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Keep in mind that programs for children with sensory processing disorders should be carefully monitored by a skilled occupational therapist. Many of these suggested activities are fun and help children to learn responsibility and/or help clean the house!

1. Carry heavy items (baskets with cardboard blocks, groceries for Mom, etc.)
2. Mop the floors
3. Allow your child to chew gum, eat chewy or crunchy foods, or sip water from a water bottle with a straw while doing homework
4. Push or pull boxes with toys or a few books in it
5. Pillow cases with a few stuffed animals in it for weight, pushing or pulling up a ramp, incline or stairs
6. Take the cushions off the sofas, vacuum under them, then put them back. Can also climb on them, hide under them, jump and "crash" into them, play sandwich games with them
7. Pull other kids around on a sheet or blanket
8. Roller skate uphill
9. Pull a heavy trash can
10. Yard work, including mowing the lawn, raking grass/leaves, pushing wheelbarrow
11. Housework including vacuuming and mopping, carrying buckets of water to clean with or to water flowers/plants/trees
12. Clean windows or the front of appliances using a spray bottle
13. Shovel sand into a wheelbarrow, wheel the wheelbarrow to a spot, dump out sand and use a rake to level it out (functional for filling in low spots in backyard)
14. Pull a friend or heavy items in a wagon
15. Push a friend in a wheelbarrow
16. Milkshake rewards sipped through a narrow straw
17. Suck applesauce through a straw
18. Scrub rough surfaces with a brush
19. Carrying heavy cushions
20. Pillow fights
21. Playing in sandbox with damp heavy sand
22. Have the child "help" by pushing in chairs to a table or push chairs into table after a meal
23. Push a child's cart filled with cans and then put the cans away on a low shelf where the child needs to be in a weight bearing quadruped (on hands and knees) position
24. After a bath, you can rub your child briskly with a towel, firmly squeezing muscles
25. Use heavy quilts at night and tight flannel pajamas
26. Swimming. Also, have child dive after weighted sticks thrown in pool
27. Dancing
28. Activities such as gymnastics, horseback riding, wrestling, karate
29. Bathe the dog
30. Wash the car
31. Carry the laundry basket
32. Sweep, mop, vacuum the floors
33. Jump or climb in inner tubes
34. Fill up a child's suitcase with heavy items (such as books) and push/pull the suitcase across the room
35. When traveling, let child pull own small suitcase on wheels
36. Go "shopping" with a child's shopping cart filled with items
37. Child can help change the sheets on the bed, then toss the linens down the stairs
38. Go "camping" with a heavy blanket pulled across a few chairs. Child can help set up and take down the blanket
39. Child can help rearrange his/her bedroom furniture
40. Have child put large toys and equipment away
41. Wipe off the table after dinner
42. Help dust the furniture
43. Climbing activities (such as playground equipment)
44. Swing from the trapeze bar
45. Push against a wall
46. Fill up big toy trucks with heavy blocks, push with both hands to knock things down
47. Sports activities involving running and jumping
48. Have the child color a "rainbow" with large paper on the floor or with sidewalk chalk outside while child is on his/her hands and knees
49. Play "cars" under the kitchen table (or table in classroom) where the child pushes the car with one hand while creeping and weight bearing on the other hand
50. "Hot dog" game where child lies across end of a blanket and is rolled (ends up inside the rolled up blanket with head outside)
51. Walk up a ramp or incline
52. Wood projects requiring sanding and hammering
53. Play wrestling: pushing game where two people lock hands facing each other and try to see who can push and make the other person step back first Use other body parts also, but be sure to have rules (no hitting, no biting, no scratching, one person says stop then both stop)
54. Open doors for people
55. Quiet squeeze toys such as the cow, fondly named by everyone as "Moo" (squeaky squeeze toys-are frowned on by our teachers). Kids can be taught to squeeze Moo or the likes of him on their laps under their desks so as not to disturb the class
56. Chair push ups
57. Fall into a beanbag chair
58. Jumping and rolling games
59. Slowly roll a ball or bolster over the child, applying pressure
60. Bounce on a Hippity Hop bail
61. Sandwich games (child is place between beanbags, sofa cushions, mattresses and light pressure is applied to top layer)
62. Play catch with a heavy ball. Bounce and roll a heavy ball
63. Push weighted carts or boxes across carpeted floor
64. Animal walks (crab walk, bear walk, army crawl)
65. Play "row, row, row your boat" both sitting on the floor, pushing and pulling each other
66. Rice 'play, koosh balls, water play, jello play, theraputty
67. Mini trampoline
68. Stack chairs

Remember to mention Special Needs Awareness.org