[Reproduced by permission from Mary Lashno, O.T., Mixed Signals: Understanding and Treating Your Child's Sensory Processing Issues (Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House www.woodbinehouse.com, 2010), 147-48.]
Household chores are an excellent source of providing "heavy work," which can be organizing to the sensory system. Chores will not only prove a beneficial ingredient in your child's sensory diet but will help your child be a contributing member of the family. Remember, with all of these tasks, you will initially need to provide hand over hand help and step-by-step instruction to increase both compliance and success with the task. The following is a list of everyday jobs that may work for your child:
- Pushing a child-sized shopping cart in the grocery store
- Locating grocery items while shopping, either with words or pictures of items
- Helping to put away groceries (stacking cans, carrying items to the pantry)
- Helping to push trash cans to the curb
- Pushing or pulling a wagon full of recyclable cans or newspapers
- Ripping up junk mail
- Carrying a laundry basket full of clothes
- Pushing chairs under the table after eating
- Washing the car
- Dusting furniture
- Squirting or watering plants
- Setting or clearing the table
- Wiping off the table
- Feeding pets
- Brushing pets
- Walking a dog
- Raking leaves
- Sweeping
- Vacuuming
