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Primitive Reflex Digital Course
We are beyond excited to introduce Harkla’s newest sensory tool—theSensory Dice! These simple yet powerful dice are designed to make sensory and primitive reflex integration fun, engaging, and effective.
In this episode, we dive into howsensory integration and primitive reflex integration are deeply connected—when you work on one, you naturally support the other! We’ll break down how each of the three Sensory Dice categories (Alerting, Calming, and Focus) can help integrate retained primitive reflexes through movement and sensory-based activities.
We’ll also sharespecific activities from each dice that target common retained primitive reflexes, such as the Moro, STNR, ATNR, TLR, Palmar Grasp, and more! Fromyoga flows and windmills towall push-ups and animal walks, these activities are simple yet effective for supporting nervous system development.
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Have you ever noticed your child struggling with focus, coordination, or emotional regulation? These challenges could be linked to retained primitive reflexes—automatic movements that should naturally fade as a child develops but sometimes persist, impacting learning and behavior.
As occupational therapy professionals, we love finding fun, engaging ways to support kids’ development. That’s why we’re so excited about Harkla’s Sensory Dice, a dynamic tool designed to help with movement, brain-body connection, and sensory regulation—and as we recently discovered, they’re also fantastic for primitive reflex integration!
Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns that babies are born with to help them survive and develop motor skills. Reflexes like the Moro reflex (startle reflex), ATNR (asymmetrical tonic neck reflex), and STNR (symmetrical tonic neck reflex) help infants learn to roll, crawl, and walk.
When these reflexes don’t integrate properly, they can cause challenges like:
Poor coordination and difficulty with handwriting.
Struggles with focus and learning in school.
Sensory sensitivities or emotional regulation difficulties.
Balance and posture problems.
That’s where targeted movement activities—like the ones found in Harkla’s Sensory Dice—come in!
Harkla’s Sensory Dice were designed for sensory movement and regulation, but as we tested them, we realized they also target key primitive reflexes! Each die focuses on a different aspect of movement:
Orange Die: Alerting & Activating Movements.
Blue Die: Calming & Grounding Movements.
Green Die: Focus & Brain-Boosting Movements.
Let’s break down some of the best activities from each die for primitive reflex integration:
Yoga Flow Movements → Targets Moro, TLR, ATNR, and STNR.
Rubbing Hands Together Quickly → Great for the Palmar Grasp Reflex.
Windmills (Cross-Body Movements) → Supports Moro & TLR Integration.
Holding a Yoga Pose → Helps integrate Moro, TLR, and STNR.
Pressing Tongue to Roof of Mouth → Supports Suck & Rooting Reflexes.
Pushing Hands Together / Pulling Hands Apart → Works on Palmar Grasp Reflex.
This die is particularly powerful for reflex integration because every activity supports brain-body coordination:
Wall Push-Ups → STNR Integration.
Moving Air Back and Forth in Cheeks → Rooting & Suck Reflex.
Cross Crawls → ATNR & Brain Hemispheric Communication.
Sequential Finger Touching → Palmar Reflex.
Animal Walks (Bear, Crab, Crawling) → STNR, ATNR, & Core Strength.
To get the best results, incorporate these activities into your child’s daily routine. Here’s how:
Use them as a morning routine: A quick 5-minute sensory warm-up before school can boost focus and regulation.
Brain breaks throughout the day: Teachers and therapists can roll the dice in classrooms or therapy sessions to encourage movement and focus.
Before homework or seated tasks: Activities like wall push-ups and cross crawls can help a child feel more grounded and ready to learn.
Before bedtime: Calming activities (Blue Die) can support sleep by regulating the nervous system.
OT Tip: Pair exercises with deep breathing for even greater calming and integration benefits.
One of our podcast hosts shared an amazing success story about her 4-year-old son. After practicing cross-body movements and jumping jacks with positive reinforcement, he was able to master complex coordination skills, like moving backward while doing jumping jacks on a trampoline—something that requires serious brain-body connection!
When kids regularly engage in these types of movements, their reflexes integrate more smoothly, leading to better focus, coordination, and emotional regulation.
Harkla’s Sensory Dice offers a fun, engaging, and easy way to support reflex integration and sensory regulation. Whether you’re a parent, therapist, or educator, these dice are a must-have tool for helping kids build stronger brain-body connections.
Integrating purposeful movement into your child’s routine, you’re helping unlock their full potential—one fun activity at a time!
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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