"Oh my gosh, my kid never stops moving. There is not way to sit down and do a parent led activity when they move constantly!"
The child darts or sprints back and forth across rooms repeatedly, seeking high-speed vestibular input and the feeling of momentum.
The Rocket Ship Game: (Running with a reason): When the child starts running away, the caregiver says, 'Here I come!' and playfully snatches the child up to them. The caregiver holds them close, builds anticipation by saying 'Ready... Set... Go!', and releases them to run off again. This turns aimless running into a structured game of connection and anticipation.
Stop-and-Go Freeze Dance: Play upbeat music or sing a marching tune while the child sprints. When the caregiver shouts "FREEZE!" or hits pause, both parent and child freeze in exaggerated, silly statues. Practice the dramatic countdown ("Ready... set... GO!") to restart the sprint, teaching auditory processing and impulse control.
Special Delivery Express: Turn running into a mission by giving the child a tangible item (a letter, stuffed animal, or puzzle piece) to run across the room and deposit into a cardboard "mailbox" or laundry basket. The caregiver acts as the dispatch station: "Special delivery for bear! Fast delivery—go, go, go!", stamping an imaginary hand-ticket upon each return.
Target Tag & High-Five Relay: The caregiver sits or kneels across the room holding out hands as high-five pads or holding a tambourine. The caregiver calls out "Target locked! 1, 2, 3... RUN!" The child sprints across the room to smack the tambourine or caregiver's palms. The caregiver then quickly scoots to a new corner of the room to set up the next target.
The Tickle-Monster Safe Zone: Place a small rug or couch cushion on the floor designated as the "Safe Island." The caregiver acts as a silly, lumbering monster saying, "The Tickle Monster is awake! Run to the island!" The child sprints to the rug. The moment feet touch the rug, the caregiver dramatically stops: "Where did you go? I can't find you!", giving joint attention and suspense.
Color / Item Fetch: Scatter colored beanbags, plastic rings, or soft balls at one end of the room while the caregiver sits at the other holding matching colored bins. The caregiver calls out: "I need something RED! Run and get the red one!" The child spots it, runs full speed to retrieve it, and sprints back to drop it in the bucket for a celebration.
Animal Speed Runs: Call out an animal and model both the sound and the speed across the hallway:
"Cheetah run!" (maximum speed sprint)
"Elephant charge!" (heavy-footed stomping run while trumpeting)
"Mouse dash!" (tiptoe quick-feet run while squeaking)
This builds body awareness, speed modulation, and vocabulary.
Runaway Bubble Chase: The caregiver blows a steady stream of bubbles into a long hallway or open space. Instead of popping stationary bubbles, point far down the room: "Look at the big bubble getting away! Chase it down! Run, run, run... POP!" The caregiver runs alongside, narrating the chase.
Need Ideas For a Smaller Space?
The Hallway Crash-Pad Shuttle: Use a hallway or the longest narrow clearing in the room. Place a stack of pillows, a beanbag, or sofa cushions against the far wall. The caregiver sits at the starting end, counts down ("Ready... set... GO!"), and the child sprints straight down into the soft crash pad, turns around immediately, and sprints back to high-five or fall into the caregiver's arms. The soft target removes the fear of wall collisions while giving intense proprioceptive feedback upon impact.
The Living Room Circuit (Figure-8 / Coffee Table Orbit): Turn central furniture into a racetrack. Place two visual markers (like colored cushions or tape marks) on opposite sides of a coffee table or rug. The caregiver stands in the middle acting as the "Pit Stop / Toll Gate." Every time the child completes a loop or figure-8 run, the caregiver puts up an arm "gate" that opens only when the child tags their hand, says "Beep beep!", or gets a quick tickle before sprinting the next lap.
Heavy-Work Laundry Basket Sled: In compact rooms, pure foot speed quickly leads to wall bumps. Add heavy resistance by putting a few books, stuffed animals, or pillows inside an upside-down cardboard box or smooth plastic laundry basket. The child pushes or pulls the basket at "top speed" across the carpet to deliver items to the caregiver. The heavy push satisfies the same neurological drive as a full sprint in half the distance while providing joint compression.
Bubble Wrap / Texture Pad Fast-Feet: Tape a 3-foot strip of large bubble wrap, textured foam tiles, or a ribbed bath mat to the floor. The caregiver calls out "Fast feet engine on!" The child sprints furiously in place on the textured surface to make the popping/tactile sounds, followed by the caregiver yelling "Engine OFF!" where both freeze completely.
The Pillow-Mountain Zigzag: In an open living room rug space, set up 3 or 4 throw pillows in a zig-zag line. Instead of straight running, the caregiver guides the child to run serpentine-style around each pillow to reach the caregiver's waiting lap. Adding tight turns increases vestibular stimulation and balance demands without requiring long linear track space.
Tug-and-Chase Blanket Reel: The caregiver holds one end of a light bedsheet or long scarf while sitting down, and gives the child the other end. The child runs backward or in a circle pulling against gentle resistance until the caregiver playfully calls "Reel 'em in!" and gathers the sheet hand-over-hand, pulling the child in for a bear hug.
