10 Sensory Peapod Activities for Sensory Seekers and High-Energy Kids

This article includes helpful sensory peapod activities to help high energy kids and sensory seekers. Affiliate links are included for your convenience. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a reminder, ILS is not a health care provider and none of our materials or services provide a diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition or learning challenge you may see in your child or student. If you seek a diagnosis or treatment for your child or student, please contact a trained professional who can provide an evaluation of the child.

Children with high-energy or those who tend to be sensory seekers, need a lot of sensory input activities to help calm their bodies. Activities, like you see here with our sensory peapod, can help kids who need a lot of sensory stimulation to regulate the body and the brain.

The child may need activities on a daily basis that allow them to focus and concentrate. As a result, you may see the child “seeking” out physical play that gives them opportunities to do the following:

• Jump
• Crash
• Spin
• Bounce
• Rough-house
• Tumble
• Roll

All of these activities are feeding the sensory system and provides the child with additional proprioceptive input so the brain is free to focus on what’s most important.

What is Sensory Processing?

Sensory processing is the way the body and the brain receives and interprets information within our environment through our senses. We often receive sensory input through sound, touch, taste, smell and sight.

Sensory integration happens automatically for most children as they grow. The sensory system will put all the individual sensory information together, which leads to whole brain function.

However, when a child experiences sensory disruptions, they can become overly sensitive to sensory information or they may constantly seek out more sensory stimulation. If a child has a Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), you may notice some of the following signs depending on how their sensory system reacts to what they encounter within their environment.

Sensory Seekers

If your child or student is a sensory seeker, that usually means they are constantly finding activities that will provide them with more sensory and proprioceptive input. Their need for constant movement gives their muscles and joints relief from a lack of proprioceptive stimulation. A sensory seeking child may often be found doing the following:

• Bumping into furniture, walls or crash pads
• Has a high pain tolerance
• Enjoys tight hugs
• Constantly jumps, spins and crashes into objects or others
• Doesn’t understand personal and social boundaries
• Likes to wrestle and rough-house when playing
• Enjoys extreme flavors and temperatures
• Swings or spins without getting dizzy

Sensory Avoiders

Children who avoid sensory information are typically very sensitive to stimuli within their environment. These types of kids may display some of the following behaviors:

• Cups their hands over their ears at loud noises
• Can’t filter out background noise, especially in the classroom
• Often has sensory meltdowns when triggered by unwanted sensory information
• Experiences picky eating and rarely tries new foods (sticks to about 10 foods)
• Dislikes strong smells
• Avoids itchy clothing, tags, belts and seams
• Doesn’t like certain textures on their hands or skin (sand, soap, sugar, etc.)
• Is often in fight or flight mode

Sensory Peapod Helpful Tips

For those children who need more sensory and proprioceptive input that will help calm their brain and their body, try a few sensory peapod activities. Sensory peapods provide several benefits for kids who are both sensory seeking and sensory avoiding.

You can use sensory peapods when a child needs to retreat when there is too much sensory stimulation or you can use it when their body needs extra added sensory input.

When using a sensory peapod, please keep the following in mind:

• Provide a safe environment for the child when playing with the sensory peapod
• Put a blanket under the sensory peapod or use carpet when playing
• Ensure the peapod is fully blown up to avoid injury
• Supervise smaller children in the peapod so they don’t get stuck
• Allow kids to explore the sensory peapod in a number of ways
• Adjust activities to the level and age of the child

Here is a list of equipment to use when participating in the activities below:

• Sensory Peapod
• Sensory Plush Toy
• Ball Pit Balls
• Resistance Bands
• Kid Oars

Sensory Peapod Activities

Many of the sensory peapod activities below can be used for both sensory seekers and sensory avoiders. Adapt all activities and uses of the sensory peapod to fit the child’s individual sensory needs.

#1 Side Bounce or Straddle Bounce

Use the sensory peapod to bounce. The child can bounce on the outside or inside of the peapod in the following ways:

• Bounce with both legs inside or outside the peapod while sitting on the side of the peapod.
• Straddle the peapod with both legs like riding a horse and bounce on the front or the back (whichever is most comfortable)
• Bounce on the peapod with one leg in and one leg out of the peapod.

#2 Jump or Crash

Get a running start and jump into the sensory peapod for more proprioceptive input. Jump or crash into the peapod in the following ways:

• Jump into the peapod with both feet (put pillows inside if needed)
• Jump onto the peapod in a belly flop (add pillows if needed)

#3 Rock the Boat

Play rock the boat with the sensory peapod by getting inside and rocking back and forth. The sensory peapod is very soft and dense so the child could even rock side to side (tipping over) without getting hurt. A parent or therapist can also rock the child in the peapod as they lay inside. For added hand-eye coordination, use a pretend paddle or a real paddle and pretend to row the boat.

#4 Peapod Push-ups

Have the child do push-ups on the side of the peapod. You can do push-ups in a few of the following ways:

• Have the child kneel by the peapod and do “wall push-ups” using the side of the peapod.
• Have the child be in full push-up position while doing push-ups on the side of the peapod (adjust based on the child’s level).
• Sit in the peapod and do wall push-ups with arms.

#5 Hide or Bury Yourself

Sensory peapods are great for those kids who like strong hugs. It can also be used as a good retreat for kids who are in constant flight mode and need a safe space to hide. Use the sensory peapod in a few of the following ways:

• Bury yourself inside the peapod for a tight squeeze.
• Hide when scared or having a sensory meltdown.
• When reading, bury yourself in the peapod so you can concentrate more on the book rather than on moving.

#6 “Stuff” the Boat

For additional sensory input, you can also stuff the peapod with more stuffed animals or plush toys. Here’s a few ways to include stuffed animals:

• Add stuffed animals to the bottom of the peapod and sit on them.
• Once the child is inside, add stuffed animals for an additional squeeze and to fill in the gaps.

#7 Peapod Pushes

Another great way to get proprioceptive input with the sensory peapod is to push it around the room. Find a room with lots of space to push it around in circles, back and forth, or up and down. You can even add your stuffed animals and give them a ride.

#8 Pull the Peapod

As opposed to pushing, you can also pull the peapod. The sensory peapod has handles that allow you to pull it around the room. Or, you can tie a resistance band, rope or jump rope to the handles and pull it around in circles, back and forth or across the room.

#9 Peapod Ball Pit

Why not make the sensory peapod into a ball pit?! Add several balls inside the peapod and allow the child to do the following:

• Jump or crash into the “ball pit” using the sensory peapod.
• Once the child is buried in the peapod, add balls on top of them.
• Let the child toss and throw out the balls while buried in the peapod.

#10 Peapod Rolls

This activity may not suit every child, but it can still be fun for those who like additional sensory stimulation. Have the child lay on top of the sensory peapod and roll from the front of the peapod to the back. You can do this activity as many times as the child prefers. Remember, if the child experiences discomfort rolling on the peapod because of the handles, they can try a number of other activities above. Those that need extra input may not be bothered by the handles when rolling.

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Integrated Learning Strategies is a Utah-based center dedicated to helping mainstream children and children with learning challenges achieve academic success. Our services provide kids with non-traditional tutoring programs within the Davis County, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse, Farmington, and Centerville areas. Areas to find Integrated Learning Strategies include: Reading tutors in Kaysville, Math tutors in Kaysville, Common Core Tutors in Kaysville, Tutors in Utah, Utah Tutoring Programs