Through teamwork and creativity these Great Kids brought Pokémon Go to life placing stuffed animals around the room and using ball pit balls to “capture” them by throwing the balls and knocking them over. They further challenged themselves by attempting to do this from their swings.
The vestibular system facilitates balance and coordination and is the foundation for all visual motor skills. The boys really activated this system being in constant motion on the swings moving in many different directions at different speeds. Movement on the swings paired with looking around for the animals and balls gave their visual systems a boost as well. The proprioceptive system provides us with a general sense of body awareness and also aides in coordination and planning. Crawling, pulling themselves on the swings, reaching and throwing awakened the boys’ proprioceptive systems.
The proprioceptive and vestibular systems play a big part in how our body moves through space and adjusts to the quality of experiences in order for us to move in the most efficient way possible. By activating these systems the boys worked on their planning of timing, pacing and grading force of movement as they experimented with many ways in which to throw the balls to capture the “pokémon”.
The added bonus of having two Great Kids (Great Brothers in fact) play this game together is that we also had the opportunity to work on emotional regulation and flexible thinking, such as accepting each other’s ideas, team work versus competition, and being a little frustrated versus very mad. When our sensational kids play they are working so hard to best understand the sensory and motor components of the game that many emotions arise. To deal with these emotions it is common for our kids to become inflexible in an attempt to control the information they receive and the movements they produce. As important as the sensory work is for our sensory kids, the emotion-based work is equally important.
The best way to reach goals for sensory and emotional needs and the functional impact they have on daily life is through play.
Founder and Creator of the Sensory Emotional Engagement Model
Michele Parkins, MS, OTR, is an Occupational Therapist specializing in working with children and families with Sensory Processing and Integration Disorders and challenges in social-emotional development. She is also a parent of two sensory kids. She works and lives sensational kids! Michele is a fellow of Dr. Lucy Jane Miller, OTR, and Sensory Treatment and Research Institute faculty.
Michele is passionate about working with families and other therapists and continues to do so as a clinician and educator. She educates therapists from all over the country and world and continues to provide consultation to schools on treatment for sensory processing disorder. Michele has co-authored a chapter in the 3rd edition of Sensory Integration: Theory and Practice, the textbook for sensory evaluation and treatment, alongside world-renowned pioneers in the field, and is currently writing a book to help support parents and families to understand better the impact of SPD on family dynamics and relationships and the day to day demands of life with sensory processing differences. Follow her on Facebook for updates and tips!
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- 10 play-based motor planning activities - December 10, 2019
- 10 play-based vestibular activities - November 22, 2019
