Ohana OT Pediatric Therapy in Wenatchee

Sensory Processing Disorder Solutions for Your Child

‘Ohana Occupational Therapy

1139 N. Princeton Suite B, Wenatchee, WA 98801
P: 509.888.7435 | F: 509.888.7674

  • Home
  • Disorders We Treat
  • How Do We Treat?
  • Meet Our Staff
  • Wellness
    • SSP – Safe and Sound Protocol
    • Fast Track Laser Program
    • BioQpulse
  • Resources
    • Parent Resources
    • Parent Education
      • Is Your Child Hyperactive?
      • How to Improve Handwriting
    • Community Resources
      • Hands on Learning
      • Fun Physical Activities
      • Sensory Friendly Events
      • Behavioral/Mental Health
      • Our Physicians
      • Support
      • Therapy Services
    • Physician Resources
    • School Counselors and Psychologists
    • Teacher Resources
    • Therapist Resources
  • Blog
  • Insurance
  • Specialized Facility
  • Testimonials
  • Location
  • Contact Us
  • Employment at ‘Ohana OT
  • Privacy Policy
You are here: Home / Sensory Processing / 10 Best Sports for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

10 Best Sports for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

October 12, 2014 By Mary Kostka 8 Comments

     I am often asked “What are the best sport activities for my child?”. When it comes to kids with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) they do best with activities that are rich with resistive muscle activity (think push /pull) and rich with movement in all directions (up/down/angular/rotary).  Activities that have firm predictable tactile pressure work well.  These are the three body senses that are the “magic ingredients” for success 1) Muscle and joint  position sense (proprioception), 2) Movement and balance sensation (vestibular) and 3) Tactile input to the skin.  These 3 major body senses help to calm and organize the nervous system which helps your child focus and engage well in the activity. Kids with SPD will succeed with activities that are not chaotic with  people and things moving in different directions (so soccer and basketball are not on the list).  They do best with activities that do not require a lot of idle standing and waiting time which takes baseball off the list.  From my 26 years of experience here are my top 10 sports and activities in no particular order:

#1 Swimming

girl swimming

Swimming is great for so many reasons!  It provides sensory input in all 3 of the main areas movement in all directions (vestibular input), resistive muscle activity which provides improves body awareness (proprioception) and firm constant tactile pressure over the whole body.  It is a fun social activity and important for safety as well.  Be sure to take into consideration the noise level and unexpected splashing.  You can talk with the pool manager and find out the calmer times to come.  Often pools will have a special therapeutic swim time when the pool is warmer.

# 2 Martial Arts

10700373_10203619176852672_2590642603160408919_o

If your child is having problems with self control and aggression this may seem counter intuitive. However, martial arts teaches peace and self control while giving an outlet for physical stress and aggression in a safe and controlled way. I earned my black belt in Isshinryu Karate when I was 18.  All these years of teaching kids karate has helped me see first hand how much it builds self esteem in kids!  Martial Arts is an individual path that lets your child go at their own pace.  It is something that they will learn a tremendous amount of self control in. They will learn to control their bodies and mind.  Martial Arts schools tend to embrace your child and they become part of a big family that can last a lifetime if they wish.  From a sensory point of view it is fantastic!  Your child will get intense input to their muscles and joints with  punching, blocking and kicking exercises. There is a lot of movement in all directions and balance activities. Your child will learn how to roll with a fall and not get hurt.  When learning katas (a series of movements linked together) they will improve memory and sequencing.  Courtesy and respect are always emphasized.  Not all martial arts instructors are created equal. It is best to observe a few classes and get the vibe of the instructor and the students and make sure that they are all kind and respectful to each other.  Your child will do best with a  small class size.

 

#3 Wrestling

IMG_0118-300x200

Wrestling is great because it has intense resistive muscle activity and is 1 on 1. This makes it much easier for your child to focus on the activity.  In addition,  there is movement in all directions and firm tactile input making this sport a winner for all 3 major sensory inputs for increasing body awareness and calming the nervous system.

#4 Gymnastics

open-gym-gymnastics-300x225

Often parents have tried gymnastics intuitivley knowing it would be great , but then their child was not able to wait in line and listen to instructions.  A great option is open gym time.  Kids have the opportunity to explore equipment with supervision and they don’t have to stand and wait so much. Also consider private lessons or a smaller class size.  Gymnastics is great for providing excellent sensory input to the body.

