https://aquaticsinmotionllc.com/blog daily 0.75 2025-02-10 https://aquaticsinmotionllc.com/blog/sensory-bath-time monthly 0.5 2025-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/1738775678923-GMUZ7SKB8G7GQXQR1ZU1/unsplash-image-uI6qVoYov60.jpg Blog - Sensory Activities for Bath Time - Make it stand out Temperature Activities: create water play with both hot and cold temperatures. You can even offer touch with an ice cube and discuss how the body responds to colder vs. warmer sensations. Water Pouring: For tactile discrimination, have the child close his or her eyes and lightly pour water (with a cup or small pitcher) onto a joint or extremity. Have them identify the name of the joint where water was poured. Textured Exploration: Use textured sponges, gloves, or bath scrubbers to explore different sensations on the skin. Explore which areas are more sensitive or ticklish to the textures. Drawing: Lightly draw letters or numbers on your child’s skin (usually on their back) and see if they can guess the figure drawn. Pretend Play: invite waterproof dolls/animals to participate in bath time. Model washing hair and using soap with the preferred toy to help your child learn the skills to complete it themselves. Bubble Bath: Use bath soaps to create a bubble bath then hide small/preferred bath toys under the bubbles. Encourage your child to feel around the tub and guess the object before looking at it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/1738788157188-11WN9JGPSMKI8B949D9A/unsplash-image-o2E6zY0iTg4.jpg Blog - Sensory Activities for Bath Time - Make it stand out Weighted Towel: place a large, soaking wet towel on a child’s laps or tightly around their shoulders. This can provide calming, deep pressure input. Keep the towel warm for extra comfort. Lap Pad: Use a weighted lap pad during bath time for calming input and to help extend time sitting time in the tub. You can find the link to one here. Joint Compressions: complete compressions around the UE joints for calming, proprioceptive input. Label each joint as you provide compressions for body awareness. Stop compressions if your child is uncomfortable with them. Read more tips here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/1738788590803-3OI0OATHY423DQQAJH65/unsplash-image-AVGc87j_vNA.jpg Blog - Sensory Activities for Bath Time - Make it stand out Backwards I Spy: Encourage your child to lay backwards in the water and play “I Spy”. This encourages your child to visually attend to their environment when their vestibular orientation has shifted. Head under the faucet: Run the faucet at a comfortable temperature and have your child stick their head under the faucet, moving around in different directions. This will challenge their sitting balance while their head is moving and their vision is occluded. Head Under Water: if your child is comfortable and safe to submerge, allow them to put their head under the water (both backwards and forwards) and then sit up right for a vestibular challenge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/1738789169355-KPDHQFICJALP0IEQM6T8/unsplash-image-J_btv0n9EIU.jpg Blog - Sensory Activities for Bath Time - Make it stand out Lighting: Use dim or natural lighting during bath time to create a more calming environment. Avoid harsh fluorescents if possible. Glow Sticks: Experiment with glow sticks in the bathtub for calming and explorative play. Color Tablets: Drop color-changing tablets in the water for visual stimulation and color-mixing activities. You can find tablets here. Bath Crayons/Painting: Use crayons or paint to color/write during bath time. Model drawing letters/numbers/words depending on your child’s age/academic level. You can find crayons here and bath paints here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/b68efd03-f8a5-454f-bc61-5d4894b59914/unsplash-image-YLMs82LF6FY.jpg Blog - Sensory Activities for Bath Time Why I Love Them: These diapers come in a larger sizes for kiddos who have outgrown typical toddler sizes. Helpful Tips: -use a consistent dressing routine (dress in the same room, with same positioning, with same order of clothing) -use consistent, simple phrases to make dressing routine predictable -encourage your child to participate in donning/doffing swim diaper as independently as possible; give them extra time to work on these steps. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/f9e3774e-48a6-44c0-ae7a-70ff3f8fa99e/unsplash-image-SsBAZ59gQAo.jpg Blog - Sensory Activities for Bath Time - Make it stand out Blowing Bubbles: Use a bubble wand or blow bubbles into the water. Oral Necklace: Use an oral necklace if your child is oral seeking/wanting to drink the water. You can also allow them to crunch on ice chips. Breathing Exercises: While sitting or laying in the bath, encourage your child to complete repetitive breathing exercises to calm the nervous system. You can read about deep breathing exercises for children here. Blow Across: Place a light, floating object (like a ping pong ball) in the water and encourage your child to take deep breaths to blow the object across the bath tub. You can also place an object in your hand and see if they can blow hard enough to push the object into the tub. https://aquaticsinmotionllc.com/blog/my-favorite-swim-accessories monthly 0.5 2025-02-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/7f7ec37f-2e14-40ed-9241-712d96c19f9b/Screen+Shot+2024-11-04+at+12.52.23+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories - Make it stand out Why I Love Them: oftentimes, families use traditional “floaties” around the arms. I prefer a floatation belt because it provides support closer to your child’s center of mass, but still allows for full movement of their arms. If kiddos have more freedom of movement in their arms, they will get more opportunities to practice swim strokes! Helpful Tips: -Sometimes, kids will be a little too buoyant in a floatation belt and their feet will still want to float (this can tip them over in the water). Try some water shoes or fins to counteract the buoyancy. -experiment