Q

Sensory Diet and Autism: 5 Activities to Try at Home

Explore five sensory diet activities for children with autism that parents can try at home to improve focus, regulation, and daily comfort.

A

Answered by

Encore Support Staff

Key Points:

• A sensory diet is a structured set of activities tailored to help children with autism manage sensory sensitivities and improve focus and regulation.
• Parents can implement practical, evidence-based activities at home that target specific sensory needs, from tactile to vestibular input.
• Incorporating these activities into daily routines can reduce sensory overload, enhance comfort, and support emotional and behavioral regulation.

Children with autism often experience the world in ways that are more intense or differently processed than their peers. Bright lights, loud sounds, certain textures, or even unexpected movement can trigger overwhelm, distraction, or meltdowns. These sensory differences are not just “quirks”; they are real challenges that can affect learning, social interaction, and daily comfort. That’s where a sensory diet comes in—a carefully planned set of activities designed to meet a child’s individual sensory needs, improve regulation, and support focus.

As a parent, implementing a sensory diet at home might seem overwhelming at first, but with a thoughtful approach, it can become a natural part of your child’s day. Many families working with ABA therapy see tangible improvements when sensory activities are paired with structured behavioral support. Below, we explore five practical sensory diet activities you can try at home, complete with detailed guidance on how to implement them effectively.

Understanding a Sensory Diet

Before diving into specific activities, it’s helpful to understand what a sensory diet is and why it matters. A sensory diet is not a literal diet—it’s a set of personalized, scheduled sensory experiences aimed at helping your child stay calm, focused, and regulated throughout the day.

Children with autism may be hyper-sensitive (over-responsive) or hypo-sensitive (under-responsive) to different sensory inputs. For instance, a child may find the feel of clothing irritating, struggle to focus in noisy environments, or seek intense movement to feel alert. By incorporating sensory-rich activities strategically, you can help your child:

• Manage anxiety and sensory overload
• Improve attention and learning readiness
• Develop self-regulation and coping skills
• Reduce behaviors that stem from sensory discomfort

ABA therapy often complements these strategies by breaking skills into manageable steps, providing reinforcement, and teaching children how to respond to sensory challenges in socially appropriate ways. Integrating sensory diet activities into daily routines—meals, playtime, and transitions—can make a big difference in overall well-being.

1. Tactile Activities: Engaging the Sense of Touch

Tactile input—what children feel through their skin—can be calming or alerting depending on the type of touch. For children with autism, tactile sensitivities can manifest as avoidance of messy play, discomfort with certain fabrics, or intense fascination with textures.

Practical tactile activities:

1. Sensory bins: Fill a container with rice, beans, sand, or water beads. Let your child scoop, pour, and bury objects. This allows for exploration in a controlled, repetitive way that can be calming. For children who are over-sensitive, start with dry, less overwhelming textures.
2. Therapy putty or clay: Kneading putty or modeling clay strengthens fine motor skills and provides deep pressure input, which can be calming and organizing for the nervous system. Encourage rolling, squishing, and stamping shapes.
3. Textured pathways: Lay out different fabrics—soft, rough, bumpy—and encourage your child to walk barefoot over them. This activity stimulates sensory awareness while improving balance and body awareness.

Consistency matters. Scheduling tactile activities at times when your child tends to become overwhelmed—before homework or transitions—can help preempt meltdowns and improve focus.

2. Vestibular Activities: Movement and Balance

The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, helps children process movement and maintain balance. Vestibular input can be particularly helpful for children who appear restless, have difficulty sitting still, or seek intense motion.

Home-friendly vestibular activities:

1. Swinging: Use a backyard swing or an indoor platform swing. Gentle back-and-forth motion can be calming, while faster swings may provide alerting input for children who are hypo-sensitive. Always supervise for safety.
2. Spinning games: Slowly spin your child in a chair or with a ride-on toy to provide controlled vestibular stimulation. Monitor for dizziness and adjust intensity based on tolerance.
3. Balance challenges: Encourage walking along a taped line, stepping stones, or a balance beam. These activities improve coordination while giving the vestibular system targeted input.

Vestibular activities are especially effective when combined with deep pressure or proprioceptive input (like crawling under a table or carrying weighted objects), as this dual stimulation can enhance regulation and reduce sensory seeking behaviors.

