Demystifying the Senses: Proprioception and Motor Development
Did you know that we actually have eight senses, not just five? In addition to sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell, we have three other senses: proprioception, vestibular, and interoceptive. In this mini-series, we’re diving into these amazing senses and the huge roles they play in your young child’s development.
Proprioception - what on Earth is it? Often called our position sense, Proprioception is the sense of our physical body and where it is in space. It includes the ability to perceive movement within our muscles and joints, and sense the orientation of our limbs in the space around us. It allows us to walk without watching our feet, aim a basketball into a hoop, and type without staring at our fingers. And proprioception is something that can be developed and strengthened through play, leading to improved motor control, motor planning, and motor grading.
One excellent way to build proprioception is through the use of movement props like the scarves or hoops we enjoy in Kindermusik! Props add interest and a cognitive challenge, as they extend a child’s physical reach and how much space they inhabit. Moving a prop also forces a child to adjust their balance and gait in order to coordinate their movements with that object. This is a big brain-body workout!
Here are some prop play ideas for home!
Scarf or Streamer Play - In Kindermusik we love to play with soft, colorful, sheer scarves that float through the air. If you don’t have something like this, you can dance with ribbons, streamers, a wearable scarf, or even a small kitchen towel. Turn on your favorite music and dance together! Share ideas back and forth for how to dance with your scarf: spinning in a circle with it, tossing it and catching it, waving it side to side, swirling it in a circle, pulling it on the floor, arching it like a rainbow, and so on. Be sure to label all these movements, too, for some bonus vocabulary development!
Hula Hoop Play - Just like scarves, hula hoops can move in so many ways! Head outside and tap your hoops on the ground, roll them like wheels, turn them like steering wheels (don’t forget to “brrm brrm” and “beep beep!”), spin while holding them around your waist, hold them up high like the sun or moon, and - our favorite - hold the hoops upright on the ground for your child to crawl through like a tunnel! All this makes for whole body and brain exercise!
Pull and Push Toys - Gather everything with wheels and start your engines! Push and pull those trucks and cars and trains everywhere you can. Make ramps and hills with boxes and mountains with pillows. And, the bigger the better! Put some pretend wheels on a laundry basket or box to make a monster truck or school bus to push and pull around. This pushing and pulling engages your child’s core, as well.
Pillow Fort & Pillow Fight! - If your child is very receptive to proprioceptive input, they likely enjoy big squishy hugs from you, or giving big squishy hugs to their favorite plushies, pets, or loved ones. So lets squish some pillows! Pile up all your big couch cushions and pillows to jump into (with your safe supervision and boundaries, of course). Use them to build a fort, then snuggle inside with big hugs or pillows to squeeze. And, even a pillow fight provides lots of proprioceptive input as your child holds tight, swings, and feels the impact of their pillow. Just be sure to lay down some safety boundaries, first!
Have fun!
