Does your child seem to always be moving, bumping into things, or chewing on their shirt? Or maybe they avoid loud noises, resist touch, or are extremely picky about textures in food? These behaviors might point to differences in how their brain responds to sensory information—going beyond typical personality traits.
When the brain overreacts, underreacts, or struggles to interpret sensory signals, it can affect behavior, development, and daily life. Understanding sensory integration is key to understanding your child—it influences everything from emotional regulation to motor skills and academic success. With the right support, your child can build the tools they need to thrive.
What Is Sensory Integration?
Sensory integration (also called sensory processing) is how the brain makes sense of information from the body and environment, helping children respond in appropriate and organized ways. The input from both body and environment comes from our senses:
- Sight: What we see
- Hearing: What we hear
- Touch: What we feel on our skin
- Taste: What we taste in our mouth
- Smell: What we smell
- Balance: Helps us stay upright and steady
- Body Awareness: Sensing where our body is and how it moves
- Internal Sensing: Sensing things like hunger, thirst, or needing the bathroom
When sensory integration is working well, children can react appropriately to everyday experiences—such as swinging on a playground, trying new foods or hearing a school bell.
When the system isn’t working well, children may become overwhelmed or seek out extreme sensory experiences to feel regulated. This can look like meltdowns, withdrawal, hyperactivity or difficulty with coordination and focus.
Why Sensory Integration Matters in Development
Sensory processing is the foundation for many essential developmental milestones. When the brain struggles to process or organize sensory input, children face challenges in the following areas:
- Gross and fine motor skills
- Language and communication
- Social interaction
- Focus and learning
- Self-regulation and emotional control
For example, a child overwhelmed by bright light or noise may be unable to focus in class. A child who avoids playground equipment might miss out on exercise or peer bonding opportunities. When sensory challenges interfere with daily life, they affect confidence, independence and academic readiness.
Common Signs of Sensory Integration Challenges
Every child is different, but there are some common behaviors that may indicate a child is struggling with sensory integration:
Sensory-Avoidant Behaviors
- Covers ears at everyday sounds
- Refuses to wear clothing with tags or stiff textures
- Avoids hugs, hand-holding or grooming routines
- Reacts strongly to bright lights or crowded places
- Refuses messy play activities or foods
Sensory-Seeking Behaviors
- Constantly jumping, spinning or climbing
- Chews on shirt collars, pencils or fingers
- Prefers rough play or strong pressure like tight hugs
- Touches everything within reach
- Struggles to sit still or focus on tasks
- Might seem unaware of things like pain, heat or cold
Some children may show a mix of both types of behaviors depending on the situation. These patterns aren’t just “acting out”—they’re ways of coping with how their brain experiences the world.
How Sensory Integration Supports Learning and Growth
When sensory integration is working, children are better able to:
- Focus in class without being distracted
- Participate in group play and build peer relationships
- Control emotions and behaviors in social situations
- Coordinate their movements and build strong motor skills
That’s why sensory integration is a major focus in pediatric occupational therapy. When a child receives therapy that supports sensory development, they begin to build a stronger foundation for all other learning.
How Little Hands at Play Supports Sensory Integration
At Little Hands at Play, our pediatric occupational therapists specialize in helping children develop stronger sensory processing skills through customized, play-based occupational therapy. We start with a comprehensive evaluation to understand your child’s unique needs and sensory profile.
From there, we create a treatment plan that may include:
- Sensory-rich activities to help children tolerate new textures, sounds or movement
- Deep pressure exercises and movement games to build body awareness and emotional regulation
- Visual and auditory processing tasks to improve focus and attention
- Parent coaching and home strategies for consistency between sessions
We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Every child’s brain and body are different. That’s why our team at Little Hands at Play focuses on building trust and tailoring sessions to your child’s developmental goals.
Everyday Activities That Support Sensory Integration
You can help strengthen your child’s sensory integration skills right at home with simple daily activities. These don’t need to be complicated—they just need to provide consistent sensory input in a safe, predictable way.
For Sensory-Avoidant Children
- Provide soft, tag-free clothing options
- Create a quiet space with dim lighting for downtime
- Use unscented soaps and gentle grooming tools
- Allow extra time for transitions or new experiences
- Introduce new textures gradually through play
- Provide sunglasses and/or noise-cancelling headphones for outings.
For Sensory-Seeking Children
- Offer movement breaks throughout the day
- Encourage crawling, jumping or animal walks (frog jumps, penguin waddles)
- Use weighted items like lap pads or vests
- Provide chewy snacks or oral sensory toys
- Set up obstacle courses or climbing activities
The key is consistency and observation. Try different activities and note which ones seem to calm or energize your child in a positive way. Over time, you’ll begin to recognize what their body needs and how best to support it.
When to Seek Professional Help
While all children benefit from sensory-rich play, some need more structured support. If you’re constantly adjusting routines to avoid meltdowns, feeling overwhelmed, or struggling to understand your child’s behavior, you’re not alone—and help is available.
Early intervention matters. The sooner a child gets support, the more time they have to build self-regulation and coping skills that last.
If sensory challenges are affecting your child’s daily life at home, school, or with peers, it may be time to consider an occupational therapy evaluation.
Let’s Build a Stronger Foundation—Together
You don’t have to figure it out alone. At Little Hands at Play, we partner with families to help children thrive through expert pediatric occupational therapy focused on sensory integration. Sessions are fun and play-based. Whether your child struggles with sensitivity, constant movement, or emotional outbursts, we’re here to provide answers—and solutions.
Let’s take the first step together.
Call us today at (479) 239-9678 or email us to schedule your child’s evaluation in our Fayetteville or Fort Smith, AK, clinic. The sooner we start, the sooner your child can experience the comfort, confidence and connection they deserve.
