are strictly "right brain only" or "left brain only," most are either left brain dominant or right brain dominant - meaning not every teaching style completely fits their learning style .

RIGHT BRAIN LEFT BRAIN TEST

A simple hemispheric dominance test created for late high school and college-aged students by Middle Tennessee State University allows students to see a summary that describes their dominance type along with a guide on how to use the information to improve the student's study techniques. Another, similar test is offered by Intelegen, Inc. Though these tests, which are offered throughout various sites, are not completely scientific in nature, they do help determine which hemisphere you may lean towards when it comes to learning and thinking. With these tests, it is also helpful for teachers to see the results, as they will learn if the student is very dominant towards one hemisphere or the other or if he or she is more middle of the road.

TEACHERS ALSO BENEFIT

But it is not only important for students to understand what learning styles work best for them, it is also important for teachers to understand their own neurological strengths and weaknesses so they too can successfully reach every student.

TEACHING TECHNIQUES FOR RIGHT AND LEFT BRAIN LEARNING

Dr. Diane Connell, director of the Master's program in learning disabilities at Rivier College in New Hampshire, has been studying the art and science of learning for most of her lifetime. During this time she has developed left-brain and right-brain teaching techniques . that may prove successful when implemented in the elementary school classroom Dr. Connell suggests the following:

LEFT BRAIN TEACHING TECHNIQUES

Let's say, for example, that you are introducing a unit on the solar system Here are some left-brain teaching techniques that will help strong to moderate left-brain students feel engaged during your lesson:

Write an outline of the lesson on the board. Students with left-brain strengths appreciate sequence.

Go ahead and lecture! These students love to listen to an expert and take notes.

Discuss vocabulary words and create a crossword puzzle on the Solar System.

Discuss the big concepts involved in the creation of the universe, how the solar system was formed, and so on. Left-brain students love to think about and discuss abstract concepts.

Assign individual assignments so students may work alone.

Ask the students to write a research paper on the solar system that includes both detail and conceptual analysis.

Keep the room relatively quiet and orderly. Many students with left-brain strengths prefer not to hear other conversations when working on a stimulating project.

RIGHT BRAIN TEACHING TECHNIQUES

Taking the solar system example, here are some right-brain teaching techniques that will help students with moderate to strong right-brain strengths get the most out of your lesson:

During the lecture, either write the main points on the board or pass out a study guide outline that students can fill in as you present orally. These visual clues will help students focus even though you are lecturing.

Use the overhead, the white board, or the chalkboard frequently. Since the students are apt to miss the points discussed verbally, the visual pointers will help the students "see" and comprehend the points.

Have some time for group activities during the week of the solar system study. Right-brain students enjoy the company of others.

Let the students create a project (such as a poster, a mobile, a diorama, or paper mache planets of the solar system) in lieu of writing a paper. Right-brained students often have excellent eye-hand coordination.

Play music, such as the theme from 2001:. A Space Odyssey Discuss how space might feel to an astronaut Students with right-brain strengths are intuitive and like to get in touch with their feelings during the day..

Bring in charts and maps of the universe and let the students find the Milky Way. Maps and graphs make use of the students' strong right-brain visual-spatial skills.

Maybe in a perfect world, right-brained teachers would be paired with right-brained students and so forth, but in today's academia, that may seem like mere wishful thinking. It is true, however, that the educational system needs attention in more ways than one. Those students who are more right-brain dominant are not receiving adequate teaching in the classroom. However, if teachers strive to reach every student, the playing field can become more leveled.

The idea of ​​left-brain vs. right-brain continues to be a controversial subject in the scientific and academic world. As stated in the beginning of this article, no one person is completely left-brained or right-brained, but many tend to have a dominant side, and as both teachers and students uncover the complexities of brain function, learning may become easier.

- Emily Holbrook

Learning on Our Minds: Brain Based Classroom applications

Brain-based learning theory is guided by the assumption that "research in neuroscience should guide learning and assessment." (Gulpinar, 2005) Much of brain-based learning (or BBL) theory stresses the importance of environment and learning climate and engaging students by reducing stress and getting them to a state of "relaxed alertness." Here is where you can find our overview of brain-based learning theory.

According to Dr. Leslie Wilson who taught graduate courses on BBL for many years at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, not all teachers are graduating with a knowledge of BBL theory or how to implement it. Wilson says that the US K-12 educational system has remained relatively unchanged since the 1890s, with little of the newest research on BBL being implemented across a wide swath. Here are Dr. Wilson's tips for optimizing learning.

So, how does a teacher, with no BBL training implement some of the practices in his or her classroom? Dave Lockett, the principal of the Jefferson School for the Arts, a charter school that integrates the arts into the learning of all subjects (check out this YouTube video about the school), says that many of the classroom practices developed since the school became a charter school six years ago are based on brain-based learning theory.

CREATING A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Lockett says that the incorporation of music into classroom activities is one way to activate the brain. Research has shown that humans physiologically react to music with heartbeats matching the tempo of music. (That's probably why it's easier to workout to Lady Gaga than Kenny G! ) For a revved up classroom with a lot of participation, look for music at about 180 beats per minute. For a more calming effect, choose music with 90-100 beats per minute.

Other atmosphere considerations can include temperature, lights (for example, blinking lights hanging around a classroom can be distracting) and students' hydration. Wilson says, "Water is the best neural conductor and that in order to have those neurons firing properly students need to . be well hydrated Water fountains are now placed in many elementary class rooms Older students are allowed to bring water to class Denying kids access to fountains and water used to be the rule, and machines dispensed sugary drinks -..! no more "

LEARNING BY TEACHING

Another way to incorporate BBL into the classroom is to have students engage with and teach each other new concepts rather than sitting in their desks listening to a teacher drone on and on. Lockett says that in Jefferson's classrooms, students are often asked to discuss a question / concept with a partner before the teacher asks who knows the answer. He says after a bit of discussion, the number of students willing to participate and answer questions increases from 30 percent to about 80 percent. Students also do better on tests when they have learned by quizzing each other on the subject matter.

TAKING A BRAIN BREAK

One final tip for incorporating BBL into the classroom is the importance of "settling time." Brains need breaks in order to incorporate information learned and connect the neural networks. Much of this is done during REM sleep, however with the disturbing trend of schools reducing or eliminating music, art, PE, and recess, children are getting far less settling time than they did in the past. The decrease in these activities is often due to regulations that force instructors to teach English, math, science, social studies, etc ., for so many minutes per day that they simply do not have time for the other subjects anymore. Many of these changes came on the heels of the No Child Left Behind Act, but Lockett predicts that educating without settling time will cause test scores to drop.

A key principle to remember is that students should always be engaged in their education. No one ever learned anything sitting at a desk, staring into space. Variety and student involvement are necessary for maximum learning.

- Emily Vietti