 

#5 Football

images

This one surprised me at first because I thought it would be too chaotic chasing after the ball until my friend who was a coach explained to me it all depends on the position. For example if you are a lineman you have one thing to focus on and that is the guy in front of you – block him!  Turns out football is a great sport for our kids with SPD!  Lots of intense input to the muscles and joints increasing (proprioception) , lots of movement in all directions and firm tactile input as well. All of this sensory input calms and organizes your child’s body helping them be successful. 

 

#6 Yoga

images

In addition to providing the wonderful  sensory input, yoga emphasizes relaxation and being calm.  My friend Jeanette Runnings who is an OT  developed a wonderful yoga activity, “Yoga Yingo“,  that is easy to do with your child at home.  It is basically bingo with yoga poses that are kid friendly.  A lot of kids that I work with who seek intense movement do really well with inverted poses (e.g. a regular head stand or tripod head stand with knees on elbows). They are able to get intense joint compression and intense vestibular input by being upside down yet at the same time they are trying to be perfectly still and not fall over.

 

#7 Kayaking

KidsKayaking_DSC9788

Kayaking is another wonderful activity for your child to participate in.  The gentle rocking on the water along with pulling the paddle against the water provides wonderful sensory input to the muscles and joint which is very calming. The life jacket provides a firm tactile pressure that is calming as well. Nature is a great source of peace and our kids with SPD need to have opportunities to be out in nature regularly. Check out your local places to rent kayaks. I was able to rent one for only $10/hr on beautiful Lake Chelan in WA this Summer and it sure beat having to haul it and carry it to the water.

 

#8 Hiking / Horseback Riding

images

So many of our kids with SPD do great with hiking and horseback riding!  Again, being out in nature itself is wonderful for all the senses. Carrying a backpack adds firm tactile pressure and joint compression which tends to be calming for a lot of kids.  Climbing up hill increases the resistive muscle activity providing more position sense (proprioception). There are ample opportunities for movement and balance challenges along the way from jumping off rocks to balancing on a log. On the horse there is a lot of movement input for balance reactions and your child gets to see the world from a whole new perspective up high.  There are many therapeutic riding programs (also called hippo-therapy)  with skilled volunteers who will either ride with your child or walk along side in order to keep your child safe.

 

#9 Skiing

images

Skiing is very rich with sensory input. Many kids with SPD thrive with skiing since they are getting such intense sensation of fast movement, balance and feedback to their muscles and joints as they shift weight to make turns. In fact many parents are puzzled  why their kids are such good skiers and when I evaluate them we still see deficits with body awareness, core strength and balance.  The reason is that when they are skiing the “volume gets turned up” with their body senses and they are able to know exactly where they are in space giving which increases the ability to be coordinated and balanced.  Then when they are trying to sit still in a chair the “volume is turned down” and they loose their sense of body awareness and may even fall out of their chair.

#10 Dance

images

If your child does not have auditory issues, I think tap dancing is a wonderful source of sensory input to the muscles and joints for position sense (proprioception).  There is so much feedback to every step they take.  Other forms of dance would be more appropriate if your child has auditory sensitivity.

 

Many of these activities are also available with Special Olympics. This is a great way to make friends, get a lot of family support and be in a non judgmental environment. It is also an opportunity for your child to be with kids who have even greater challenges than they do helping your child have balance and perspective in their life.

Mary Kostka is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist specializing in Sensory Processing Disorder at  her  private practice, ‘Ohana Occupational Therapy, LLC,   in Wenatchee and Leavenworth Washington.

DSC_9832 copy

Filed Under: Sensory Processing

Comments

  1. Eva says

    July 18, 2016 at 5:15 pm

    Hello
    I have a question regarding the martial arts aspect ..my son has a definite need for the “push/pull/heavy work” type of sensory and we are looking into martial arts as a good outlet for him to use these in..my question is that when you say martial arts it is such a broad array of choices .. I have had a few friends and family members who are both in martial arts recommend making distinctions as to which school to choose for our son ahd they recommended specify jui jitsu as opposed Judo or Tae Kwon do as jui jitsu allows more of a physical push pulling wrestling style where as the other two are more of a “don’t touch me or I will resist” type of schooling ..I was wondering if you have any thoughts on this and if you would say that in fact all of the types of martial arts would be good and that it doesn’t have to be “one or the other” for the sensory child?