with placing the buckle in the front or back; this will impact which side of your child’s body is more supported with the floatation; adjust the belt’s positioning so your child is in a vertical position in the water and not tilting forward/backwards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/8b4aafa8-c131-4b3b-befe-dfd52532d5e4/Screen+Shot+2024-11-04+at+2.38.58+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories - Make it stand out Why I Love It: This acts similarly to a floatation belt, but each pad can be removed to reduced buoyancy support as your child progresses in their swim skills. Helpful Tips: -remove 1 layer as a time as your child progresses. Once they can sustain a vertical position and propel themselves about 4x pool lengths, they may be ready for reduced floatation -encourage your child to remove floatation pads themselves for additional problem-solving and visual motor work! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/0b83541b-7e83-42b0-9987-06297f7a7393/Screen+Shot+2024-11-04+at+2.00.21+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories - Make it stand out Why I love Them: These goggles have a softer strap that will fit looser and will not pull hair. These are great for kiddos with tactile/clothing sensitivities. Helpful Tips: -If your child wears a pony tail, place the pony below the strap to support the goggles and prevent the strap from slipping down. -encourage your child to adjust and don the goggles themselves as an additional opportunity to work on fine motor/dressing skills! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/b8743df6-8213-409d-951e-c15ba24a082c/Screen+Shot+2024-11-04+at+2.06.23+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories - Make it stand out Why I Love Them: Fins give extra proprioceptive input to the feet. This helps with spatial awareness and body orientation when a kiddo cannot touch the pool floor. With each kick, kids get a little extra leverage, which can encourage reciprocal kicking and propulsion. Helpful Tips: -These pair well with a floatation belt -if children are almost swimming independently, these are a great tool. They can bridge the gap between using floatation and swimming independently. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/bf20f13f-8755-4710-85f5-54de03f503e9/Screen+Shot+2024-11-04+at+2.18.44+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories Why I Love Them: These diapers come in a larger sizes for kiddos who have outgrown typical toddler sizes. Helpful Tips: -use a consistent dressing routine (dress in the same room, with same positioning, with same order of clothing) -use consistent, simple phrases to make dressing routine predictable -encourage your child to participate in donning/doffing swim diaper as independently as possible; give them extra time to work on these steps. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/bbf375ed-c361-4f46-beb9-625f86879b44/Screen+Shot+2024-11-04+at+2.24.53+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories - Make it stand out Why I Love Them: If your kiddo has a tendency to drink the pool water, try offering a silicone necklace for them to chew while swimming! Helpful Tips: -choose any shape they like, but ensure they do not have a tube that would allow for drinking -if your child continues to drink pool water, leave a water bottle close by and redirect them to sip on their water bottle -foam bath letters can serve as effective chewers as well https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/af28a40b-243c-4332-90e6-7eaa20c81b43/Screen+Shot+2024-11-04+at+2.32.18+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories Why I Love It: The watermelon ball is weighted and both sinks and floats. By using it for simple structured games, it can be a great tool for visual tracking, coordination, UE strengthening, balance, turn taking, proprioceptive regulation. Helpful Tips: Try these simple games: -catch, throw, kick, or push the ball -stand and throw from the stairs -splashing contests -color identification games -keep the ball underwater https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/77f21ef8-319b-4c35-bdc5-a67e489ac824/Screen+Shot+2024-11-12+at+1.47.43+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories - Make it stand out Why I Love Them: These earplugs muffle external sound, but do not block out direct verbal communication. They are waterproof and have different sizes to perfectly fit different ears. These are perfect for swimming in noisy pool environments. Helpful Tips: -try on for size first, the ear plugs will sink and could get lost! -supervise kids closely while using. It is not recommended to give these to children ages 3 and under, as they are a choking hazard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/b9d90fb9-06a3-4ee9-98c7-aa9b0b8c1638/Screen+Shot+2024-11-12+at+1.51.14+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories - Why I Love Them: These ear drops can be used to instantly dry and cleanse ears after swimming. These can help to prevent swimmer’s ear. Helpful Tip: consult your child’s pediatrician before using ear drops Why I Love Them: These earplugs muffle external sound, but do not block out direct verbal communication. They are waterproof and have different sizes to perfectly fit different ears. These are perfect for swimming in noisy pool environments. Helpful Tips: -try on for size first, the ear plugs will sink and could get lost! -supervise kids closely while using. It is not recommended to give these to children ages 3 and under, as they are a choking hazard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/664b5add6d6a8a176b944e91/f5f6acc5-b639-42ee-8759-6b2d0a677214/Screen+Shot+2024-11-12+at+1.54.39+PM.png Blog - My Favorite Swimming Accessories - Why I Love Them (full website selection): This site offers swimwear that can be used during a menstrual cycle. There are various sizes, styles, and levels of absorbance available to perfectly suit you child and their preferences. 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