We’ve talked about Jacob’s behaviors at school and some classroom supports, but his parents were just as desperate for ideas to make home life a little less chaotic. They shared these challenges:
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Struggles to get out the door on time in the mornings
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Big meltdowns when told “no” (like asking for TV before school)
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Constant bouncing, crashing, and moving roughly around the house—injuries don’t slow him down
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Hyperactive energy right before bed, especially on days without enough activity
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Difficulty keeping up with his sensory needs in a small space
At just 3 years old, there were still plenty of ways to meet Jacob’s sensory needs at home, even in a small rented house. But as kids grow (and if you’ve got older ones yourself), it can definitely get trickier to keep up in a limited space.
Here are just a few of the heavy work activities I recommended for him at home that don't take up too much space:
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Take some couch cushions and create a crash pad on the living room floor. Let him jump from the couch to the cushions on the floor, but add some waiting and structure in between jumps. For example: have him take 3 big deep breaths before jumping and crashing, or ask him to name a different dinosaur each time before he jumps.
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Steam rollers before bed: Since he craved more input before bed but we needed to avoid riling him up, I suggested getting a medium sized exercise ball and having him lay with his belly on the carpet, arms out to the side and his face laying in either direction. Then a parent will take the ball and roll it firmly on his neck, back, arms and legs.
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Jumping dots: These could be easily integrated into any transition throughout the house or create an impromptu obstacle hopping course in the living room on a rainy day.
Making other small, environmental shifts to help prime the nervous system for bed were also suggested, like dimming the lights during bath time and avoiding overly rough play that increased his sympathetic activation right before bed.
Check out this instagram reel with more ideas for indoor movement toys that don't take up a lot of space
For more ideas to regulate a sensory seeker at home, check out this blog, or my heavy work crash course.
Regulating after school activities
We also discussed some options for extra curricular activities to get him involved in, for more social interaction practice and a boost of proprioception. They had already attempted soccer, but sharing the ball and sharing space with all the kids running after the ball wasn’t the right fit for him. These were recommended to look into:
