Help Kids Cope with BIG Feelings Using Their Senses

Calm and Connected Podcast Ep 83.jpg

CALM AND CONNECTED - EPISODE 83

We all know the 5 senses of the human body, being sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing but have you heard of proprioception or vestibular? 

Proprioception at its basic level is the information you receive from your muscles and your joints. It helps your body to understand when you are stretching, compressing or contracting a muscle. You may see difficulties with this in your child particularly in their handwriting, do they press so hard on the pencil that it breaks? Or perhaps they aren’t putting enough pressure on the pen that you can’t even see their handwriting? Proprioception works very closely with the vestibular system which is more about your brain intaking information for your balance and spatial awareness. 

In this episode I run you through 7 sensory based strategies to help your child relax and manage their feelings which includes;

  1. Touch

  2. Smell

  3. Auditory

  4. Visually

  5. Taste 

  6. Movement 

  7. Balance

If you have a child with a sensory processing disorder, please make sure you check in with your occupational therapist (if you have one) especially if in a school environment, they will know what is calming or overstimulating for your child. If you don’t have access to an occupational therapist, please make sure to check in with a child before and after an exercise / strategy. Use your senses and brilliance to see how they’re reacting to analyze if the exercises are beneficial or not. 

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Resources Mentioned in the Podcast

Raising a Sensory Smart Child by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske - https://www.sensorysmarts.com

The Inspired Treehouse - playful sensory based ideas - https://theinspiredtreehouse.com/

Sensory Resources from Coping Skills for Kids

https://store.copingskillsforkids.com

Sensory Coping Cue Cards

Sensational Sensory Activity Book - Digital & Print

Sensory Coloring Sheets

© Encourage Play, LLC / Coping Skills for Kids 2021