I don’t know about you, but here at the WiggleKids office in Vancouver it is RAINY season! Not to worry … we’ve got you covered with one of our favourite sensory games to play when your kids are stuck at home indoors (and bouncing off the walls!)
It’s OBSTACLE COURSE TIME! Setting up indoor activities can be a challenge, but obstacle courses are a great option because they are adaptable to any space and various physical and sensory levels, based on your child’s needs. Your obstacle course can includes lots of fun activities that provide:
- Proprioceptive input (heavy muscle work)
- Vestibular input (movement)
- Tactile Play
Here are some ideas to help you get the wiggles out. Activities like jumping into a big pile of pillows, crab-walking down the hallway, or bouncing on the bed are great ‘heavy-work muscle’ activities. Try adding in some ground or wall push ups or a jumping jack station! These are great movements to practice coordination and inspire core strength and movement. If you have an exercise ball, you can use this to ‘steam-roll’ and give deep pressure to your child’s body.
Add some movement (vestibular input) to your obstacle stations with log rolls or frog jumps down the hallway. This will expel some energy and help your child to practice following instructions.
And to round it out, add a tactile play activity like making shaving cream mountains in the bathtub, finger painting with pudding or a bean-bin hide and seek. After your child has done a few repetitions of their obstacle course they might be ready to sit down and participate in a quieter activity such as coloring or a puzzle.
Stay dry and have fun this season!