3. Proprioceptive Activities: Strength and Body Awareness

Proprioception involves sensing the position of muscles and joints, and it’s a powerful tool for self-regulation. Many children with autism seek proprioceptive input through heavy work, pressure, or repetitive motion.

Proprioceptive exercises you can try at home:

1. Animal walks: Encourage your child to move like a bear (hands and feet), crab (hands and feet with belly up), or frog (squat jumps). These activities build strength, coordination, and body awareness.
2. Push and pull tasks: Carrying groceries, pushing a laundry basket, or pulling a wagon provides deep pressure that can be calming and satisfying.
3. Wall or floor pushes: Have your child push against a wall, weighted mat, or resistance bands. This can help release excess energy while improving joint stability.

Proprioceptive input is often most effective when included before tasks that require attention, like homework, meals, or quiet play. Many families notice that combining ABA therapy with structured proprioceptive activities leads to smoother transitions and fewer sensory meltdowns.

4. Auditory Activities: Sound Regulation

Children with autism often experience auditory sensitivities, reacting strongly to loud noises or avoiding certain types of sound. Other children may under-respond and seek intense auditory input. A sensory diet can help modulate these reactions.

Ways to support auditory regulation at home:

1. White noise or calming music: Playing soft background sounds during mealtime, homework, or bedtime can reduce distractions and help children focus.
2. Musical instruments: Encourage drumming, shaking maracas, or tapping rhythms. Active sound-making helps children engage in a controlled, expressive way.
3. Listening games: Play “I Spy” with environmental sounds or simple musical patterns. These activities train selective attention and listening skills.

Auditory activities should always respect a child’s sensitivity level. Pairing sound-based exercises with ABA strategies—like reinforcing calm behavior during exposure to new sounds—can gradually increase tolerance without overwhelming the child.

5. Oral-Motor and Sensory Chewing Activities

Oral-motor input helps children with sensory regulation and can improve feeding, speech, and attention. Many children with autism engage in chewing behaviors as a form of sensory seeking. Structured oral activities can channel this need productively.

Examples to try at home:

1. Chewy toys: Use safe, flexible chew toys to provide controlled oral input. These can help with self-regulation and improve oral awareness.
2. Blowing activities: Bubble blowing, whistles, or straws exercises strengthen oral muscles and improve breath control, supporting speech and attention.
3. Crunchy or chewy snacks: Offer safe, textured foods (carrots, apples, pretzels) during designated snack times. Reinforce calm eating habits to pair sensory input with self-regulation.

Oral-motor activities are particularly helpful when children are transitioning from high-energy play to calmer tasks. Pairing these with ABA reinforcement strategies—like rewarding the use of calm behaviors—can improve consistency and effectiveness.

Tips for Implementing a Sensory Diet at Home

A sensory diet is most effective when it’s consistent, individualized, and integrated into daily routines. Here are practical tips for parents:

• Observe and track: Note your child’s sensory triggers and preferences. Document which activities improve focus, calmness, or mood.
• Schedule strategically: Include sensory breaks before demanding tasks, transitions, or potentially overwhelming environments.
• Combine with ABA strategies: Use positive reinforcement and structured prompts to encourage participation and generalize skills across activities.
• Keep sessions short and playful: Frequent, short bursts are often more effective than long, intensive sessions.
• Adjust based on feedback: Sensory needs change daily; remain flexible and responsive to your child’s cues.

By understanding your child’s sensory profile and pairing it with ABA principles, you can create a personalized routine that helps them thrive.

How ABA Therapy Supports Sensory Integration

ABA therapy doesn’t just teach behaviors—it helps children navigate their sensory world with confidence. Therapists carefully assess each child’s needs, design targeted interventions, and reinforce adaptive responses to sensory input. When ABA therapy is combined with a home sensory diet, children often show meaningful improvements in focus, emotional regulation, and daily comfort.

Families working with Encore ABA have found that integrating sensory activities with ABA therapy in New York or in New Jersey creates a nurturing environment where children can learn, play, and grow in ways that feel natural and achievable. These structured programs provide professional guidance while helping parents implement effective strategies at home.

To support your child in developing coping skills and navigating sensory challenges with confidence, get in touch with us today to learn more about our personalized ABA therapy programs.