Are you looking for fun sensory tools to help your child explore and learn better?
Sensory activities are especially helpful if your precious one is…
- A baby
- A toddler
- Special needs (Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Sensory Processing Disorder)
- Experiences anxiety
How we learn, as we grow and develop, comes from our ability to utilize our senses to retain information.
Through sensory play, specific tools are designed to either soothe or stimulate our five senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, sound).
So you may be wondering which sensory tools are effective?
Most importantly, how does it benefit your child?
So let’s explore 8 great sensory tools for kids that are therapist approved.
Be sure to stick around from start to finish to find which sensory items may benefit your child’s needs. 🙂
1. Chew Bands
For Ages: 4 years and up
Best For: Oral focus
Useful Environments: Home, Classrooms, Clinics
Recommended Tool: Chew Bands for Sensory Kids
Why Is It So Good?
If your child is oral-focused and likes to bite or chew their clothes, this band is a wonderful outlet.
Unlike common silicone chewies, this particular biting tool is made out of terrycloth to help soak up a child’s drool so their shirt stays dry.
Benefits
- Improve oral motor skills
- Strengthen facial muscles
- Ideal for oral-focused kids who prefer terrycloth chewies over silicone
- Prevent a child from biting themselves
- Support sensory seeking, ADHD, autism
Takeaway Tip
This bite band is safe for kids to chew.
It either meets or exceeds government safety rules for lead, heavy metals, and flammability.
Final Verdict: A safe oral-focused activity for kids who like to chew or bite things.
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2. Indoor Sensory Playground
For Ages: 0 years and up
Best For: Motor control and balance
Useful Environments: Home, Day Care Centers, Schools, Clinics
Recommended Sensory Tool: The GYMBOX Indoor Playground
Why Is It So Good?
Physical activity is so important for the mind, body, and soul.
This indoor playground is designed to keep your child entertained while enhancing their motor functions.
It’s super easy to fold, store, and travel with.
Plus, the set includes some of the most popular activities kids love!
- Ball pit
- Stairs
- Seesaws
- Crawling tunnel
- Slope to climb up and down on
- Balancing plane
- And MORE…
What’s even better is the GYMBOX pieces connect to each other with velcro.
This allows you to create endless combinations to keep things fun n’ fresh!
Benefits
- Improves balance coordination
- Develops motor functions
- For kids of all abilities
- Stimulates physical activity for sensory seeking kids
Final Verdict: A challenging yet entertaining activity for kids to develop and strengthen their motor skills.
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3. Ride Toy
For Ages: 3 years and up
Best For: Lower extremity challenges
Useful Environments: Home, Therapy Clinics
Recommended Tool: Plasma Car
Why Is It So Good?
Think energy booster when you hear the words ‘Plasma Car’.
It operates on PURE kid-power to make it move!
You do not need batteries, pedals, gears, or even your legs to make it go.
It’s a great outlet for kids who are high-energy or hyperactive to release their energy to calm down.
Benefits
- Kids with poor lower extremity challenges as no leg power are needed
- Enhance motor skills
- For sensory-seeking kids to relax
- Encourage independence
- Explore surroundings
- Stimulate creativity
- Improve spatial intelligence (understanding your space and the surrounding objects)
- Vestibular input
- Adults can use it too (holds up to 200 pounds)
Final Verdict: If your child has movement challenges in their legs or you need a fun bonding activity to do together, this may be a great option for you!
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4. Sensory Seat Cushion
For Ages: 3 years and up
Best For: Fidgeting
Useful Environments: Home, Day Care Centers, Classrooms, Clinics
Recommended Tool: My Magical Cushion
Why Is It So Good?
If your child has difficulty sitting still, a sensory seat cushion may keep their fidgets under control.
It gives you that extra “oomph!” when sitting.
You may also use the cushion as a booster seat for eating, school work, or during play activities.
