Sensory Processing: Tactile Play
Our tactile systems help us interpret everything related to our sense of touch, including textures, temperatures, vibration, pressure, and pain. Development of a child’s tactile system has a huge impact on his daily experiences. A healthy tactile system makes gaining independence with grooming, bathing, and dressing tasks fun! A few common tactile-avoiding behaviors are listed below:
Avoids certain textures or clothing
Dislikes being messy
Avoids hugs or physical contact
Toe walking
Refusal to walk barefoot
Try making dry sensory bins filled with rice, flour, beans, or corn. Have your child scoop and pour with cups, spoons, and shovels or hide small toys!
Sensory dough is great for hand strengthening, as well as tactile play! See if your child can make a worm, ball, or even bird’s nest out of playdough, cloud dough, and moon sand.
Messy play can be a bit more challenging for some kiddos. Try painting with finger paint, shaving cream, even pudding. If your child is upset by having his hands messy, start out with a paintbrush or even a glove… baby steps!