Doorframe Tag & Shuttle: Assign two interior doorframes or facing walls across a single room as "Base 1" and "Base 2." The caregiver kneels in the center with outstretched arms. The child sprints from wall to wall, dodging under the caregiver's playful "swiping monster claws" or "laser beams" each time they cross the middle.
The child twirls in circles, spins around while holding onto furniture, or watches the world whirl by to stimulate fluid movement in the inner ear.
Ring Around the Rosie & Drop: Hold both hands facing each other and circle gently while singing the rhyme. Emphasize the dramatic pause before chanting "We all fall down!" to safely guide falling onto a soft rug together.
Helicopter Lift: Hold the child securely under the arms close to your chest and turn gently in place, humming a whirring helicopter sound. Pause after two slow rotations to ask "More fly?" before spinning the other direction.
The Swivel Chair Pit Stop: Sit the child securely on an office chair (or have them sit on the caregiver's lap). Give 2 or 3 smooth, controlled rotations while singing a catchy phrase ("Spinning, spinning, round and round..."). Bring the chair to a sudden, gentle stop directly facing the caregiver: "Whoa... RED LIGHT!" Wait for eye contact, a smile, a sign, or a vocalization before asking, "Ready, set... GO!" and spinning again.
The Blanket Merry-Go-Round: Place a thick towel or soft blanket on a smooth, uncarpeted floor (hardwood, laminate, or tile). Have the child sit criss-cross or lie on their tummy in the center. The caregiver holds two corners of the blanket and pivots in a tight circle, gliding the child around like a magic carpet. Add dramatic speed modulations ("Slow motion spin... super fast spin!") to keep joint attention high.
Laundry Basket Whirlwind: Place the child inside a sturdy plastic laundry basket lined with a towel for cushioning. On a smooth floor or low-pile rug, the caregiver gently spins the basket while standing or kneeling right above them. The caregiver peeks over the edge with big facial expressions: "Spinning like a top! 1, 2, 3... FREEZE!"
The Lazy Susan Toy Roulette: For children who love watching objects twirl rather than spinning their own bodies, place a rotating turntable/Lazy Susan on the floor between the child and caregiver. Arrange 3 or 4 favorite animal figures or vehicles on the tray. Spin the platter together, chant "Round and round it goes, where it stops, nobody knows!", and stop it with a gentle hand tap to see which animal ended up pointing at the child.
Airplane Shin Flight: The caregiver lies flat on their back with knees bent up toward their chest. The child balances tummy-down across the caregiver's shins while holding hands. The caregiver pivots their hips and tilts their legs side to side in slow, sweeping arcs, mimicking a banking airplane ("Banking left! Banking right! Loop-de-loop!"), delivering vestibular input with deep physical closeness and eye contact.
Dancing Ribbon / Scarf Twirls: Give the child a lightweight silk play scarf or ribbon stick while the caregiver holds another. Play upbeat waltz or circus music, hold one hand together, and twirl in unison with the scarves flying overhead. Count the spins aloud: "One, two, three... and TUCK!", immediately dropping down into a tight crouch or hug to reset equilibrium.
Circle Boat Row: Sit on the floor facing each other with feet touching and hands joined. Instead of just rocking forward and back, lean the torso and circle around in a wide 360-degree loop: "Roll, roll, roll your boat in a giant whirl!" This provides gentle inner-ear input while working core balance and face-to-face interaction without excessive dizziness.
If your kiddo loves to spin I recommend spinning in both directions.
Why Spin in Both Directions:
Optimal Brain and Body Development: Spinning activates the vestibular system, which regulates balance, eye tracking, and spatial awareness. Moving in both directions ensures both sides of the brain are activated and integrated.
Balance & Safety: If a child only spins in one direction, they may become dizzy and unbalanced. Spinning in the opposite direction corrects this input, often allowing them to "unwind" and improve their ability to walk straight or feel grounded.
Self-Regulation: For children who use spinning as a sensory seeking behavior, rotating in both directions offers a more balanced sensory experience that helps organize their nervous system rather than just over-stimulating it.
Prevents Overstimulation: Experts recommend spinning 7–10 times in one direction, stopping, and then reversing for a controlled vestibular experience.
Benefits of Balanced Spinning:
Improved Coordination: It helps children use both sides of their body together, improving motor planning.
Better Focus: Proper vestibular input helps regulate attention for classroom learning.
Enhanced Spatial Awareness: Helps children know where their body is in space, reducing collisions
The child bounces constantly on beds, couches, or floorboards, or repeatedly leaps off low surfaces to seek joint compression and heavy impact feedback.
Crash Pad Jumps: Arrange cushions, pillows, and a thick blanket on the floor to make an enticing landing zone. Hold the child's hands as they bounce, counting "1, 2, 3... blastoff!" before helping them leap into the pile and celebrate the soft landing.
