Our vestibular system and proprioceptive system are two of our 8 senses. It’s something I didn’t learn about until I started working with children and working with an occupational therapist. However, it’s something I start to teach parents about during our first session because it’s so important to understand in child development.
The vestibular system is how we take in information through our inner ear and has to do with movement and balance. It’s activated anytime a child spins, swings, rocks, or changes the position of their head. The proprioceptive system, on the other hand, gives us a sense of where our body is in space. It’s fueled by deep pressure and muscle input—things like pushing, pulling, climbing, and squeezing.
Sometimes you’ll have kids that are seekers and other times you’ll have kids that are avoiders. Everyone’s cup is different and the amount of input they need is different. When kids need extra input we can find different ways to encourage it through fun activities. When a child is avoidant, then take things slow and give them exposure to activities at their own pace.
Oftentimes activities offer both vestibular and proprioceptive input, for example jumping on a trampoline. The movement of going up and down is vestibular and the landing is proprioceptive. Another example is riding on a bike. The movement forward is vestibular, and the pedaling is proprioceptive.
For a lot of kids, getting the vestibular and proprioceptive input they need helps regulate their bodies so that they can be ready for whatever comes next. It’s important to read your child’s cues though because sometimes if you do too much, it can be overstimulating.
As an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Parents, educators, and therapists – Add this to your toolbox to better understand key areas of child development. Plus get extra tips, activities and strategies to your inbox.
Unsubscribe at any time. See Privacy Policy for more details.
