Unlock Calm & Focus: Ultimate Sensory Diet Template Examples for All Ages

A sensory diet is a carefully designed, personalized activity plan that provides the sensory input a person needs to stay focused and organized throughout the day. It is a set of physical activities that assist children in maintaining attention and serenity at the appropriate times and may be utilized in conjunction with sensory integration therapy. If kids are overexcited one minute and exhausted the next, a sensory diet can assist to “level things out” by providing them with all of the sensory input they require to be in a balanced state.

Understanding Sensory Diets

What is a Sensory Diet?

Just like our body requires a nutritional diet of healthy foods, the sensory diet is designed to support a person’s sensory needs. A sensory diet is a specific set of sensory activities designed to meet specific needs of the individual. The term “sensory diet” was coined by Patricia Wilbarger in 1984 to explain how certain sensory experiences can improve occupational performance and help to remediate disruption of the sensory processing systems. An occupational therapist named Patricia Wilbarger came up with the term sensory diet to describe the brain’s need for more sensory-motor input from the various sensory systems.

Why Sensory Diets are Important

Sensory diets are effective for addressing many sensory-related behaviors. A sensory diet is a meaningful set of strategies for developing sensory programs that are practical, carefully scheduled, and controlled in order to affect functioning. Just as a healthy diet consists of a variety of foods, a sensory diet is a balanced set of sensory information that allows an individual to function.

Children who have a toolbox of sensory activities available to them for daily use may benefit from prescribed sensory activities. Sensory diets are a commonly known strategy for addressing sensory needs.

Sensory Needs

Remember that each and every person has their own specific needs. We each have different needs when it comes to the tactile, motor, tastes, smells, etc. that allow us to function. Similarly, a sensory diet designed to support regulation and sensory processing will be different for every individual. Sensory diets can include various sensory strategies and supports that help the individual to regulate. Another way to put it is to call these preferences a sensory need.

Read also: Regulation Through Sensory Input

The Role of a Sensory Diet

A sensory diet includes the use of individualized activities or tools at specified frequencies throughout the day to support your child’s regulation, and thereby participation in daily tasks. This “diet” includes possible changes to your child’s environment as well as participation in meaningful sensory based activities.

Creating a Sensory Diet

The Sensory Diet Template

A sensory diet template is helpful in strategizing and getting started with sensory diet creation. However, remember that we discussed above how everyone’s needs are different and that each sensory diet will be unique to the individual. Every one of us will have a unique sensory diet formula depending on preferences, processing, needs, and environment. One important piece of the sensory diet puzzle is the successful implementation of strategies. There is more to a sensory diet than applying sensory input or encouraging a child to participate in sensory play activities.

Steps to Creating a Sensory Diet

There are specific steps to creating a sensory diet. This level of sensory diet creation requires assessment and identification of each challenging issue.

Step 1: Identify Sensory Needs

Sensory behaviors should be identified and charted. Make detailed notes that describe the action, the environment, the disabilities, and the impact on function, safety, learning, social participation, etc. When taking the time to analyze sensory impact on function, it’s important to look for issues that may be impacting the individual’s functional performance.

Timing- when does the behavior occurring? Sensory related issues can be charted in a methodological manner or they can simply be written down on a scrap paper. Identifying sensory needs when beginning the sensory diet process is much like keeping track of a food diary or sleep diary. In these situations, you’ll also want to mark down every detail including how one is feeling emotionally, physically, and other considerations.

Read also: Autism and Sensory Needs

Step 2: Strategize/Reasoning

The next level in creating a sensory diet involves identifying the “why” behind the behaviors. Think about why the individual may be responding, or reacting to sensory input or environmental input in the way that they are. Is it an unmet sensory need that causes a child to bolt down the hallway? Use this information to come up with predictions and opportunities to support the individual with specific accommodations or modifications to the environment.

Step 3: Create a Sensory Diet Template and Apply/Trial Various Sensory Strategies

In this stage of sensory diet development, strategies need to be trialed for effectiveness within the lifestyle of the child and family. Scheduling sensory diet strategies is an important step. If a box of sensory supplies is offered, but no schedule put into place, the sensory diet immediately is set up for failure.

