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The hustle and bustle of the December festivities has diminished.  The children are back in school and finally a routine is 'somewhat' in place... but you find your children still have an excess of energy and are climbing the walls.  Welcome to winter!  Not only is this a difficult time for most children and parents, but it presents a bigger challenge for those children with sensory difficulties.

However, winter provides us with a whole new bag of tricks and allows us to vary our children's sensory diets.  From finding new activities to try out in our homes, to experiencing the many sensory opportunities that nature provides for us, it is best not to look at the next several months as lost time for our children with sensory concerns. When setting up a sensory diet for the winter months, we still need to be in tune with what our children need.  Providing multisensory experiences will enable children to integrate all the sensory inputs allowing them to feel more confident in their play whether it is summer or winter. As always, it is important to consult with your occupational therapist to ensure that you are meeting your child's needs. 

When you are stuck inside for prolonged periods of time due to the winter weather, take a look around your home to find the many 'sensory' opportunities available.  To provide movement play, set up mini obstacle courses including the use of animal walks (crab walking, frog hopping, wheelbarrow walking, etc), crawling through tunnels made out of blankets and sheets, spinning and rolling, and climbing over couch cushions and pillows.  You may also choose to use a mini trampoline, couch cushions or old bed mattress for jumping and crashing.  Turn on some music and dance around the house using scarves or small towels for added flare.  For younger children, allow them to swing in a large blanket or go for a ride across the floor while sitting up on a blanket.  If able, leave some room in a cement floor basement or garage available to use small bikes, scooters, or other outside toys.

To experience tactile play, lay down a plastic table cloth and let your child ice skate through shaving cream.  Using a small toddler pool, go on a treasure hunt by filling the pool with various media (dry beans, dry pasta, sand, etc) to hide and find objects.  A drop cloth under the pool makes for a quick clean-up.  In addition, spend some time in the kitchen allowing the children to help out with meal preparation -- there is nothing like baked goods to warm the soul when it is cold outside.  Bring the "outside" indoors with buckets of snow or even provide the snow-like feel with artificial play snow. 

For proprioceptive play, allow the kids to have pillow fights or play tug of war with an old sheet.  Setup a grocery store using cans and boxes filled with weighted materials.  Having the children help with re-arranging their bedrooms is another great activity and also provides for some creative changes in the house. 

During sit down activities, such as video games and television watching, have your child sit on a small pillow, therapy ball, or rocking chair.  During commercials, encourage them to stand up and do different movement activities, including jumping jacks, reaches, and hops.

When the snow has fallen, take advantage of the many opportunities outdoors.  Provide vestibular input by sledding down a large hill.  Heavy work can be achieved by having your child push and pull a friend or sibling on a sled.  Building a snowman and making snow angels allows a great deal of proprioceptive input.  Taking a hike in the colder weather with the crunch of the frozen ground provides a great experience to investigate the changes in nature.

So, the next time you dread a day at home with your children during the winter months, take some time to be creative and discover new experiences.  There is always something to do that will meet his or her sensory needs. Most importantly, remember to have fun, enjoy the mess, and remember that spring is around the corner!

Deanna Macioce, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Therapy Connections