OT FUN at Home
Are you looking for ways to provide vestibular input to your mover and shaker at home? Providing input similar to a swing at a clinic can be tough, but have no fear, if you have a blanket, bed sheet, comforter, duvet, or even a towel, then you’re halfway there! Now all you need is another person to help you hold either end of the blanket and swing your child:).
When I was out and about doing home visits, this was my “go to” to help families get that much needed vestibular input for those movers and shakers. We would usually fold the blanket in half and then make sure that the child is lying down for safety. Once the child was in the correct position we would lift them up and swing them back and forth.
If you’re by yourself, you can always lay half of the blanket on the ground, have your child lay down, or sit and hold on, and you can pull them around hardwood floors. Not swinging, but still linear vestibular movement! Fun fact, this is actually what I did with my son to help him get motivated to crawl, he would lay on his belly and I would gently pull the blanket around:).
Other fun things to do with blankets:
Parachute!
Build a fort (if you have a child who gets overwhelmed or sensory overloaded quickly, then a quiet, dark fort is the perfect place for them to regroup!)
Roll your child up like a burrito for some proprioceptive (deep touch pressure) input!
Play “peek a boo”
Stay safe and healthy and enjoy!