Each strategy should be assessed for effectiveness. A simple checklist can be completed in the classroom or at home. Remember that this part of the sensory diet creation process is very fluid! There will be trials, adjustments, periods of re-trialing, and monitoring. Applying various strategies at different levels of growth in a child is a must.

Step 4: Monitor

At this stage in development of a sensory diet, strategies should be monitored for effectiveness. Strategies should be monitored on a frequent basis with regard to effectiveness. Additionally, carryover of sensory strategies must be monitored. Carryover of sensory strategies is extremely important in both the home and in the classroom.

Key Considerations

Individualization: Activities must be individualized for each child and modified frequently to meet changing needs.
Observation: Observe what works for that individual, what doesn’t work, and what kind of supports support or compromise functioning.
Environment: Consider the environment, the others involved in a functional task, and many other considerations.
Timing: Use this worksheet to keep track of how your youngster feels before and after each activity. It’s best to stop an activity if your kid isn’t enjoying it. Patterns may develop if you use the worksheet on a regular basis. You’ll notice the kind of sensory input your youngster requires (visual, tactile, auditory, movement, heavy work, or oral motor) and at what time of the day.

Sensory Diet Examples

Here are some powerful sensory diet examples to inspire how you create your child’s sensory diet using the template.

Bedtime Routine: A little girl has a hard time going upstairs for bed and often tantrums. Besides giving her reminders about the approaching bedtime, her family gives her a piggyback ride upstairs, jumping and stomping all the way.
After School Overstimulation: A boy comes home from school and is overstimulated and irritable.
Nervousness: A boy is really nervous going to daycare every day. To help him, he carries a stress ball in his pocket that he can squeeze whenever he needs to.
Playground Reluctance: A boy won’t climb or swing on anything at the playground. Once or twice a week his mom sets up some obstacles with couch pillows for him to crawl over in the house.
Food Sensitivity: When my son was younger, he was very sensitive to different textures and only ate a small variety of foods.
Focus Issues: A school aged girl struggles to sit still in school and focus throughout the day. Her dad makes sure she has 5 minutes to jump on a small trampoline in the house before she leaves.
Rough Play: My son is a sensory seeker and loves to play rough. Throughout our normal daily interactions, I make an effort to give him big deep hugs if he walks by I rough house with him for a minute or two.
Sensory Access: A girl that is really active and loves to swing has access to a scooter board and rocking toy whenever she needs it.
Sleep Preparation: A toddler can’t seem to fall asleep every night. To help prepare him for sleep, the parents keep lights dim, read stories while snuggling in a rocking chair, and give a massage with lavender scented lotion. He falls asleep watching a slow changing night light.
Bright Light and Noises Sensitivity: A child hates the bright light and noises in large stores.
Toenail Cutting Anxiety: A toddler can’t stand getting his toenails cut so his mom gives him time on a swing first, because he loves that and it helps calm him.

Sensory Activities by Type of Input

Proprioceptive Input

Proprioceptive input (sensations from joints, muscles and connective tissues that underlie body awareness) can be obtained by lifting, pushing, and pulling heavy objects, including one’s own weight.

Push and pull.
Carry that weight.
Jump!
Heavy lifting.
Push, pull, and carry.
Reassuring pressure. Get a firm massage, use a weighted vest or lap pad from a therapy catalog, or place light weights in the pockets of a fishing, athletic or regular type of vest.

Vestibular Input

Vestibular input (the sense of movement, centered in the inner ear). Any type of movement will stimulate the vestibular receptors, but spinning, swinging, and hanging upside down provide the most intense, longest lasting input.

Swing.
Spin. Have him spin using a Sit n’ Spin, Dizzy Disc Jr., or office chair. Let her run in circles, and ride a carousel.
Get upside down.
Swing and roll.
Spin.
Swing and spin.
Move that body!

Tactile Input

The tactile sense detects light touch, deep pressure, texture, temperature, vibration, and pain. This includes both the skin covering your body and the skin lining the inside of your mouth.

