swings and vestibular stimulation

Published January 17, 2009 by Nancy

Young children loves swings because their bodies need to develop their vestibular sense. They stand on the swing, jump off, swing on their belly, and swing high to kick the sky. Up, down, around, through.

Kids with sensory issues often need to swing a lot too, even past this early swinging stage. Swinging before school, during recesses, and after school helps them get through their day. They crave swinging sensations more than regular kids, and it helps calm them down.

So do you need a swing in your house?

First, do the easy thing and put up a swing in your backyard. Make sure it has a variety of swing structures, such as a regular plank swing, a swinging monkey-bar, a glider, and (if possible) a disk swing (one rope down the middle). You can add objects for the kid to kick while swinging, such as a bottom-weighted punching-bag balloon.

But if you live in a winter climate and want a swing indoors, here is my best suggestion.

Visit an IKEA store. They have great vestibular play structures for kids.

One is the hanging seat (soft version and hard version). These are swinging sack-chairs that can go in a kid’s room. They need to be securely anchored to a crossbeam, so you can’t hang them just anywhere.

There are also hand rings, which work well in a basement. We have ours hitched to the beams in our laundry room, right above a small trampoline. This creates opportunities for swinging, arm stretches, high jumping, and bouncing tricks. We added an IKEA punching bag three beams away. One game we play involves swinging the punching bag toward the hand rings, so that the kid has to jump, swing, and kick the punching bag. This helps develop timing in movement.

For much younger kids, IKEA has small vestibular toys, including a spinning disk (like a mini merry-go-round), a rocker (like a rocking horse), and a see-saw. If you think your child has sensory issues, these toys are a good investment.

making a marshmallow bag

Published January 4, 2009 by Nancy

A marshmallow bag is a great addition to a playroom. It’s softer than a bean bag and has a satisfying bounce.

We don’t have ours anymore. As the kids got older, we tried to find a home for it.

We heard a chorus of “What’s a marshmallow bag?”

Sigh. So in the end, I took it apart and put the pieces out in the trash.

If you’d like to make one, here is how we did it.

What you need

2 old cotton sheets, double size

2 old flannel sheets, double size

6 garbage bags filled with scraps of foam

a utility knife and sewing machine

velcro tabs

Where to get them

Buy the old sheets at a used clothing store. Remember, this is for a plaything, so they just have to be usable.

Call an upholstery shop and explain that you are looking for used scraps of upholstery foam to make a therapeutic mat for a young child. Some shop staff don’t want to be bothered, so make them understand you are only asking for scraps that they would throw out. You should be able to get them for free.

The scraps will come in various sizes and shapes, some of them yellowing. Take whatever there is, enough to fill six garbage bags. Bring tape or twist ties to close the bags (you can squish the foam down). Don’t try to fill anything larger than a garbage bag because the bags have to fit in your car.

Making the marshmallow bag

1. Sew the cotton sheets together inside out. Leave an 18-inch (45 cm) opening at one end. Flip it rightside out. This is the bag for your “marshmallows.”

2. Sew the flannel sheets the same way, except leave one entire end open. Sew the velcro tabs along this end. This is your washable cover.

3. Dump the foam scraps onto an uncarpeted floor. Using the utility knife, cut them into brick-size or smaller chunks. Pile them into the flannel bag until everything is in. Really stuff it because it packs down over time.

4. Sew it closed (a challenge because of the weight and bulk, but if there’s a will, there’s a way).

5. Insert the marshmallow bag into the cover and velcro the cover closed.

Set the marshmallow bag near some jumping toys, such as an old mattress. The kids will jump, climb, roll, and play in it and get a good sensory workout.

games for growing

Published January 4, 2009 by Nancy

My husband had a repertoire of silly games he played with the kids when they were younger.

The thing about sensory games is that kids like them. They ask for more. Soon, these become the favourite games. You don’t necessarily plan them to be sensory games — it just works out that way.

So here are the ones I can remember, from our house to yours.

1. Flap Fly. Hold the kid horizontal in the air, against your waist, using one arm or two. The kid has to “fly” by flapping “wings” and “tail.” The faster the flapping, the faster you run down the hall or around the room. Tip the kid up or down as you fly and provide appropriate jet sound effects.

2. Bee-oo. The kid stands facing you, holding both your thumbs. On the count of three, the kid jumps. You raise your hands to give him/her extra lift and make an electronic/laser “bee-oo” sound. Do it several times, each one getting higher lift. For the last one, the kid leaps up for a spider hug while you say ” boy-oy-oing.”

3. Bendable Boy. Sit on the edge of the bed with the kid on your lap, facing you. Cup the back of his/her head with your hands and bend forward, dipping the kid down toward the floor. Then pull back up. Sound effects are mandatory.

4. Pony Boy. Sit on a bed or sofa with the kid on your lap, facing you. Bounce your legs so that the kid bounces back and forth vigorously, while singing “Pony Boy.”

5. Slow-Mo Fighting. The kid stands on the edge of a bed (the mattress of which has seen better days). Pretend to be a fighter and throw slow-motion punches or pushes toward the kid’s upper body, never making contact. The kid responds like someone hit in slow motion in the movies — moving in response to the punch and falling down on the bed. Alter the way he/she falls by altering how you punch or push.