The Sensory Box (Tactile Box)

Does your child complain that his clothes itch? Must she always have the socks entirely streched, or, to the opposite, must they always be loose? Do strong noises make him cover his ears with his hands? And if "this" touched "that" in her plate, does it mean dinner's over?

Many kids are especially sensitive to touch, and we are not always aware of this. The "tactile box" is meant to allow them to safely and gradually experiance new sensations, some pleasant and some unpleasant, and to get used to them.  What should you put in the box? - Anything: a bath sponge, an acorn, a leaf, a feather, a brush; items made of wood, of wool, of nylon, of plastic; hard objects, soft objects, tickling objects, itching objects... - anything at all: diversity is the name of the game.

Put all of these items in front of the child, then ask him to close his eyes. Choose one object and touch the child all over his body: hands, legs, stomach, back, face, nape... - now, let him guess with which object you touched him. It would be a good idea to switch turns, too.

Another important game requires no object but your hand. Ask the child to close her eyes, and touch her swiftly in some part of her body. Ask: where did I touch you? Gradually, make your touching gentler and gentler. Try switching turns here, too.

What did you find out? Any surprises?