So let’s start at the top, what are heavy work activities? Heavy work activities are anything that involves pushing, pulling or lifting. These activities are great for people who are seeking proprioceptive input. You might have read in my previous posts that the proprioceptive system keeps track of and controls each individual body part. People who seek this input may benefit from heavy work activities that work against weight or resistance sending information into their joints, hence, pushing, pulling and lifting. These activities help calm and organise the body.
So the next step is knowing when to use heavy work activities. If you notice someone;
- Bumps into objects
- Chews on items
- Banging, jumping or crashing
- Applies too much pressure for example when writing
- Difficulty attending or holding themselves up straight
Of course, this list is not a way to diagnose sensory processing difficulties and the above could mean a wide range of things so be sure to check in with your health professionals, but these can be indicators that some heavy work activities could be helpful. So, what do we do now? Well, here are some free or cheap ideas to try throughout the day;
- Moving furniture
- Animal walks (crab walks, bear walks)
- Pushing a trolley
- Monkey bars
- Taking out rubbish bins
- Watering plants
- Crunchy foods
- Drink thick-shake through a straw
- Bounce or roll a heavy ball
- Squeeze dough or putty
To get you on your way with heavy work activities here are some free printable choice boards for you to use at home and in the classroom!