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Sensory kit ideas for home and the car
Simple sensory kit ideas for home and the car, for families between occupational therapy visits in Milton and Mississauga. Not a sensory diet.
A sensory kit is a small set of items that help a child settle, wake up their body, or get through a hard transition. An occupational therapist should help you choose what fits your child. The list below is a starting point for that conversation, not a prescription.
A calm kit
- Headphones for loud stores or school assemblies
- A soft hoodie or a fabric the child already likes
- A small photo of a quiet place, or a one-minute breathing card
- Chewy snacks the family already uses, if chewing helps and eating is safe
A movement kit
- A resistance band on the chair legs for feet to push, if your therapist agrees
- A playground trip or a living-room animal walk before homework
- Carrying a backpack with a book or two, not weights
- Wall pushes: hands on the wall, lean, count to ten
A car and waiting-room kit
- One fidget the child will actually return, not a bag of ten
- A familiar audiobook
- Sunglasses or a hat if light is the problem
- A visual “first the store, then home” card
Safety
Skip small items for children who mouth objects. Do not use weighted blankets or compression unless a clinician has told you the weight and the wear time. If a child is in pain, injuring themselves, or unable to eat, call your care team rather than adding more kit items.
This page is general information for families. It is not a treatment plan, a sensory diet, or a diagnosis.