Activities for Sensory Awareness, Focus, and Calm

Face Bath

Ask your child to rub their hands together to warm them up through friction. After 10 to 20 seconds, tell them to lift their hands to their face. Then to move their hands slowly over their face like when drying your face after washing it. Ask them if they can feel the warmth of their hands. How does it feel? Talk about how it feels. Was it nice? Was it calming to focus on the sensations?

Mindful Claps

Ask your child to stand or sit with their hands shoulder-width apart. Tell them to clap their hands together two times and return their hands to original position between claps. Next ask them to close their eyes and pay attention to how it feels to clap now. Ask them to clap three more times and pay attention to how their hands and fingers feel. When finished ask them to stay still and pay attention to how their body now feels. How do your arms feel? How do your hands feel? How do your fingers feel? Talk through what it felt like clapping and what it felt like after.

Mindfulness of Body

Take your child to a place they like outside e.g. the garden, a park, a wood, a beech etc. Somewhere that is fairly free of distractions. Sit down with your child and get them to notice all the sensations of their body. Is it warm? What can they hear? What does the pressure of the thing you are sitting on feel like on the back of your legs? Stop and notice these sensations. Get them to close their eyes if that helps them to concentrate. What different sensations is your child able to notice.

Next take off shoes and socks and then see what it feels like to walk around. NB check the ground first for any hazards. What sensations do they feel? Is it cold? Is it rough? Is it smooth?

Ideas to help your child

Have a look on this website. There are suggestions as to how you can help your child and where to seek help from.

https://www.place2be.org.uk/our-services/parents-and-carers/supporting-your-child-s-mental-health/

Why not try some yoga?

https://cosmickids.com/ 

Worcestershire County Council have some ideas......

https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20772/education_resources_and_keeping_children_and_young_people_entertained