The Hallway Frog-Leap Path: Place 4 or 5 flat floor cushions, folded hand towels, or even large pieces of colored paper in a straight line down a hallway. The caregiver stands at the end and holds out a small bin. The child must do two-footed frog jumps from "lily pad to lily pad" carrying a toy to the bin. This focuses the jumping energy into a specific forward trajectory rather than random bouncing.
The Doorway "High-Five" Jump: Tape a piece of paper with a handprint on it to a doorway frame, just slightly higher than the child can reach flat-footed. Have the child jump up to "high-five" the paper. The caregiver can count jumps ("One, two, three, smack!") or change the color of the handprint to target vocabulary.
Target Stomping (Bubble Wrap or Pillows): Instead of bouncing up, focus on stomping down. Tape small squares of bubble wrap to the floor. The caregiver calls out "Stomp the bubbles!" The intense downward force provides the same deep pressure and joint compression as jumping off a couch, but it stays grounded and safe for small spaces.
Cushion Squish Jumps: Place two firm sofa cushions directly on the floor. Have the child jump from one cushion to the other. Because the surface is unstable, their muscles have to work much harder to balance, giving them more sensory feedback with fewer jumps.
The child scales furniture, climbs shelves, or scrambles up window sills, seeking whole-body resistance, elevation, and intense muscle exertion.
Couch Mountain Obstacle Course: Stack firm sofa cushions and folded quilts into an indoor mountain. Sit at the peak and cheer the child on as they scramble upward, narrating their climb ("Climb up, up, up!", "You reached the top!") before offering a celebratory high-five.
The "Under-Over" Couch Tunnel: Instead of scaling the back of the couch, create a safe challenge. Take the couch cushions off and prop them against the coffee table to make a tunnel. The caregiver says, "Crawl under the tunnel, now climb OVER the mountain!" This forces them to use their whole body to navigate the obstacle course while staying low to the ground.
Laundry Basket Step-Ups: Overturn a sturdy, heavy-duty plastic laundry basket. Have the child hold the caregiver's hands and practice stepping up onto the basket, balancing, and stepping back down. It gives the feeling of elevation and heavy muscle work without the danger of scaling bookshelves.
The Human Jungle Gym: The caregiver lies on their back or sits criss-cross on the floor. The child is allowed to climb over the caregiver's legs, squirm under their bridged knees, or climb onto their lap for a bear hug. This provides intense proprioceptive feedback while remaining entirely caregiver-led and physically connected.
Troubleshooting:
Some caregivers have concerns when trying to play new games with their child as the worry their child may not want to play or understand how to play. Remember, when using sensory seeking activities and games, the caregiver's goal is to engages and enjoy time with the child while also providing the sensory experinces a child is seeking, before the child is seeking it. (Example, a caregiver doesn't want a child to run in the classroom or during naptime, so we provide running activities before coming inside the class or before naptime.)
If the child doesn't understand "Stop" or "Wait," the caregiver must become the physical boundary.
Instead of: Standing across the room saying, "Okay, now run to me!"
Do this: Physically place the child at the starting line, walk backward a few steps, crouch low with arms wide open, and use an exaggerated facial expression. The child will instinctively run toward the open arms, learning the game's pattern through physical modeling rather than verbal instructions.
Children who struggle to process language often respond beautifully to predictable rhythms and dramatic pauses.
The "Ready... Set... Go" formula: Start by physically holding the child (like in the Rocket Ship Game). Say "Ready... Set..." in a slow, rising pitch while rocking them. Pause for 3-5 full seconds. Wait for any signal from the child—a look, a giggle, a wiggle, or a sound. The moment they give a signal, shout "GO!" and release them.
They don't need to understand the words "ready" or "go"; they learn that the pause means something exciting is about to happen, and their action makes the fun continue.
Remove the need for the child to follow a direction correctly to play the game.
Instead of: "Run over and touch the red pillow." (This requires understanding "run," "touch," "red," and "pillow.")
Do this: In the Hallway Crash-Pad Shuttle, the caregiver simply throws themselves onto the pillows first and laughs. Then, they guide the child to do it. The game becomes an automatic sensory loop rather than a task with right or wrong answers.
Pick a single, high-impact word for each game and use it consistently with a specific action.
In the Laundry Basket Sled, push the basket while saying an elongated, exaggerated "Puuuush." Stop pushing, let go of the basket, and look at the child. Wait until they look at you, then grab the basket and say "Puuuush" again as you move.
For jumping, use "Crash!" every single time they land on the pillows. This builds a strong association between the word and the sensory feeling, laying the groundwork for receptive language.
If the child isn't following the "rules" of the game (e.g., they just want to keep spinning instead of stopping on "Red Light"), that is completely fine! The primary goal is not compliance; the goal is shared connection.
If they won't stop spinning, the caregiver can simply narrate what they are doing: "Spinning, spinning, wow!"
If they run right past the caregiver instead of tagging their hand in the Living Room Circuit, the caregiver can playfully chase them instead. Meeting the child where they are in their sensory play builds the trust required for them to eventually tune in to the caregiver's directions.