Supporting Autonomy: Incorporating Child Led Sensory Activities within OT sessions

Incorporating child-led sensory activities in your OT sessions can be a powerful tool for encouraging autonomy and self-regulation in your clients. By providing opportunities for individuals to choose and control their own sensory experiences, therapists can promote a sense of agency and control, which can lead to improved regulation and engagement. 

Self-directed sensory activities can take many forms, including activities that involve movement, touch, sound, or visual input. For example, an individual may choose to engage in a swinging activity to provide movement input, or to play with tactile materials like sand or playdough to provide touch input. The key aspect is that the individual has the agency to choose the activity that aligns with their sensory needs and preferences. Dr A.Jean Ayres believed that a child seeks what they need and we as OTs provide the milieu in our therapy sessions, with intentionally created therapy spaces to meet those needs.  

Child-led therapy sessions also promote self-awareness and self-regulation. By providing opportunities for individuals to explore and understand their own sensory preferences and needs, therapists can help individuals to better advocate for their own sensory needs and manage their sensory experiences in a more effective manner. However, it is important to note that child-led sensory activities should still be approached in a structured and intentional manner. This ensures that individuals are engaging in activities that are safe and appropriate for their specific needs and abilities. 

This may mean that when a child enters the therapy space, activities or games are preselected and arranged for the child to select from. That the therapy space is organised, safe, and set up in such a way that the child experiences success from their choices/selections. That the therapist has considered the child's interests and how these can be used as a foundation for a co-created game that entices the child to engage.  

Overall, incorporating child-led sensory activities in OT sessions represents a shift towards a more empowering and autonomy-focused approach to therapy. By providing opportunities for individuals to choose and control their own sensory experiences, therapists can promote a sense of agency and control, which can lead to improved engagement and participation toward achieving higher levels of functional capacity.