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Adaptive Indoor Physical Activity Ideas for Young Children

Just because it is winter outside, that doesn’t mean that the play has to stop. You child needs to move, and will probably be seeking out that movement in appropriate or inappropriate ways. Here are some suggestions on creating sensory opportunities for kids indoors.

Ball Pits, Snuggling and Climbing Places

  • Little tykes playsets can come indoors.
  • Put a ball pit with a tunnel in your living room or child’s room.
  • Pile up some pillows on the floor and let the kids run and jump on them.
  • Take 2 old blankets and stitch 3 edges together. Toss in old and/or cheap pillows. After stuffing the blanket "sandwich" sew the remaining edge together like a huge beanbag. Kids can flop down on it and use it for all sorts of play activities. Caution that no one gets trapped underneath so they don't smother.
  • Pull off the living room couch and chair cushions, and lean them against the big armchair (the cushions are stacked side by side like dominoes). Put fluffy bed pillows on top of them, and crawl up the "mountain" of pillows to the top (the armchair). Terrific proprioceptive input! At the top (and it's a struggle to make it), we "jump" him on the armchair cushion until he gently "falls off" the mountain, and then we roll him down the pile of pillows!
  • The "jelly-roll". Take an old blanket, and roll the child up like a jelly-roll.Then gently pull on the end of the roll, until the child starts to "unroll".

Indoor Sandboxes

  • Buy couscous in bulk at an Indian grocery or your local co-op! Try dry rice and/or beans in a dishpan--not as large, but also not as messy. If you do not want to use a food product, you can use sandbox sand.
  • Fill old Wet Wipe containers with pop corn kernels.
  • Fill a dish pan or the bathtub with snow!

Scooter Boards/Other

  • A large house plants scooter on rollers covered it with carpet using a staple gun makes a great basement scooter.
  • Use an automotive creeper to roll on.
  • Sit and Spin toys are great for kids who crave spinning
  • IKEA has a kids rocker board www.ikea.com They also have some other great kids toys for sensory kids
  • Punching balls are tough and are a great way to reduce energy levels. Make it a contest to punch the ball for one minute. You can tie them to the ceiling and punch, too.

Swings

  • Add a low platform swing that can hang in the basement playroom--one that is easily unhooked when there is no adult supervision.
  • For an older child the OUT OF SYNC CHILD book suggests having the child lay tummy down on a platform swing and while slowly swinging try to make baskets with bean bags or draw on a giant piece of paper.
  • Purchase one of those hammock porch swings for reading and snuggling .
  • IKEA has a great canvas chair that hangs from the ceiling. You can spin in it or just relax. You can also add a cushion for more structure.
  • Abilitations magazine offers a bar that can be mounted in a doorframe. Pull a swing from your set outside, and add it to the bar.

Trampoline

  • Tramps with the handles on the side are quite dangerous as the child will keep falling into it. Purchase a cheaper one without the handles and place the tramp under a rope tied to the ceiling attached to one of those swivel mechanisms for hanging net bags, swings, platform swings, etc. Put the little trampoline under that with the little trapeze, the child can jump up and down holding onto the trapeze. The trampoline is one of those little exercise joggers for adults you can pick up at yard or garage sales.
  • Get an old waterbed mattress (preferably full-wave) and fill it with air. Call around to various waterbed stores to see if they have any old mattresses.
  • Blow up camp mattresses also work.
  • Moon Shoes can be a lot of fun
  • Giant Jumpoline by Intex – this has 3ft walls surrounding an air filled mattress. Throw the kids in and let them jump around.
  • Large balls with handles on them are an easy way to get the jumping sensation

Water Play in the Tub

  • Put a plastic Bed TV tray in the tub for water parties in the tub so water doesn't spill on the floor.
  • Get gallon, quart, pint, cup containers along with measuring cups and spoons

Adaptive Art Ideas

Finger Paints

  • Finger painting inside of a bag:.take a big sturdy ziploc bag and put about 2-3 tablespoons full of paint in them and then close them pushing out all the air and lay it on a table (tape the top if you think they will open it) and they can finger paint with no mess --- a great tactile experience for the tactile defensive.
  • Water bag: place colored water in a large 2 gallon Ziploc bag, just about a cup. Place small soft objects in the bag, that can be squished around. Place the bag into another Ziploc so that it will cut down on leaks.
  • Use non-latex gloves when using finger paints or playing with play dough for kids that cannot handle touching the paints.
  • blow painting - drop some paint on a page and let them blow with straw in all directions.

There are many other ways to get your child a little more regulated. The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kronowitz has some great ideas for sensory regulation.