from Parenting Your Child with Sensory Processing Disorder: A Family Guide to Understanding and Supporting Your Sensory-Sensitive Child

Activity for the Child with Sensory Based Motor Disorder

Obstacle courses can be a fun ways to build coordination. Just make sure that it is challenging, but not so difficult that it becomes frustrating for your child. Remember, your child drives the activity; your role is just to be a guide. So, have your child create the course. Have your child help you think of games to play.

• First, you will need to purchase a bulk quantity of toilet paper. Get one of the really big packages with 24 rolls.
  
• When it is appropriate, have everyone gather together. Have your children stand in the middle of the room, hands to their side and feet together. Now, wrap lots and lots of toilet paper around them. If it is healing to think of this activity as parental revenge, allow yourself the freedom of thought.
  
• When your children are all bundled nicely, set up an obstacle course, which might involve jumping over pillows, hopping to the left or right, or turning in a circle. Structure the course to be fun for your children, taking into account what skills they already have and remembering they are wrapped in toilet paper! Make sure you have a beginning and ending point.
  
• When you say 'go', have your children complete the course, and when they get to the finish line, tell them that they can break out of their wrapping.
  
• In a fun way, you have provided sensory input to your child with SPD, as well as provided an opportunity to develop motor planning skills. Best of all, your child didn't even notice, as it was too much fun.