📋 Daily Sensory Diet Planner
Plan, track, and optimize sensory activities for better regulation
What is a Sensory Diet?
A sensory diet is a planned schedule of sensory activities designed to help your child stay regulated throughout the day. Just like nutritional food provides different nutrients your body needs, a sensory diet provides different types of sensory input your child's nervous system needs to function optimally.
🎯 Goals of a Sensory Diet
- Prevention: Stop meltdowns before they happen
- Regulation: Help maintain optimal alertness levels
- Independence: Teach children to recognize and meet their own sensory needs
- Quality of life: Improve daily functioning and participation
The Three Types of Sensory Activities
Alerting Activities
Purpose: Wake up and energize the nervous system
When to use: When your child seems tired, sluggish, or under-responsive
- Jumping or bouncing
- Fast movement
- Cold temperatures
- Loud music
- Bright lights
- Citrus or mint scents
- Crunchy foods
Organizing Activities
Purpose: Help with focus, attention, and body awareness
When to use: Before focused tasks or when your child seems scattered
- Heavy work (pushing, pulling)
- Wall push-ups
- Carrying heavy objects
- Animal walks
- Resistance activities
- Climbing or hanging
- Chewy foods or gum
Calming Activities
Purpose: Reduce arousal and promote relaxation
When to use: When your child is overwhelmed, anxious, or overstimulated
- Deep pressure (hugs, weighted items)
- Slow, rhythmic movement
- Warm temperatures
- Soft music
- Dim lighting
- Lavender scents
- Smooth, soft textures
Building Your Child's Sensory Profile
🔍 Sensory Needs Assessment
Rate each sensory system: 1 = Under-responsive (seeks more) | 5 = Over-responsive (avoids)
👆 Touch (Tactile)
Consider: messy play, hugs, clothing textures, light touch
👂 Hearing (Auditory)
Consider: loud noises, background sounds, music volume
👁️ Sight (Visual)
Consider: bright lights, visual patterns, eye contact
🏃 Movement (Vestibular)
Consider: swinging, spinning, heights, car rides
💪 Body Position (Proprioceptive)
Consider: rough play, heavy lifting, body awareness
👃 Smell (Olfactory)
Consider: perfumes, food smells, cleaning products
📝 Additional Observations:
📋 End of Day Reflection:
What worked well today?
What would you change for tomorrow?
Regulation level overall: ☐ Mostly regulated ☐ Some difficulties ☐ Very challenging day
📅 Weekly Sensory Diet Overview
📊 Weekly Reflection:
Best activities this week:
Challenges to address:
Goals for next week:
📈 Activity Effectiveness Tracker
| Day | Time | Before State | After State | Effectiveness (1-5) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red | |||
| Tuesday | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red | |||
| Wednesday | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red | |||
| Thursday | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red | |||
| Friday | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red | ☐ Green ☐ Yellow ☐ Red |
📊 Weekly Summary:
Average Effectiveness: _____ / 5
Continue using this activity? ☐ Yes ☐ Modify ☐ Replace
Modifications needed: ________________________________________________
🚀 Quick Activity Ideas by Need
When you need something RIGHT NOW
⚡ WAKE UP
- • Jumping jacks (20x)
- • Cold water on face
- • Upbeat music
- • Crunchy snacks
- • Bright lights
🎯 FOCUS
- • Wall push-ups (10x)
- • Carry heavy books
- • Bear crawl
- • Fidget toy
- • Chew gum
🧘 CALM DOWN
- • Deep pressure hug
- • Weighted lap pad
- • Slow rocking
- • Soft music
- • Dim lights
🆘 EMERGENCY
- • Safe space
- • Reduce demands
- • Minimal talking
- • Stay nearby
- • Wait it out
💡 Pro Tips:
- • Start sensory diet BEFORE problems arise
- • Every 30-60 minutes throughout the day
- • Match activity intensity to child's needs
- • Build in choice whenever possible
- • Track what works and what doesn't
DIY Sensory Tools Guide
💰 Why Make Your Own Sensory Tools?
- Cost-effective: Commercial sensory tools can cost £20-100+ each
- Customizable: Adjust weight, texture, size for your child's needs
- Immediate availability: Make tools when you need them most
- Family activity: Children love helping create their own tools
- Replaceable: No worry about expensive items getting lost or damaged
🎯 DIY Weighted Lap Pad
Materials needed:
- 2 pieces of soft fabric (12" x 16")
- Rice, lentils, or poly pellets (2-3 lbs)
- Sewing machine or needle & thread
Instructions:
- Sew 3 sides of fabric together
- Fill with rice/pellets
- Sew final side closed
- Optional: Create channels to distribute weight evenly
Pro tip: Use a pillowcase cover for easy washing!
