Those of you who attended the state adoption conference had the pleasure of hearing the presentation about the Alert Program. This system of teaching a child to self-regulate, uses the term “heavy work” to describe activities to help a child regulate their energy level. Whether a child needs to perk up or calm down, these types of activities can be instrumental in getting them to “just right.” As explained in the book, "The Out-of-Sync Child", this idea is based on the proprioceptive sense.
1. * Take a thick rope, 7 or 8 yards long and park your car on top of it. The child can try to pull it out. Or hold one end of the rope while standing still and have your child lie on the floor holding the other end. He can try to get to you by pulling the rope hand over hand. (To add an attachment component see if he can play the no-blinking game at the same time or reward him with a silly kiss when he reaches you, or let him put a sticker on your face) Or make knots in the rope and play tug-of-war. Or make it into a circle and jump in and out of it.
2. *Fill two-liter bottles with water and then add food coloring or glitter, or small objects. Glue the tops on. Shake. Tip back and forth. Carry in hands, pull in a wagon, push with a stick, kick or bury.
3. *Crash onto a pile of pillows or beanbag chair.
4. *Get a section of log and let your child hammer nails into it. If this is too difficult, use golf tees and stiff foam. Get a piece of wood and hammer a nail design or name into it.
5. * Place heavy food items around the house and have your child “shop” for them, placing each one in a big plastic tub or bucket and pushing it from room to room. Try using books, bags of rice or beans, or your filled two-liter bottles.
6. * “Oh my gosh! The wall is falling down! Help me push it back up!” Stand against the wall and push with all your might holding your hands up high, or down low, or use your hips, your knees or your shoulder.
7. *Carry buckets to water plants. Rearrange the furniture. Have pillow fights. Chew beef jerky. Sit your child on the washer during the agitation and spin cycle while standing close by. Help in the garden. Wrap up tight in a blanket.
Making these kinds of activities a regular part of your child’s day can help her keep in a calm, alert state before a problem arises or help veer away from a melt-down if you can catch it early enough. Googling “proprioceptive activities for kids” can give a hundreds of ideas. Sensory activities can also add that component of “fun” into your day. Helping my child's state of awareness reach it's perfect level, helping him become successful, re-programming those pesky neurological pathways and have fun doing it? What could be better than that?
