Interoception is our body’s sense of its internal state, helping us recognize and respond to physical sensations like hunger, thirst, the need to use the bathroom, fatigue, and even emotions. In OT, interoception is important because children with underdeveloped interoceptive awareness may struggle to identify, understand, or act on these internal cues, impacting their self-regulation, emotional awareness, and self-care skills. In therapy, we help children tune into these signals through activities that focus on recognizing body cues and practicing appropriate responses. Therapists may use activities that involve checking in with the body (e.g., noticing if the stomach feels empty or full), labeling emotions associated with body sensations (like “butterflies” for nervousness), and games that prompt children to link their physical sensations to actions (like taking deep breaths to calm down). Programs like the Zones of Regulation or The Alert Program are often used to help children understand and manage their interoceptive cues more effectively, building self-awareness and enhancing daily functioning.

 

Activities to Complete at Home:

  1. Body Scans: Encourage children to close their eyes and “scan” their body from head to toe, noting how each part feels (e.g., tight, relaxed, warm, cold).
  2. Hunger and Fullness Check: Before and after meals, ask children to rate how hungry or full they feel on a simple scale (e.g., 1-5).
  3. Emotion Labeling: Use a feelings chart or pictures to help kids label and describe what their bodies feel like when they experience different emotions.
  4. Mindful Breathing: Practice deep breathing exercises, focusing on how breathing feels in their body. Can they notice their belly rising when they inhale and falling when they exhale? You can put a stuffed animal on your belly when lying on your back to help notice this.
  5. Temperature Awareness: Encourage kids to notice changes in body temperature (e.g., warm after playing, cool when relaxing) and describe these sensations.
  6. Hydration Check: Encourage children to recognize when they’re thirsty and drink water, paying attention to how drinking makes their body feel.
  7. Stretching and Yoga: Use stretches or yoga poses that help children notice muscle tension or relaxation, like reaching up high or curling into a ball.
  8. Heartbeat Awareness: Have children jump up and down or run in place and then place their hands on their chest to feel their heartbeat. You can even use a heart monitor or Apple Watch to track your heart rate during different activities.
  9. Breathing Buddy: Place a stuffed animal on their belly to watch it rise and fall with each breath, helping to connect breathing with a calming feeling.
  10. Energy Check-ins: Throughout the day, ask kids to rate their energy level as low, medium, or high, linking it to feelings like tiredness or restlessness.
  11. Muscle Tension Release: Practice tensing and releasing different muscle groups (e.g., hands, shoulders) to help children recognize tension and relaxation.
  12. Body Clues: Point out subtle signs of fatigue (e.g., yawning, rubbing eyes) and encourage children to notice these cues.
  13. Belly Breathing: Practice “belly breathing,” which involves taking deep breaths that expand the abdomen, helping children become aware of how their belly feels.
  14. Bathroom Signals: Encourage kids to check in with their body throughout the day to recognize when they need to use the bathroom. How do you know when you need to pee or poop?  What signals does your body send you?
  15. Emotion-Matching Games: Play games that involve matching emotions to physical sensations, like associating “butterflies” with feeling nervous.
  16. Hungry/Hangry Game: Discuss how hunger can affect mood (e.g., feeling “hangry”) and help children notice how their body feels when hungry.
  17. Grounding Exercise: Engage in grounding techniques like identifying five things they see, hear, or feel, which builds overall body awareness.
  18. Exercise Cool-Down: After exercise, encourage children to notice changes in their breathing, heart rate, and body temperature as they cool down.
  19. Taste and Texture Awareness: During meals, talk about the flavors and textures of food and how they make them feel (e.g., “This soup is warm and calming”).
  20. Sleepiness Check: Before bed, ask children to identify clues their body gives them that they are sleepy, such as drooping eyelids or yawns.