Food and drink.
Messy play with textures. Have her play with foamy soap or shaving cream, and add sand for extra texture. Have her fingerpaint, play with glitter glue, mix cookie dough and cake batter, and so on.
Let your child use the playground sandbox or create your own at home, filling a bin with dry beans and rice or other materials and small toys.
Use child-friendly modeling material such as Play-Doh, Model Magic, and Sculpey (the classic Play-Doh Fun Factory provides excellent proprioceptive input as well).
Never force a child who is unwilling to touch “yucky” substances.
Dress up.
Food and drink.
Get in touch with nature. Encourage him to walk barefoot in the grass (avoiding pesticide applications), sand, or dirt.
Play dress-ups.
Tactile hobbies. Sculpt, sew, weave, crochet or knit. Create a scrapbook (which involves lots of pasting and working with different textures). Use sandpaper to smooth a woodworking project.

Auditory Input

Auditory input refers to both what we hear and how we listen, and is physiologically connected with the vestibular sense.

Get outside and listen. Go to the beach or sit still and listen to the rain, thunder, and so on.
Listen to natural sound recordings. There are many recordings of rain falling, ocean waves, bird songs, and so on. Sometimes natural sound recordings also feature light instrumentation with flutes, keyboards, etc.
Play a listening game.
Find calming, focusing music. Listen to music specially engineered to promote calm, focus, energy, or creativity. Keep in mind, of course, that musical preference is highly idiosyncratic, so this will take some experimentation.
Encourage musicianship.
Give him some control. For a child with auditory sensitivity, predicting and controlling sounds can be very helpful. Encourage him to turn on the vacuum cleaner, help him pop the balloons after a birthday party, anticipating the noise.
Create pleasant sounds.

Visual Input

Visual input can often be overstimulating for a child with sensory issues. Think about ways you can simplify the visual field at home or school for a calming, organizing effect. Alternately, if the child seems “tuned out” and doesn’t respond easily to visual stimulation, add brightly colored objects to encourage visual attention.

Avoid excess visuals. Hide clutter in bins or boxes or behind curtains or doors-a simple, solid-color curtain hung over a bookshelf instantly reduces visual clutter. In rooms where the child spends a lot of time, try to use solid colored rugs instead of patterned ones.
Seat him elsewhere. Have your child sit at the front of a classroom where there is less distraction. He may also need to sit away from the window to avoid the allure of the outdoors. Some children do best sitting in the back of the room so they can monitor what other kids are doing without constantly turning around.
Be color-sensitive.

Olfactory Input

Olfactory input (sense of smell) comes through the nose and goes straight to the most primitive, emotional part of the brain.

Smell stuff! Explore scents with your child to find ones that work best to meet your goal (to soothe him or to wake him up). Everyone has different preferences, but vanilla and rose scents are generally calming. Peppermint and citrus are usually alerting.
Scent play. Play a smelling game with your child.

Taste Input

Taste input is perceived by our tongue but how we interpret or experience it is strongly influenced by our sense of smell.

Give strong-tasting foods before introducing new ones. Strong tastes can stimulate the mouth of an undersensitive child and make him more willing to try new foods.
Play a taste game.
Involve him in food preparation. Children are more likely to taste something if they help make it. Let your child help you grow fruit, vegetables, and herbs, and plan dinner and shop.
Play with your food.

