10 Sensory Integration Exercises You Can Try Right Now

Supporting kids with sensory needs can be simple with these quick sensory integration exercises! Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or therapist, these activities can help kids feel more grounded, calm, and focused. Here’s a list of 10 easy-to-do sensory integration exercises that don’t require any equipment and can be done anytime, anywhere.

1. Cross Crawls

  • How to Do It: Have your child stand up, lift their left knee, and touch it with their right elbow. Then, switch sides by lifting the right knee and touching it with the left elbow. Continue alternating for about a minute.
  • When to Do It: Cross crawls are excellent for warming up the brain before school, homework, or any activity that requires concentration.
  • Skills Practiced: This exercise connects the left and right sides of the brain, which improves coordination and focus, making it a fantastic way to set the stage for learning.
It is an instructional hand out on how to do the Cross Crawl exercise, including a QR code to link to a video demonstration of the exercise.

2. Infinity 8 Visual Tracking

  • How to Do It: Hold one thumb up at eye level, and ask your child to imagine an “8” lying on its side, like an infinity symbol. Slowly trace the shape in the air, and have your child follow the movement with just their eyes, keeping their head still. Repeat this a few times, switching directions.
  • When to Do It: This exercise is great for kids who are struggling to stay focused, have tired eyes, or need a quick “eye break” during reading or fine motor activities.
  • Skills Practiced: Infinity 8 exercises help relax and strengthen eye muscles, improving visual tracking and fine motor skills needed for reading and writing.
You can nurture its development by providing fun and compelling focus exercises for kids that require children to sustain their focus.

3. Wall Push-Ups

  • How to Do It: Stand facing a wall, place hands at shoulder height, and slowly push your body towards and away from the wall. Repeat 10 to 15 times for grounding input.
  • When to Do It: Wall push-ups are great anytime kids need a quick movement break to feel more centered and calm.
  • Skills Practiced: This exercise provides proprioceptive input, which helps with body awareness, grounding, and self-regulation.

4. Butterfly Hugs

  • How to Do It: Cross arms over the chest, placing hands on the opposite shoulders. Gently tap each shoulder alternately for about 30 seconds to a minute.
  • When to Do It: Butterfly hugs are perfect for kids who feel anxious or overstimulated and need a calming reset.
  • Skills Practiced: The rhythmic, bilateral tapping helps regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and improve focus.

5. Arm and Leg Squeezes

  • How to Do It: Gently squeeze each arm and leg, moving from the shoulder down to the hand or from the hip down to the foot. Use firm but gentle pressure.
  • When to Do It: This activity is especially helpful when kids feel “out of sync” with their body or need calming input after a busy activity.
  • Skills Practiced: Arm and leg squeezes provide proprioceptive input that promotes body awareness, reducing anxiety and grounding kids in the moment.
Sensory Strategies Workbook

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6. Spinning Movements

  • How to Do It: Have your child stand up and slowly spin in place for a few seconds, then stop and spin in the opposite direction. Be sure to take breaks between spins.
  • When to Do It: This exercise is beneficial when kids feel sluggish, unmotivated, or need a sensory reset during the day.
  • Skills Practiced: Spinning activates the vestibular system, which improves balance, body awareness, and helps energize kids.

7. Marching in Place

  • How to Do It: Have your child march in place, lifting each knee high and swinging the opposite arm in rhythm. Keep going for about a minute.
  • When to Do It: Marching is great before seated activities, during transition times, or any time kids need a quick refocusing activity.
  • Skills Practiced: This rhythmic movement enhances motor coordination and activates both sides of the brain, making it ideal for grounding and preparing for focused work.

8. Drinking Through a Straw

  • How to Do It: Offer a thick smoothie, yogurt, or applesauce to drink through a straw for a bit of extra resistance.
  • When to Do It: This exercise can be integrated into snack time and is perfect for calming kids who need sensory input through oral motor engagement.
  • Skills Practiced: Drinking through a straw engages the oral sensory system, helping kids regulate and calm themselves, especially during transitions or busy moments.

9. Jumping in Place Sensory Integration Exercises

  • How to Do It: Have your child jump in place, trying different variations such as side-to-side jumps, one-foot-forward-and-backward jumps, or simple jumping jacks. Continue for about 1-2 minutes.
  • When to Do It: Jumping is fantastic before transitions or when kids need to release energy quickly.
  • Skills Practiced: Jumping provides vestibular and proprioceptive input, enhancing balance, coordination, and self-regulation.
The Brain Humming Technique or humming breath is like giving yourself a big hug, and so wonderful for calming, centering, and soothing.

10. Deep Belly Breathing with Humming

  • How to Do It: Place one hand on the stomach and the other on the chest. Have the child take a deep breath, expanding the belly, then exhale slowly while humming. Encourage them to feel the calming vibration from the humming.
  • When to Do It: Deep belly breathing with humming is great any time kids need to calm down, especially before bed or after a busy activity.
  • Skills Practiced: This exercise teaches kids self-regulation through breathing and mindfulness, calming their mind and body while promoting focus.

These sensory integration exercises can make a real difference in how children manage sensory information throughout their day. Try adding a few to your daily routine and watch how they help kids feel more calm, grounded, and focused!

MORE HELPFUL FREE SENSORY PROCESSING PRINTABLES

Here are some additional free resources from Your Therapy Source that provide ideas and printable activities to support sensory processing needs. These printables provide a range of sensory processing activities and tools to support children’s focus, regulation, and body awareness.:

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