Our visit last week with the Occupational Therapist was very informative as we worked more on creating a sensory diet for my sons. She also brought over a dozen thick foam gym mats to line the wall and floor in a corner of our basement for the boys to tumble around on. We're slowly converting our basement into a sensory gymnasium and having the mats was a great addition.
Diane showed us another activity the boys could do to meet their sensory needs. It's called the Burrito game (or taco, or sandwich - whichever you like). She demonstrated the game by rolling my son snug in a blanket and had him lie face down as she applied "ingredients" to the Burrito. He'd call out cheese, and using a large rubber ball, she'd bounce the ball up and down his back and legs. "Refried Beans" he'd call out next and she'd roll the ball in a scooping motion across his back and legs. She'd use a variety of actions, but she was firm with the ball and always checked with my son to see if the pressure was too much or too little, or just right. What is nice about this game, is that the boys can play it with each other.
We've established a bedtime routine and WOW, what a difference that makes when we incorporate warm baths, joint compressions, deep pressure brushing and the burrito game right before bed. The boys were mellow, and completely agreeable. They went to bed without a fuss; there was no hollering about monsters and zombies, no bickering over blankets and toys - they just went to bed, and zonked out! It takes about an hour, but so worth it. But as I think about it, an hour of doing the SPD diet requirements is worth two hours of chaos before bed.
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