Additional Sensory Diet Activities

Swinging: Swinging provides excellent vestibular input, which helps with balance and coordination. Set up a swing in your backyard or visit a local park. Encourage your child to swing back and forth, side to side, and in circular motions. The rhythmic movement can be very calming and help your child regulate their sensory system.
Jumping on a Trampoline: Jumping on a trampoline is fun and offers significant proprioceptive input, which can help your child feel more organized and grounded. If you have a small trampoline at home, supervise your child as they jump, and join the fun!
Weighted Blankets: Weighted blankets provide deep pressure input, which can be incredibly soothing and help with relaxation and sleep. Choose a blanket that is about 10% of your child’s body weight. Use it during quiet times, like reading a book or watching a movie, or as a part of the bedtime routine.
Therapy Ball: A therapy ball is a versatile tool for providing both vestibular and proprioceptive input. Have your child sit on the ball and bounce gently, roll back and forth, or lie on their tummy and roll the ball under their body.
Obstacle Course: Creating an obstacle course is a great way to provide various sensory inputs. Use pillows, chairs, tunnels, and other household items to create a path for your child to navigate.
Sensory Bins: Fill bins with rice, beans, sand, or other textured materials, and hide small toys or objects for your child to find. This activity provides rich tactile stimulation and can help with fine motor skills.
Play Dough: Kneading, rolling, and shaping play dough can be calming and tactile-rich. Provide your child with various tools, such as rolling pins, cookie cutters, and plastic knives to enhance the experience.
Water Play: Playing with water can be very soothing and engaging for children. Set up a water table or use a large container filled with water and add toys like cups, spoons, and small boats.
Music: Music can provide auditory input that helps regulate mood and focus. Create a playlist of your child’s favorite calming or rhythmic songs and play it during quiet times or transitions.
Chewing: Chewing gum or crunchy snacks like carrots, apples, or pretzels can offer oral sensory input that can be calming for some children. Keep these items handy when your child needs to focus or calm down.
Hugs: Giving your child firm, deep-pressure hugs can help them feel secure and grounded.
Jumping Jacks: A quick round of jumping jacks can provide proprioceptive input and help with energy regulation.
Fidget Toys: Small fidget toys can help children focus by providing constant, subtle sensory input.
Sensory Brush: A sensory brush on the skin can provide tactile input and help with sensory regulation.
Balance Board: Standing on a balance board can enhance vestibular input and improve balance.
Nature Walks: Walking in nature provides a variety of sensory inputs from different environments and can be very calming.
Visual Timers: Using visual timers can help children understand time and transitions, providing visual sensory input.
Pleasant Scents: Pleasant scents like lavender can provide olfactory input that may help with relaxation.
Stretching: Simple stretching exercises can provide proprioceptive input and help with body awareness.
Bubbles: Blowing and popping bubbles can be a fun way to provide visual and tactile input.

Implementing Sensory Diets in Different Environments

Sensory Diets at School

A sensory diet is an important strategy and tool to support learning needs in the classroom environment. Occupational therapists can be a great resource for sensory diets that flow from the home to the school environment. The best type of sensory diet utilizes sensory aspects of everyday functional tasks within the activity as it occurs.

Related, a sensory diet can include recess activities as a tool to support emotional or sensory regulation needs. Running on a blacktop surface at recess, playing with hula hoops, balls, or building blocks at a key part of the day is scheduled into the students’ schedules every day they are at school.

Sensory Diets at Home

At home, recess isn’t an option, but heading outside is! Another environmental consideration is the playground. A park or playground area offers sensory diet equipment and tools that can be used on a scheduled basis. Consider adding a trip to the playground to the schedule on specific days of the week. Perhaps a walk to a local park can occur each evening after dinner. It’s all about what the individual needs and what works for the family’s lifestyle. Another location for sensory diets can be the woods or a wooded outdoor area.

Sensory Diets on the Go

When we travel, there can be a lot of different or novel sensory experiences. When hot weather, wind, and scratchy sand impact sensory needs at the beach, these are all important considerations. Another support for travel is the sensory diet on the go! This easy to create sensory support is individualized and includes the materials and strategies that support the individual’s needs.

The Role of Occupational Therapists

It is strongly recommended that you work with an occupational therapist who has a solid understanding of sensory processing issues. One of the trickiest aspects of sensory difficulty is recognizing when a child is overreactive or underreactive in any given moment, and then calibrating sensory input to meet him where he is and provide a “just right challenge” to help him move forward into a “just right” state of being. That’s why it’s so important to partner up with knowledgeable help.

Occupational therapy practitioners are very skilled at this observation piece. And the observation will make all the difference in whether a sensory diet actually serves its purpose or not. When we make a sensory diet, especially for the pediatric population, we need to observe what works for that individual, what doesn’t work, and what kind of supports support or compromise functioning.

If you want to try a sensory diet, it’s a good idea to talk with an occupational therapist.

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