Heavy work activities (1905)
Key points below
What are heavy work activities?
Heavy work activities can help children who have trouble with attention, arousal, self calming, and sensory problems. A heavy work activity requires the muscles and joints to work harder than normal.
What heavy work activities will help my child?
Games
• Play tug of war.
• Do jumping jacks, scissors jump, hop on one or two feet.
• Do animal walks (bear, snake, crab, dog, etc.).
• Crawl over obstacles.
• Play wrestling.
• Play Simon Says game.
• Go through an obstacle course.
• Play with play dough, squishy balls or bubble wrap.
Weights
• Wear a weighted vest when attention to task is needed. *Child needs to be able to put on and take off the vest themselves.
• Wear a backpack or fanny pack with items that add weight.
• Carry, push or pull weighted objects.
Outdoor Activities
• Jump rope.
• Shovel or rake outdoors.
• Hold and pull hose to water grass, flowers, or garden.
Other
• Roll on the floor.
• Roll up your body in a blanket. Keep your head out.
• Use a bodysock. A bodysock is like a pillow case. It is a sack that hugs your child as they play in it.
• Push hands together.
• Lock fingers together and try pull hands away from each other.
• Do wall, floor or chair pushups.
• Push on wall or other stable surface.
• Chew on chewy, sugar free foods like gum, dried fruit or bagel.
• Make tight fists and then open hands.
• Help carry grocery bags.
• Push or lift a laundry basket.