Meeting the Sensory Needs of Preschoolers

[...]provide audio books at the literacy center so children can listen to books as they look at them. * Provide a large exercise ball to sit on and stress balls to squeeze. * Include movement activities in the classroom and outdoors: start the day by doing jumping jacks or silly dance moves. * Use music and movement during everyday events to help the child pay attention. Strategies for individualizing * Provide activities that involve movement, such as jumping or swinging, aerobic exercises, using hand fidgets, or keeping a water bottle with a straw on a table (Saunders 2006). * Introduce hands-on manipulativesclothespins, stones, small pom-poms, and such. * Provide extra sensory experiences by assigning the child a classroom task like collecting art supplies, helping clean the tables, or taking charge of the lunch count. * Encourage friendships with peers who are physically active and can help direct the child's energy toward a purposeful activity, such as playing an instrument in the music and movement center or engaging in big body play while outdoors. * Use positive guidance-for example, redirect the child by having him help you organize materials in different learning centers.