Sensory Motor Activities for Early Development: A Practical Resource

Sensory motor activities are crucial for children to learn from their environment. Bridging the gap between theory and practice, this revised edition is a complete package of tried-and-tested sensory motor activities for children, covering basic movements, interoception, sensory and body awareness and early visual perceptual skills.

Providing an overview of the sensory systems, the authors offer practical strategies for parents/carers and practitioners to link knowledge to practice when communicating and engaging with a child. The authors present both familiar and novel activity ideas, explaining how they provide sensory stimulation to the relevant sensory systems and may help to support the child’s development, sensory processing and regulation levels. New material includes:

• greater emphasis on understanding the sensory systems and how they link to the activities
• a brand new chapter on interoception
• revised recording methods, including Goal Attainment Scaling as an outcome tool
• an expanded list of activities.

Sensory Motor Activities for Early Development, 2nd edition is an essential text for all parents/carers and practitioners who use sensory motor activities in a playful way to help the development of children with a range of needs. It will be valuable reading for those working with children who do not initiate movement, who require help with their movement, who need to refine their movement, who need encouragement or motivation to engage in purposeful movements, or those who need activities to provide sensory stimulation.

Chia Swee Hong has extensive knowledge and experience in working with children who have disabilities/special needs. He has retired from full time lecturing in occupational therapy and is currently a special mentor for students in higher education. He has been an external examiner for the Sensory Integration Course at the University of Ulster and co-authored a number of publications including Occupational Therapy in Childhood and Tools for Continuing Professional Development and is a member of editorial board including Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools and Early Intervention.

Heidi Rumford is a Practice Consultant Occupational Therapist who specialises in working with children who have a wide range of physical, neurological and learning disabilities, including children who are on the Autistic Spectrum. Heidi is a qualified Sensory Integration Practitioner, holding a post graduate certificate in Sensory Integration and has attended a number of additional post graduate training in Sensory Integration including the use of Ayres Sensory Integration® with children on the Autistic Spectrum, training in the rating of Ayres Sensory Integration Fidelity Measure© and Sensory Attachment Intervention. Heidi is a Certified Play Therapist and has completed additional training within the field of play therapy including Child and Parent Relationship Therapy and she is a Parent-Child Attachment Play Practitioner.