Benefits
- Stimulate sensory awareness
- Increase attention
- Enhance coordination
- Strengthen the core muscles
- Sit or stand on the cushion to develop balance
- Sit on it during travel to soothe
- Latex-free
- Helps sensory seeking
- Helps sensory under responders
- Mood
Takeaway Tips
Inflate or deflate the cushion to your desired sitting needs by making it squishy or firm.
Adults may use it too as it holds up to 400 pounds.
A needle hand pump is needed to inflate the seat which is not included.
Final Verdict: A soothing sensory tool to improve balance or keep your wiggles under control.
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5. Sensory Tubes
For Ages: 4 years and up
Best For: Focus
Useful Environments: Home, Classrooms, Clinics, Day Care Centers
Recommended Tool: Pop Tubes
Why Is It So Good?
For kids who are like to fidget or grasp things, these pop tubes are an excellent auditory sensory tool.
There are numerous ways to play with these plastic tubes by stretching, connecting, or popping.
This is a wonderful activity to get fingers moving to improve fine motor strength or to focus.
You may also use it as a tool to learn and design various shapes, letters, and numbers.
Benefits
- Engaging STEM toy
- Educational
- Easy to connect
- Create endless designs
- Inspire your imagination
- Release stress
Final Verdict: A sensory tool to support kids who are anxious or fidgety.
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6. Tactile Ball
For Ages: 3 years and up
Best For: Relaxation or stimulation
Useful Environments: Home, Day Care Centers, Schools, Clinics
Recommended Tool: Tactile Sensory Ball
Why Is It So Good?
This large exercise ball is also referred to as a therapy ball.
It gets you bouncing, climbing, and having FUN.
The ball encourages active play while stimulating the senses with the tactile smooth and bumpy surface.
It is also a great outlet for kids to use as a seat to help relax the body during an activity or for doing homework.
Benefits
- Enhance sensory development
- Engage core muscles
- Challenge body awareness
- Improve balance and coordination
- For sensory seekers who need tactile stimulation
- For sensory under responders who need to be calmed and soothed
- Multi-functional (sit, play, or exercise)
- Roll it across your back, arms, or legs for a deep-pressure tactile massage to relax
Takeaway Tip
The tactile ball can be inflated up to 35.5 inches in diameter or made smaller if you want to reduce the space.
The package includes 1 large blue tactile ball (diameter 33.5 inches), 1 round fixed inflatable ring for placing the big ball, air pump included, 2 ball plugs (one spare), 1 ball plug pulling tool, 1 piece of black nano repair patch, and 1 small massage ball.
Final Verdict: A multi-functional sensory outlet to relax or stimulate your senses.
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7. Trampoline
For Ages: 3 years and up
Best For: Mood, Balance, Coordination
Useful Environments: Home, Therapy Clinics, Traveling
Recommended Sensory Tool: Fold-and-Go trampoline
Why Is It So Good?
Let’s face it, jumping and bouncing are enjoyable activities for kids!
The fold-n-go trampoline is designed to grow with your child during their early stages of development up through their later years as it holds up to 150 pounds.
A trampoline encourages your child to move while learning in different environments like at home, school, or in therapy sessions,
Plus, it’s also a great tool for traveling therapists who are looking for a safe and interactive activity to get their kids moving.
Benefits
- Develop gross motor skills
- Improve mood and focus
- Enhance coordination and balance
- The rhythmic bouncing is calming
- It may help a child to relax to transition into their next activity or task easier
- Provides proprioceptive input (which is the sense that tells the body where it is in space)
- Stimulation
Final Verdict: An active sensory tool to encourage movement and allow a child to release much-needed energy.
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8. Weighted Compression Vest
For Ages: 18 months to adult
Best For: Soothe and calm
Useful Environments: Home, Therapy, Classroom
Recommended Tool: Blue Weighted Compression Vest
Why Is It So Good?
Does your child experience sensory overload or need a tool to stay calm and focused?
If you answered yes, a weighted compression vest may be something to consider.
This particular weighted vest was designed by an occupational therapist.
It was made to feel like a snug ol’ hug around your tummy area to encourage your sense of security.
