Below, you'll find a selection of sensory diet strategies to use when presenting sensory diet activities. Read on to find various ways to present sensory diet tasks for use within a child's day. 

Sensory diet activities that are appropriate for an individual child should be presented after analyzing and identifying the child's specific needs. Just as a sensory diet uses specific sensory activities based on the child's needs, the WAY a sensory diet is presented needs to be used according to the child's strengths,  abilities, and needs. Presenting a sensory diet activity in a way that the child understands is very important for carryover. 

Understanding exactly what is a sensory diet is a good starting point for addressing sensory needs. 

Try these strategies to present sensory diet activities to kids with sensory needs. They are quite effective strategies when getting started with setting up a sensory diet. If you are wondering where to start with addressing sensory processing needs in kids or wondering HOW to set up a sensory diet, start with the links below.

If you are just getting started with setting up a sensory diet, start with How to Create a Sensory Diet. 

For understanding why a sensory diet is important, you'll want to read more about the goals of a sensory diet.

If you have been following along here on The OT Toolbox recently, then you may have seen some of our recent sensory diet resources. We've shared a lot of information about creating a sensory diet. There is a valid reason. Besides the growing need for sensory support for kids with sensory processing disorder or sensory challenges, there is a real need for parents and teachers to understand exactly what a sensory diet is and how it can help address sensory needs.  


The tips below are strategies for creating a sensory diet that can be effective and helpful in enabling a successful sensory lifestyle. Understanding how does a sensory diet help is many times, the first step in addressing sensory related needs!

Whether you are wondering exactly what a sensory diet entails or why a sensory diet can be effective in addressing underlying sensory needs, knowing how to create a sensory diet using the tools a child needs is essential. 

Recently here on The OT Toolbox, we’ve talked a lot about sensory processing needs and how strategies can be incorporated into the child’s environment. These tactics provide an authentic and meaningful sensory strategy for incorporating much-needed sensory input right into a child’s environment. It’s all part of creating a sensory lifestyle for a child!

When it comes to boosting attention in kids, there is a lot going on. Attention is aligned with executive functioning, sensory processing, self-reflection, and so much more! Below, we are chatting about a few attention activities for kids. These are the ones that develop attention through games, activities, and fun. Being that a child's primary occupation is play, why not develop the skills they need (like attention!) through active participation in an interest-based activity?

Here on The OT Toolbox, we've shared a lot of information about addressing sensory processing needs in the classroom environment. We've shared sensory strategies for the school-based OT. We've talked about sensory diets in the classroom. So often, kids with sensory processing challenges struggle in the school environment. And, we've talked about calm-down strategies that can be used in the classroom.

Today, we've got a big resource for anyone who lives with, loves, or works with a child with sensory processing needs. These sensory strategies can be used in schools by occupational therapists, teachers, parents, administrators, or anyone who advocates for a child with sensory needs.

The fidget tools listed below are those that are quiet in nature. You've probably spun a fidget spinner or two in your days (the last year or so that fidget spinners where a "thing", anyway). They make a noise, right? Those fidget clicker boxes? They make a noise too. For the classroom environment where a click or a spin can be distracting to others, quiet fidget tools are a must. 

Scroll on to find out more about quiet DIY fidget tools for school that can be a valuable tool for kids with attention challenges, regulation needs, sensory processing issues, or other needs that require a fidget tool for concentration and inclusion in the classroom setting. 

You may have seen a lot of outdoor play posts here on The OT Toolbox recently. There's a reason why! We've been gearing up for the release of The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook which will be released on April 10th.  As a way to celebrate, we're sharing three HUGE free resources related to sensory needs. 

Up first is a printable packet all about taking sensory diet activities into the outdoors. Outdoor sensory diets are the perfect way to add sensory input that kids need!

Kids are spending less time playing outdoors. From after-school schedules to two working parents, to unsafe conditions, to increased digital screen time, to less outdoor recess time...there is just less time for kids to get outside and PLAY! 

When it comes to sensory play, using the outdoors in meeting sensory needs and through sensory challenges is perfect for those looking for easy and fun ways to meet sensory needs in kids!

The outdoors is a goldmine for play! Kids can be creative, build healthy bodies, and develop the skills that they NEED through playing outdoors. For the child who requires a sensory diet, the outdoors is a goldmine for acquiring the right kind of sensory input. The activities below are those sensory diet activities that can be accomplished through play at the playground. 

Adding extra movement breaks or brain breaks into the classroom or just daily play can be a helpful tool for improving the underlying skills kids need for strengthening or just getting the sensory input they crave and need to develop. Sometimes, it's as simple as coming up with creative ideas. Other times, kids play the same favorite gross motor games over and over again. These monthly sensory movement activities provide the sensory input and gross motor movement that kids need!