    Log in to Reply
    • Mary Kostka says

      April 17, 2017 at 6:37 am

      Hello, there are so many different types. The best thing to do is to go and observe and see what the teacher is like and what the style is like. You will be able to have a feeling of what is right just by observing, Mary

      Log in to Reply
  2. Cathy says

    September 17, 2016 at 1:05 pm

    Do you have any suggestions for a kid with spd participating in football when the whistle is too much for them?

    Log in to Reply
    • Mary Kostka says

      April 17, 2017 at 6:35 am

      Hi, try custom ear plugs with volume control made from an audiologist

      Log in to Reply
  3. Antoinette Jones says

    October 5, 2016 at 4:07 pm

    Thank you Ms. Kostka for this article. I have begun to feel lost and overwhelmed with my ADHD son . I know he’s smart. But he has such difficulty with focus. I don’t want him to fall behind. I will try karate for him. Thank you again for this. I look forward to more research.

    Log in to Reply
  4. Lisa says

    November 19, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    Thank you so much. Great to know

    Log in to Reply
  5. Janna says

    February 28, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    My daughter has SPD and I am interested in anything that would help make her our life easier.

    Log in to Reply
    • Mary Kostka says

      May 7, 2017 at 5:30 am

      How can we help?

      Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Community Highlight

Ben's Fund

The Ben’s Fund was founded in 2012 in order to  provide financial support and guidance to children and young adults in the state of Washington who have autism. The Ben’s Fund provides grants to families in need to help with expenses associated with numerous aspects of supporting a child or young adult on the autism spectrum. Click HERE for more information on how to apply for a Ben's Fund grant.

Ailments We Treat

Diagnoses/Conditions:

Sensory Processing Disorder
Developmental Coordination Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder
ADD / ADHD
Hyperactivity
Physical disabilities
Global Developmental Delay
Brachial Plexus Injury
Stroke
Spinal Cord Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury
Spinal Bifida
Down Syndrome
Muscular Dystrophy
Neurological disorders
Vision and hearing disabilities
Congenital anomalies
Neuromuscular disease
Prenatal drug exposure
FAS
Cerebral Palsy

Areas of Treatment:
Attention
Learning
Behavior
Feeding / Picky eating
Handwriting
Social skills
Play skills
Coordination
Sensory seeking behaviors
Sensory over sensitivities
Gross motor skills
Fine motor
Self care Skills
Ocular motor skills
Sleep
Eye contact
Hand splints and foot orthotics
Wheelchair selection and fitting
Adaptive toys, equipment and
adapting the environment to the
child's needs.
Transition Skills

Pediatric Therapy Specialists

Wenatchee Clinic
1139 N. Princeton Suite B,
Wenatchee, WA (509) 888-7435

Our Revolutionary “Sensory Integration” Program Changes Lives!

Watch the program in action in our video. If your child is suffering from behavior, coordination, learning, or energy issues, this program could make a world of difference. Boost confidence, … More...

What is Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)?

It's when a child has difficulty processing the world around them. What they see, hear, smell, touch, and taste isn't recognized the same as you and me. The signals get mixed up and it can cause … More...

Click Below To Learn More On How To Make Your Child’s Life A Better Place

Guide-to-a-Better-World

Testimonials

Maxwell's Success Story: "Before coming to 'Ohana, our main concerns with Maxwell were his challenges making friends, low muscle strength, frequent meltdowns, and frequent accidents at school and at … More...

What Can I Expect?

Our specialized programs and treatments are proven to bring results. You can expect to see changes and improvements within your child sometimes within the first 14 days. You can also expect to get … More...

Specialized Facility

In our clinic, you will see about 1800 square feet of cushioned floor space with an amazing array of ropes, therapeutic suspended equipment, tunnels, crash pillows, balls and other child-oriented … More...

Recent Blog Posts

What is stimming and should I let my child do it?

What is Stimming: Stimming is short for “self-stimulating behavior”. This behavior looks like repetitive movements, … [Read More...]

‘Ohana OT’s Roots, a Tribute to Mary’s Father

In honor of Father's Day today, I want you all to know how my own Dad has influenced me. If my Dad was still alive today, … [Read More...]

  • Staff Only
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Notice
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2025 Ohana OT - Powered by IndeFree - Physical and Occupational Therapy Clinics