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Everything You Need to Know About Sensory Diets!
We have an episode on sensory diets - episode 39 from 2019 … it’s time for an update!
Sensory diets are the series of sensory activities and strategies that you use to help meet your sensory needs and feel regulated throughout the day! This episode dives into the research as well as how to create a sensory diet for your child!
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Ep. 39 All Things Sensory Diets
YouTube - 5 Activities for Auditory Processing
Game - Follow Your Nose (Walmart)
Article: The Effects of Sensory Diets on Children’s Classroom Behaviors
AJOT - A Systematic Review of Sensory Integration
Article: Effects of Sensory Diets
Everything You Need To Know About Sensory Diets!
Understanding the concept of a sensory diet is a game-changer when it comes to supporting kids with sensory needs. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or therapist, this information will give you the tools you need to help children achieve better focus, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.
What Is A Sensory Diet?
A sensory diet isn’t about food—it’s a personalized set of sensory activities that help regulate your child’s nervous system. Consider it a toolkit for meeting your child’s unique sensory needs.
For example, if your child struggles to sit still in class, activities like deep pressure squeezes or jumping on a trampoline before school might help them focus. Similarly, if bedtime is a struggle, calming sensory activities like dimming the lights, using essential oils, or listening to soft music can help your child wind down.
Adults instinctively use sensory strategies all the time—chewing gum to stay focused during a meeting or taking a walk to calm down after a stressful day. A sensory diet is simply a more intentional and structured version of this.
Who Benefits From A Sensory Diet?
Sensory diets are especially beneficial for children with sensory processing challenges, including those with sensory processing disorder (SPD), ADHD, autism, or anxiety. These children often have trouble automatically regulating their nervous systems and may feel dysregulated, hyperactive, or fatigued in certain situations.
Some signs your child might need a sensory diet include:
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Difficulty transitioning between activities.
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Struggles to focus during age-appropriate tasks.
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Extreme tiredness or hyperactivity at certain times of the day.
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Trouble waking up in the morning or winding down at bedtime.
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Constantly seeking sensory input (e.g., spinning, crashing, chewing).
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Avoidance of certain sensory input (e.g., avoiding loud sounds or specific textures).
How Do Sensory Diets Work?
A sensory diet helps a child’s brain and body work together more effectively. Each activity provides specific sensory input to either calm, alert, or balance the nervous system.
These activities are tailored to the child’s individual sensory preferences and needs. For example:
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A child who’s bouncing off the walls might need calming input, such as deep pressure squeezes or slow swinging.
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A child who’s sluggish in the morning might need alerting activities, such as jumping jacks or sour-tasting foods.
The Basics Of Creating A Sensory Diet
Creating a sensory diet might sound overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! Follow these steps to get started:
1. Identify Sensory Needs
Pay attention to when your child seems dysregulated: Are they bouncing, avoiding eye contact, or zoning out? Identify patterns in their behavior to understand what sensory input they may be missing or avoiding.
2. Use Multiple Senses
A well-rounded sensory diet should include activities that target multiple sensory systems. These include:
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Vestibular (balance and movement): Swinging, spinning, or jumping.
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Proprioception (body awareness): Pushing, pulling, or squeezing.
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Tactile (touch): Playing with sand, rice, or water.
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Auditory (hearing): Listening to music or rhythmic beats.
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Visual (sight): Looking at a lava lamp or calm-down jar.
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Oral (taste and oral motor): Chewing gum, blowing bubbles, or drinking through a straw.
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Olfactory (smell): Smelling essential oils or scented items.
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Interoception (internal body awareness): Yoga, deep breathing, or mindfulness.
3. Be Goal-Oriented
The activities in your sensory diet should have a purpose. Instead of letting your child spin endlessly on their own, guide them to spin three times in each direction, then follow it up with a calming activity like deep pressure.
4. Incorporate Into Daily Routines
To make sensory diets effective, incorporate them into your child’s day during times they need the most support, such as:
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Before transitioning to school.
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During focused tasks like homework.
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After screen time.
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Before bedtime.
Sensory Diet Activities By Sensory System
Here are some simple and effective sensory diet activities for each sensory system:
Vestibular (Balance)
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Swinging (back and forth or side to side).
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Rolling in a blanket (like a “tortilla roll”).
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Jumping on a trampoline.
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Spinning in a chair (3–5 times each direction).
Proprioception (Body Awareness)
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Pushing a heavy laundry basket.
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Carrying groceries or a backpack.
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Crawling through a tunnel.
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Doing chair or wall push-ups.
Tactile (Touch)
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Playing with a sensory bin (rice, beans, or shaving cream).
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Vibration (e.g., using a vibrating toothbrush or toy).
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Squeezing a stress ball.
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Walking barefoot on different textures.
Auditory (Hearing)
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Listening to music or therapeutic listening programs.
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Playing “Simon Says” with clapping or stomping.
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Using noise-canceling headphones during noisy times.
Visual (Sight)
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Watching a lava lamp or bubble timer.
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Drawing or tracing an infinity loop.
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Looking through sunglasses to reduce visual input.
Oral (Taste and Mouth Movement)
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Chewing gum or crunchy foods.
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Blowing bubbles or using a straw to blow pom-poms across a table.
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Sipping water through a straw or bottle.
Olfactory (Smell)
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Sniffing essential oils (like lavender or peppermint).
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Smelling flowers or herbs.
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Using scented markers for art projects.
Interoception (Internal Awareness)
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Practicing yoga or stretching.
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Deep breathing exercises.
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Using a visual schedule to identify emotions or physical needs.
Sample Sensory Diet
Here’s a quick example of what a sensory diet might look like for a sensory seeker who has trouble focusing before school:
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Spin in a chair 3–5 times in each direction.
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Crawl through a tunnel.
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Do 10 jumping jacks.
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Push a heavy ball or weighted object across the room.
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End with calming activities, like sitting in a rocking chair or deep breathing.
Research On Sensory Diets
Recent studies highlight the benefits of sensory diets:
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A 2019 study found that brief sensory diet sessions during school improved classroom engagement and behavior. (read the full study here)
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A 2021 study confirmed that sensory diets improved sensory processing, self-regulation, and attention for children with sensory challenges. (read the full study here)
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A 2022 study showed moderate evidence supporting sensory diets as a tool for helping children with autism improve attention and regulation. (read the full study here)
Final Thoughts
Sensory diets are a powerful tool for helping children feel calm, focused, and ready to take on their day. With creativity and consistency, you can create a personalized plan to meet your child’s unique needs—but if you’re unsure where to start, working with an occupational therapist is always a great option!
BORING, BUT NECESSARY LEGAL DISCLAIMERS
While we make every effort to share correct information, we are still learning. We will double check all of our facts but realize that medicine is a constantly changing science and art. One doctor / therapist may have a different way of doing things from another. We are simply presenting our views and opinions on how to address common sensory challenges, health related difficulties and what we have found to be beneficial that will be as evidenced based as possible. By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or your children. Consult your child’s pediatrician/ therapist for any medical issues that he or she may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Rachel Harrington, Harkla, Jessica Hill, or any guests or contributors to the podcast, as well as any employees, associates, or affiliates of Harkla, be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast.
Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.
This podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast.
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