Some children shut down in the presence of non-preferred foods and will not engage in tactile play right away. In this case, sensory play will be the best place to start!
For children with sensory aversion to food textures or smells, sensory play is a great way to help alleviate hypersensitivities. Sensory play includes free, creative play using different textures such as shaving cream, paint, dried noodles, dried beans, slime, play doh, etc. Sensory play is child directed and focused on positive experiences with strange or unfamiliar textures.
Here are some ways to incorporate sensory play at home:
Use cookie cutters to make animals and shapes with play doh.
Use shaving cream to practice making shapes, letters, or numbers with their fingers.
Incorporate finger painting into holiday crafts.
Pour uncooked noodles (bow ties, macaroni, etc.) into a plastic container. Hide small toys in the bin and have your child search for hidden toys. *You can do the same activity with dried rice, beans, or sprinkles as well!
During these activities, watch how your child responds to the textures. Encourage, but do not force your child to touch the texture if he or she is unwilling at first. Incorporate preferred toys such as dolls, action figures, cars, and plastic animals to facilitate positive interactions. If your child responds strongly to the texture and requests for you to wash their hands, show your child how to wipe it off with his or her own hands or with a towel to model independence.
Most children respond well to sensory based activities and truly enjoy the fun and messy play with their families.
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