The Proprioceptive System

Author: Rebecca O’Callaghan, M.S., OTRL, SWC
Can you touch your finger to your nose? Can you do it again with your eyes closed? The proprioceptive system provides us a sense of body position within the space of our environment. It is how we can find our nose without relying on our visual sense to help us. The proprioceptive systems works with the vestibular system to help us coordinate our body and limbs as we move in space, and together gives us a sense of proprioception and body awareness. Proprioception is the sense that results when the sensory receptors located throughout the body respond to stretching and compression of the muscles, joints, and skin. Body awareness is the “here I am!” marker we rely on to help us to determine the position of our body parts, their relation to each other, and their relation to other people and objects in the environment. A child who has difficulty with proprioception and body awareness may appear more clumsy or may seem to play too rough, bumping into objects or placing too much force on an object in play.

The proprioceptive system also has an important regulatory role, particularly in helping your child with self-regulation. Remember, self-regulation is the body’s ability to respond to the demands of a situation, while at the same time, processing emotions and behaviors. Self-regulation allows for flexibility and spontaneous reactions (or the ability to delay those reactions) based on the given situation. Self-regulation is dependent on a child’s ability to maintain an optimal arousal state and attention within the given situation.

Proprioceptive input can assist in controlling responses to sensory stimuli. This type of input can help soothe, calm, and regulate the other sensations that may be overloading the nervous system. Like massaging an overused muscle to sooth and relax the tightness and ache, receiving proprioceptive input can provide a sense of calm to a body that is over-stimulated by all the other senses. By applying pressure to the muscles, stretching and compressing the joints, we can activate the proprioceptive system, and help your child to maintain self-regulation. So it’s no wonder we OTs like to give long tight hugs, since it can have such a positive effect on the body! Too much energy? Difficulty paying attention? Can’t sleep? Give proprioceptive input! The following pages will give you some activities and ideas for giving your child proprioceptive experiences while at home.

Proprioceptive Input Activities at Home

  • Swaddle an infant or young child

  • Assist your infant or young child with playtime activities on his/her tummy

  • Massage your child’s body, arms, and legs

  • Offer teething toys or chewy tubes

  • Have your child crawl over a pile of pillows or crawl through a tunnel

  • Have your child pull a wagon filled with toys

  • Pushing activities – have your child push a laundry basket filled with toys or clothes; or have him/her propel a push toy, but make sure to add some weight!

  • Play with a weighted ball – roll it back-and-forth or play catch

  • Pull-Apart Toys – Legos, snap beads, plastic eggs, or pull tubes

  • Play tug-of-war with a sheet or blanket

  • Hug a stuffed animal, squeeze squishy ball, or pull on a stretchy sensory toy

  • Jump and Crash – jump on the couch cushions or jump onto a soft landing surface like a big pile of pillows, mattress, cushion, or bean bag. Trampolines are great too!

  • “Sandwich” an older child in between two large couch cushions

  • “Burrito Wrap” an older child – grab a blanket, soft flexible exercise mat, thin rug, or foam mattress topper and roll them up (keeping the face out of the burrito, of course)! Let your child decide if they would like hands inside or outside the burrito.

  • “Steamroller” – have your child lie down on their stomach while you roll an exercise ball on their back with gentle pressure

  • Squishing, squeezing, pushing, or rolling playdough, putty, or slime

  • Play with sand (even better...wet sand!) and scoop, fill buckets, or make sand castles

  • Animal Walks – walk like an animal, hop like a rabbit, walk like a bear, or walk like a crab

  • Wheelbarrow walks – walk your way from room to room by doing a wheelbarrow walk; put a pile of toys or puzzle pieces at one end of the room and a bucket or the puzzle board at the other

  • Make an obstacle course for your child to crawl over or under various house hold items (i.e. crawl over pillows, crawl under the kitchen table, etc.)

  • Have your child help bring in groceries

  • Have your child help to push or pull the laundry basket around your house to a desired location to pick up laundry (as you fill it up, it will get heavier!); then load the towels into the washer (an armful of towels are heavier to lift than an armful of clothes, but either will work!)

  • Practice yoga poses

  • Use a weighted blanket or compression vest

  • HUGS! Bear Hugs – everyone could use a hug but make this one with an extra firm tight squeeze and hold it for a little longer.