Useful Equipment for the Proprioceptive System

Exercise Bike

• Pedalling

• Pedalling with arms out, arms up, add twinkling finger action to increase sensory input into joints to increase limb awareness

• Pedalling space to music to incorporate auditory input

• Pedalling to a specific pattern e.g. clapping hands every 5 pedal rotation to improve motor coordination

• Catching a ball while pedalling

• Increase pedalling resistance to increase joint compression in legs, increasing sensory input and limb awareness.

Balance Ball

• Bounce on therapy ball – Child to sit on the ball with feet flat on the floor and encourage child to bounce whilst seated.

• Pass the ball – Rolling the ball back and forth between the adult and child

• Roll the ball over the child – Have the child lie on top of a gym mat on their stomach or back. The adult will then roll the therapy ball over the child and gradually increase the applied pressure, This will provide deep pressure.

Play Tunnel

• Crawl through the tunnel – The child will crawl through the tunnel to provide weight across both arms and leg joints therefore providing proprioceptive input.

• Roll the tunnel – Child will lie in the tunnel and adult will roll the tunnel back and forth. You may encourage the child to roll the tunnel themselves from within. This can also provide vestibular input for the child.

Trampoline

• The child stands on the trampoline then proceeds to jump.

• Different jumping techniques can be performed such as jumping on one foot, star jumps or playing catch the ball whilst jumping.

Battle Ropes

These ropes provide an opportunity for kids to do heavy work as the ropes are quite heavy which will give them proprioceptive input they need to relax their body.

To begin using the battle ropes, it is best for the child to have both feet flat on the ground and have their knees slightly bent. These ropes can be quite heavy so it is recommended to not use these for an extensive period of time.

• Waves – Child holds one end of the rope in each hand at arm’s length in front of hips and moves the rope by alternately raising and lowering each arm explosively.

• Slams – Child holds one end of the rope in each hand and quickly raises handles of the rope overhead. Then immediately drive them down towards the ground as hard as possible. The idea here is for the kids to apply as much force when slamming the rope down.

Resistance Bands

• With the band tied up on the gate, the child can hold the bands and pull to provide sensory stimulation.

• Taking off the band from the gate and using the band, the child can pull the band using force and strength, therefore giving them proprioceptive input.

• These resistance bands could be useful within classrooms as well by placing them on the bottom of the two front chair legs for students who require a lot of movement in their legs.

Crash Mats

Crash mats are an especially useful tool for children who tend to bump and crash into people and objects as they manoeuvre around a space. Jumping, bumping and crashing are great ways for a child to develop body awareness through stimulation of the proprioceptive system.

These can be used in the Ora Room for students to jump into or receive deep pressure.

• Place crash mat as required for the student to run towards and crash into

• Place crash mat near trampoline or foam steps/stairs for the student to use as a landing to ‘crash’ into.

• Get the student to lie on the gym mat and use the crash mats to apply pressure.

In the Calming Sensory Room, many pieces of equipment can be used in tandem with the crash mats to create obstacle courses.

• Crashing from standing (or run and jump)

• Medium height crashing (e.g. from the rainbow top)

• Higher height crashing (e.g. from mirror cave)

• Jumping, or dropping from a swing or trapeze increases vestibular input