Benefits
- Very comfortable
- Easy to travel with
- Snug fit with the stretchy neoprene material
- Breathable fabric
- The compression along the trunk provides a soothing outlet for those with sensory challenges
- Weights are safely secure inside the vest which are removable or you can add more weight to it
- Adjust the vest along the sides and shoulders for the perfect fit
- For sensory seeking
- For sensory over-responding
- Supports autism and ADHD
Takeaway Tip
Use adult supervision allowing your child to wear the vest for 20 to 30 minutes each hour, or longer.
It’s always best to speak with your pediatrician or therapist regarding how long your child’s vest should be worn.
The manufacturer suggests the weights should be carefully and gradually adjusted for each person’s needs (5% of total body weight is standard while never exceeding 10-15% of total body weight).
For your reference, here is the size weight guide:
- XX-Small and X-Small: Holds up to 4 pounds of weight
- Small: Holds up to 5 pounds of weight
- Medium and Large: Holds up to 9 pounds of weight
- X-Large: Holds up to 12 pounds of weight
Final Verdict: A tool to support sensory overload and encourage calm.
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Thank You!
We want to wrap up by extending our gratitude to thank you for stopping by today!
What sensory tools do you recommend?
Let us know in the comments below. ♥
Was this information helpful to you? If so, you’d make our day by sharing it. 🙂
About the Author
Lindsey is the co-founder of The LENN Foundation and content creator of the Intensive Therapy for Kids blog.
When she isn’t busy playing Godzilla with her son or chasing around her mischievous Rottweiler pup, she loves creating experiences and memories with her loved ones (traveling, watching a good flick, trying new n’ yummy restaurants). Speaking of restaurants, one of her favs is Taco Bell!
Most of all, she is grateful for her supportive circle of family, friends, and to live out her passion for helping kids with Cerebral Palsy (like her sweet nephew Lenny).
If you’re curious about The LENN Foundation, you may see the kids’ helped and feel-good content here. ♥
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The contents of the Intensive Therapy for Kids Site, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the Intensive Therapy for Kids Site (“Content”) are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Hi there Lindsey! What a fantastic article,Thanks for sharing this, absolutely good stuff. I loved about every bit of it Just going through every tools listed here, shows how much kids having fun is important. Kids are so lovely, a thing of joy. I would share this article, I think these sensory tools need to be used more often
Thank you so much. I appreciate you sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing such an informative post! I have to say that who doesn’t love Trampoline? Even I love it and I am happy to hear that it helps with the motor skills to our kids. The Plasma car is also another good one that I can also see myself enjoy riding it with my nephews.
Thanks for sharing Nuttanee! The trampoline was one of my sons favorites when he was little. He got so much energy out of him. 🙂
Kids mental and intellectual development and growth is something that all parent should consider to be very very important. It plays a great role in the life of kids as they grow up. Seeing that there are sensory tools as great as these for kids is just so amazing and will help a lot.
Absolutely. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your feedback.
Hello there!
That is an awesome brand that is so helpful for kids. I love the fact that these sensory tools for kids are one of the best solutions to help children manage their sensory input. I think I would recommend them to my aunt so that she can use them for her kids. I’m sure she won’t regret it.
Thanks
Thanks for stopping by Caroline!
Hello Lindsey Kovach, Thank you very much for sharing this with us. I am very glad I cam across this because I love topics pertaining kids and I have a kid on my own. This sensory tools are one of the best solution for managing the child’s sensory input. I have learnt alot from these and I will try as much as possible to get some of these tools for my kid. Thanks once again.
Thanks so much for sharing. I appreciate the kind words and you enjoyed the post. 🙂
Hello there, thank you so much for sharing this. this is a very awesome piece and a very detailed one. I’m really happy I came across this.I’m so happy I learnt intensive therapy for kids. Kids are bundles of joy and I just can’t help but to assist and help them in my own little way I can. So I think I’ll try this sensory tools for kids
Thanks for taking the time to provide your feedback Charity!