Proprioception Activities to Try at Home (aka Heavy Work)

Providing your child with regular proprioceptive activities can help them improve body awareness, build strength, and find calm. Here are some simple activities you can try:

Heavy Work Activities:

• Carrying groceries or laundry baskets: Encourage your child to carry bags or items from one room to another.
• Pushing or pulling objects: Have them help push a cart, pull a wagon, or slide a heavy box on the floor.
• Building with large blocks or creating obstacle courses: Heavy lifting in a playful way supports body control. (Check out The Obstacle Course Book written by Ellery Lockwood for some awesome obstacle course ideas!)

Movement-Based Activities:

• Jumping jacks or animal walks: Bear walks, crab walks, or frog jumps are fun and strengthen awareness and coordination.
• Wall push-ups or chair push-ups: Using their own body weight provides grounding input.
• Climbing activities: Encourage safe climbing on playgrounds or at home on sturdy surfaces.

Playful Resistance Activities:

• Tug-of-war with a soft rope or towel: This can be a fun and simple way to introduce proprioceptive input.
• Squishing clay or playdough: Let them knead, squish, and press the material.
• Weighted items: Using weighted vests, lap pads, or stuffed animals during play (with guidance) can help provide calming feedback.

Everyday Household Tasks:

• Sweeping, mopping, or vacuuming: These activities involve pushing and pulling that help with motor control.
• Gardening: Digging and pushing soil are great for strengthening body awareness.
• Cooking tasks like stirring batter or kneading dough: These give hands and arms a satisfying input that strengthens coordination.