Just as our eyes and ears send information about what we see and hear to the brain, parts of our muscles and joints sense the position of our body and send these messages to the brain too. We need this information to know where our body parts are and to plan our movements – this is called proprioception.
For example, being able to reach for the gear stick in the car without looking for it or knowing how we are sitting on a chair.
When our proprioception works well, we make constant automatic adjustments to our body. This sense helps us to maintain a good position for all activities such as sitting in a chair, holding a fork or a pen, moving through space so that we do not run into things, planning how much pressure to use so that we do not break a pencil lead or a toy etc.
What you may see
The child may:
- push their body against things/enjoy stretching out
- press too hard when writing
- enjoy crashing into things and play with lots of energy
- constantly tap their legs against something
- have difficulty controlling pressure when doing tasks
- often chew and bite items
- like wearing tight clothes or being in small spaces
- bump into things and trip over a lot
- have poor spatial awareness
Strategies and advice
Many proprioceptive activities happen naturally at home or in school. These activities are quick and can be thought of as “sensory snacks.” When spread out naturally throughout the day, they can have a calming and organising effect on the child.
Proprioceptive activities can be used at home and school before activities that involve sitting or concentrating, for example before sitting down for a family meal or completing a piece of school work.
Here are some examples of activities but there are many more that can be tried both at home and school. You can search on the internet for more ideas.
It is essential that all these activities are carried out in a safe environment without any obstacles nearby. Supervision is essential especially for younger children and make sure they are wearing appropriate clothing and no jewellery.
Proprioceptive activities for school age children
Home
- Household jobs including: hoovering, sweeping or mopping, carrying the laundry, wiping the tables, washing windows, gardening, raking leaves, pushing a wheelbarrow.
- Participate in sports activities involving running and jumping, Tae Kwondo or other martial arts, gymnastics, football, swimming, mini trampoline, yoga.
- Carry, push, or pull items such as a basket/trolley full of books or groceries.
- Chew gum, eat chewy foods, sip water through a straw, suck thick liquids through a straw such as pudding, jelly, or applesauce.
- Have (safe) pillow fights or set up pillows and cushions for your child to crash into.
- Play games, read, or colour while lying on their tummy.
- Play catch using heavy balls or beanbags.
- Do animal walks (have races!) such as crab and bear walks
- Push-ups and wall push ups by pushing against a wall. Chair push ups.
- Couch push ups – have legs on couch and arms on floor and do push ups
- Use play equipment such as monkey bars, pull up bars etc
School
- Drag or rearrange furniture such as moving desks or chairs into a circle for a special part of the day.
- Use squirt bottles and sponges or rags to clean tables or the board.
- Push or pull a box or trolley of supplies.
- Carry out little jobs for the teacher like taking a message to the office or set up gym equipment
- Return a stack of books to the library, get supplies from the office such as a stack of paper, etc.
- Sharpen pencils using a manual pencil sharpener or cut through several layers of construction paper.
- Chair push-ups and wall press-ups.
- Climbing/hanging activities – such as on the playground/monkey bars.
- Resistive band around chair leg base so child can push against it.
- Use quiet squeeze toys or resistive putty, blue tac etc.
- Proprioceptive activities for teenagers/young adults
Home
- Swimming.
- Gym workouts, weight lifting, exercise classes.
- Yoga or stretching arms and legs with therapy band.
- Pull up bars or monkey bars.
- Heavy jobs including gardening, carrying heavy objects.
- Physical activity – climbing, walking, gymnastics, cycling.
- Body socks / lycra sheets / stretching lycra fabric.
- Throwing and catching a weighted ball.
- Lying on tummy over a therapy ball with hands outstretched to the floor. An adult helper can stand behind if required. Then rock forward so your palms touch the floor (keeping elbows straight) and then back again so feet are on the floor. Also try and walk your hands forward and backwards keeping their body straight.
School/college
- Carrying a heavier backpack around school.
- Any lifting and carrying activity throughout the school day e.g. carrying P.E equipment or additional errands.
- Fidget toys including stress balls, blue tac, hair bands on wrists.
- Gym facilities or after school clubs.
- Regular movement breaks – this may need to be completed as part of the lesson.
- Wall push ups / chair press ups.
- Walk or cycle to school
Suggested resources
If you need more activity ideas, you can explore additional websites which will provide sensory activities for children.
The following books are recommended reading:
‘The out of sync child’ and ‘The out of sync child has fun’ by Carol Stock Kranowitz.
‘Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The definitive handbook for helping your child with SI issues’ by Temple Grandin.
‘Sensational Children’ Hope and help for children with sensory processing disorder. Lucy Jane Miller (2006).
‘Too Loud Too Bright Too Fast Too Tight: What to Do If You are Sensory Defensive in an Overstimulating World’. Sharon Heller.
Last reviewed: September 2025