Adding complexity to sensory or obstacle courses

First a quick disclaimer - I am not a trained Occupational Therapist by any means. I am a mom who has attended every single OT session my daughter has had in the 11 years of her life as well as an avid user of good ole internet research. Most importantly, I take the knowledge that my daughter’s previous OTs have provided me with and I apply tactics and techniques anytime I can. The following is an example of applying that knowledge:

One of the best lessons I learned from my daughter’s recent OT was, specifically for my student’s needs, was to add complexity to the “obstacle courses” we put together for her. Not only to help increase the time she spent focusing or learning something, but also for keeping it fresh and interesting for her. 

In this month’s Mini Packet we included a Spring Sensory Path as our Interactive Activity. This activity is in its simplest form and is intended to be used in any way you feel is fit for your student.

For my daughter, it would need more complexity added to it to build intentional motor, as well as keep her entertained and interested. As her OT has said “working on an activity that has multiple steps works on executive functioning.”

Here is how I altered some of it for her:

“DRIP-DROP LIKE A RAINDROP // Jump high and land on the ground five times”

Counting and doing a gross motor activity is not something that comes easy for my daughter to do at the same time. So this one is likely complex enough if I really want her to stop on jump number five. So I quickly drew five raindrops on paper and placed them on the ground where I wanted my daughter to jump on them. For her, having this visual helped her go from one to the next; and, as she did, we counted out loud. Counting to five is a skill she mastered many years ago, so that isn’t the goal here. It’s the sequence, taking direction, and the proprioception movement that are the key elements.

“SPROUT LIKE A GROWING PLANT // Start down low and grow - stretch your arms to the sky”

I displayed the photo prompt on our rolling magnetic whiteboard and placed it near colorful six plastic “hopscotch rings”. I took a marker and drew matching rings underneath each sprout. This is another visual for the sequence. Then I encouraged my daughter to stand in the matching ring and pretend to be each sprout reaching up to the sky (the sun, another quick drawing I did to help support the lesson.) 

To motor coach her, I modeled being low to the ground while describing what I was doing and pointed to the example photo. She briefly imitated my movement. We moved to the next ring and I modeled being low to the ground and as she was starting to imitate me again, I put the sun above her head and told her to reach for the sun. We repeated this movement for each “sprout”, but slowly had the sun higher above her head for her to attempt to touch it. This requires a lot of intentional motor control, so any effort to do it, and at any speed she does it, was considered a win here. 

The imitation element is very important in motor planning and it helps us learn how to learn.

“FLAP YOUR BEAUTIFUL WINGS // Pretend to be a butterfly on a sunny, spring day”

We actually do this one daily during a sensory time routine so it was one that I knew she was going to fly (no pun intended) through very fast and try to move past. So for this one, I had her write a sentence on her talker after doing the activity. “Flap like a butterfly”. This is an easy phrase for her on its own, but again it’s taking a gross motor activity and adding a learning function to it. You do not need to make the components difficult on their own, it’s the combination of the two that matters more here.

Her OT once put it like this: “We need to find ways to help her brain make the neuronal connections so that she has more ability to process and get out the information she has in her brain.”

“CATERPILLAR CRAWL // Slowly crawl on the ground like a hungry caterpillar”

We have one of those fold-out play tunnels so I wanted to include it in this next step. When I set it up, I threw a blanket and couch throw-pillows inside. This was another tip from her OT to increase complexity within things that come easy for her. Just for fun, I included a leaf-shaped throw-pillow as the goal at the end of the tunnel. “Come on caterpillar - get to your tasty leaf!”

These were just a few ways I took a very simple sensory path activity and added a little bit of complexity to some of the steps. Other days I have incorporated her AAC device more, magnet letters, a worksheet or other curriculum activity and even some arts and crafts. 

If this Spring-themed Sensory Path interests you, it is included in our March Mini Packet* (with other sections including math, Spell2Communicate lessons, and more. If you are not already a member (and thus have received this month’s packet already), you can order a packet today!

*The link updates with each month’s packet.

Jennifer Bullock, Contributing Author

Homeschooling-experienced mom to a tween, non-speaking daughter, Jennifer is also Marketing Outreach Coordinator for The Autism Oasis. With 20+ years experience in marketing, advertising, and social media communications, you will see her occasionally supporting the blog and social media channels with various content related to Autism Oasis.