🌊 Sensory Bottles
Calm bottle materials:
- Clear plastic bottle
- Warm water + clear corn syrup
- Glitter or sequins
- Food coloring (optional)
- Super glue for cap
Discovery bottle ideas:
- Rice + small toys to find
- Water beads for squishy sounds
- Buttons for rattling
- Pompoms for visual tracking
🤲 Fidget Tools
Easy options:
- Stress balls: Balloons filled with rice/flour
- Textured strips: Velcro stuck under desk
- Fidget snake: Rice in fabric tube
- Thinking putty: 3 parts cornstarch + 1 part conditioner
- Marble mesh: Marble in mesh produce bag
Pocket-friendly: All of these fit in school bags or pockets!
🎧 Noise Reducers
DIY options:
- Fabric headphones: Sew fleece tube with Velcro
- Foam ear plugs: Much cheaper than custom ones
- Modified headphones: Add soft padding to existing ones
- White noise app: Free on phone with small speaker
💪 Heavy Work Tools
No-cost options:
- Water jugs: Fill for carrying exercises
- Backpack weights: Books or rice bags
- Wall pushes: Use any wall
- Resistance bands: £3 vs £25 therapy bands
- Medicine ball: Basketball filled with sand
🧘 Calm-Down Space
Create anywhere:
- Tent: Bedsheet over chairs
- Corner nook: Cushions + soft blanket
- Under-desk hideout: Curtain or fabric
- Closet conversion: Remove clothes, add cushions
- Bathroom retreat: Towels on floor, dim lights
🔧 Essential DIY Supply List
Basic Materials
- Rice/lentils/dried beans
- Clear plastic bottles
- Balloons (various sizes)
- Fabric scraps
- Duct tape
Filling Materials
- Glitter & sequins
- Water beads
- Cornstarch
- Hair conditioner
- Poly pellets (craft store)
Tools Needed
- Funnel
- Super glue
- Scissors
- Needle & thread
- Hot glue gun (optional)
⚠️ Safety Considerations for DIY Tools
- Secure all seams: Double-stitch weight-bearing areas
- Use non-toxic materials: Check all glues, paints, fillers
- Age-appropriate: No small parts for children under 3
- Regular inspection: Check for wear, leaks, damage
- Washable covers: Hygiene is important for sensory tools
- Weight limits: Weighted items should be 10% of body weight or less
Troubleshooting Your Sensory Diet
🔍 When Activities Aren't Working:
- Timing might be off: Try the same activity at different times of day
- Intensity needs adjustment: More or less input might be needed
- Child's needs have changed: Growth spurts, stress, illness affect sensory needs
- Activity became boring: Rotate activities to maintain interest
- Environmental factors: Weather, noise levels, other stressors interfere
Common Challenges and Solutions
"My child refuses activities"
- Start with preferred activities
- Offer choices between 2-3 options
- Make it playful, not therapeutic
- Do activities together as family time
- Build in natural consequences (feeling good)
"I don't have time for this"
- Embed activities in daily routines
- Use transitions between activities
- Focus on most effective activities
- Train child to do independently
- Remember: prevention saves time
"Nothing seems to help"
- Track data more carefully
- Consider underlying issues (sleep, nutrition)
- Consult with occupational therapist
- Look at environmental factors
- Be patient - it takes time
🎯 Remember: This is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Building an effective sensory diet takes time, experimentation, and patience. What works today might not work next month as your child grows and changes. Stay flexible, keep tracking what works, and celebrate small improvements along the way.
📋 SENSORY DIET QUICK REFERENCE
Keep this handy for daily planning!
🎯 Sensory Activities Quick Guide
⚡ ALERT
Try:
- Jumping/bouncing
- Cold water
- Upbeat music
- Crunchy snacks
🎯 ORGANIZE
Try:
- Wall push-ups
- Carry heavy items
- Animal walks
- Chewy foods
🧘 CALM
Try:
- Deep pressure hugs
- Weighted items
- Slow rocking
- Soft music
⏰ Daily Schedule Framework:
Mid-day: Organize for focus
Evening: Calm for bedtime
Duration: 5-15 minutes each
Key: Prevention > Reaction
💰 DIY Tools (Budget-Friendly):
Fidgets: Balloons with flour
Sensory bottles: Water + glitter
Calm space: Sheet over chairs
Resistance: Cheap exercise bands
💡 GOLDEN RULE
"Every child is different. Track what works, adjust what doesn't."