Use these sensory circuit ideas to help your child or student with autism focus, calm down, and participate more easily in the day’s activities. Sensory circuits are composed of alerting activities, organizing activities and calming activities to help your little ones get the most out of the day. Looking for more sensory activities for kids with autism? Check out my sensory box ideas for kids with autism, sensory activities for kids with autism, fun and educational food stamping activities and my ultimate list of best autism activities.
Who would benefit from these sensory circuit ideas?
If your child or student is constantly fidgeting, having trouble focusing or organizing themselves, suffers from poor coordination and balance, has trouble paying attention, is constantly rocking and/or has known sensory processing issues, then these sensory circuit ideas can help.
What is a sensory circuit?
A sensory circuit is a form of sensory integration intervention. It is composed of a specific sequence of physical activities that are designed to alert, organize and then relax the senses of the child.
The circuit should involve activities that are physical, active and fun!
What is the purpose of a sensory circuit?
Sensory circuit activities are designed to relax the child’s senses and prepare the child to participate in the activities of the day ahead.
Related : Benefits of Sensory Rooms in Schools
Sensory circuit ideas
Typically, a sensory circuit is composed of 5 activities, including 2 alerting activities, 2 organizing activities and 1 calming activity.
Alerting Activities
The goal of alerting activities is to provide vestibular (sense of balance) and proprioceptive stimulation. These activities ready the brain for learning.
- Jumping up and down
- Hopping up and down on one foot
- Skipping
- Bouncing up and down on a large yoga ball
- Bouncing up and down on a space hopper
- Bouncing up and down on a trampoline
- Spinning a hoop around the waist (hula hoop)
Organizing Activities
Alerting activities require motor (muscle) sensory processing, timing and balance. It is essential that activities require the child to prepare their body, plan their approach, and do more than one activity at a time in a sequential order.
- Toss beanie bags into a bin
- Toss crumpled paper “balls” into a basket
- Blowing bubbles towards a target area
- Walking along a line of tape on the floor
- Walking along a balance beam
Calming Activities
The goal of the calming activities are to provide input to prepare the child to leave the sensory circuit feeling calm and collected and ready to pursue the activities of the day ahead.
- Massage (you can massage the child’s back, hands, legs, feet and head)*
- Use of a weighted blanket*
- Using a roller on the child’s back, hands, legs, feet*
- Rolling a medium or large yoga ball on the child’s back*
*With these activities make sure you are using a level of pressure that is comfortable for the child.
When is the best time to engage a child in a sensory circuit?
I like using these activities at the beginning of the day to help the children settle down and focus before starting the day’s activities. Alternatively, you could start the day with a sensory circuit and then use them throughout the day to keep your child or students focused and ready to participate in the day’s activities. After lunch can also be a good time to use a sensory circuit.
How long should a sensory circuit take?
I love to create sensory circuits that last 15-20 minutes but you can adjust according to your child or students’ particular needs (and attention spans!).
More Autism Activities
- The Successful Interaction with a Child with Autism Course – learn to better understand your autistic child or students with this complete course.
- Autism Activities Workbook Bundle – build communication skills, fine motor skills, sensory play skills and daily living skills, while helping your child or students to successfully manage any difficult behaviors, with these fun, educational, printable activities.
- Sensory Communication Workbook – Build communication skills with simple sensory activities.
- How to Make a Communication Binder Guide & Workbook – Learn how to create a Communication Binder for your child or student with autism using real photos. Follow my expert guide to learn how to use it to increase communication skills.
- Autism Adapted Books Bundle – a collection of 10 adapted books that will help you build communication skills while teaching more than 120 vocabulary words.
- Zoo Animals Play Dough Mats Bundle – use these printable play dough mat to work on the names of the animals, build language skills, and increase fine motor strength and precision in a fun, sensory way!
Sensory circuit ideas
I hope you find these sensory circuit ideas. If you try them with your child or students, let me know in the comments below.
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