Changing a child's alertness by providing sensory input can really help them succeed at tasks requiring concentration - like most educational tasks require. The following list of techniques be used before or during educational tasks to help fulfill a child's sensory needs. - Put Something In Your Mouth
- Eat hard candy (sugarless can be used)
- Eat crunchy food: pretzels, popcorn, nuts, apples
- Eat chewy food: gum, raisins, bagels, chunks of cheese
- Eat sour food: pickles, sour candy
- Eat sweet food: fruit or candy
- Drink from a straw: use an "exercise bottle" to drink liquids such as a milkshake, a slurpie (partially thaw a frozen drink, or other drinks
- Try a combination such as trail mix (crunchy, chewy, sweet), Starburst (chewy, sweet, tart), or chips dipped into salsa (crunchy and spicy)
- Use green rubber tubing
- Take slow deep breaths
- Move
- Do isometrics - push arms on a wall or push hands together
- Walk quickly
- Run up and down steps
- Do an errand for a teacher
- Shake head quickly
- Roll neck slowly in a circular motion
- Jump up and down - try to touch a door frame
- Play sports - basketball, swimming, baseball, frisbee, etc
- Do aerobics with a group or at home to music
- Dance
- "Doodle" on paper - if not too distracting
- Use a therapy ball
- Touch
- Try holding and "fidgeting" with a Koosh ball, paper clips, rubber bands, straw, jewelry, or clay
- Rub gently or vigorously on your skin or clothing
- Take a cool shower or warm bath
- Wash your face with a cold or hot wash cloth
- Pet or play with an animal
- Hold or lean up against a stuffed animal or large pillows
- Look
- Put bright lights on in the room if the child is in low speed
- Dim the lights if the child is in high speed
- Clear off the table you are working on if it distracts you
- Watch fish in an aquarium
- Read a book or look at a magazine
- Listen
- Listen to classical type music - even, slow beat
- Listen to hard rock type music - loud bass, uneven beat
- Use a personal music player (iPod, CD player) if the music bothers someone else
- Avoid loud, noisy places if the child is in high speed, or if it bothers them when they are trying to concentrate
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