Oral sensory seeking involves a strong desire to engage the mouth in activities like chewing, sucking, or biting. Here are some ideas to fulfill oral sensory needs in safe and satisfying ways:
Chewing Tools and Toys
- Chewable Jewellery: Provide chewable necklaces, bracelets, or keychains designed for safe chewing.
- Chew Tubes: Use chew tubes of various textures and firmness for chewing.
- Silicone Teethers: Offer silicone teething toys that are durable and safe for oral exploration.
Chewy Foods
- Dried Fruits: Snack on dried fruits like apricots, apples, or raisins, which provide a chewy texture.
- Jerky: Enjoy beef jerky, turkey jerky, or similar dried meat products that require extended chewing.
Crunchy Foods
- Raw Vegetables: Munch on crunchy vegetables like carrots, celery, or bell peppers.
- Pretzels and Crackers: Eat pretzels, crackers, or rice cakes for a satisfying crunch.
- Nuts and Seeds: Snack on almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds (if age-appropriate).
Sucking Activities
- Straw Drinks: Drink thick liquids like smoothies or milkshakes through a straw, which requires strong suction.
- Suckable Pouches: Use squeeze pouches filled with yogurt.
- Lollipops: Suck on lollipops or hard candy for extended oral stimulation.
Blowing Activities
- Bubbles: Blow bubbles with a bubble wand or through a straw into soapy water.
- Pinwheels: Blow on pinwheels to make them spin.
- Whistles and Kazoos: Play with whistles, kazoos, or other wind instruments.
Vibrating Oral Tools
- Vibrating Toothbrushes: Use a vibrating toothbrush during oral care routines.
- Oral Vibration Toys: Explore vibrating teething toys or oral massagers.
- Electric Flossers: Use electric flossers that provide a gentle vibration while cleaning teeth.
Cold and Hot Sensations
- Frozen Treats: Eat icepoles, frozen fruit, or ice chips for cold oral input.
- Cold Water Bottles: Sip cold water from a bottle with a spout or straw.
- Warm Drinks: Drink warm beverages like tea or soup broth to provide a different sensory experience.
Resistive Chewing
- Licorice or Twizzlers: Chew on licorice sticks or similar candy that offers resistance.
- Bagels or Breadsticks: Bite into chewy bagels or breadsticks that require extra jaw work.
- Cheese Sticks: Chew on string cheese or other firm cheeses.
Oral Motor Exercises
- Tongue Twisters: Practice tongue twisters to engage the mouth and tongue muscles.
- Lip and Cheek Exercises: Puff out cheeks, blow raspberries, or make exaggerated lip movements.
- Straw Exercises: Practice sucking and blowing through straws of different diameters.
Oral Hygiene Activities
- Brushing Teeth: Engage in thorough tooth brushing with flavored toothpaste.
- Mouth Rinsing: Use flavored mouthwash (age-appropriate) or water to rinse the mouth.
- Flossing: Practice flossing with flavored or textured floss.
Taste Exploration
- Sour Candies: Taste sour candies like sour gummies or lemon drops for a strong flavor experience.
- Spicy Foods: Try spicy snacks like chili-flavoured chips or wasabi peas.
- Flavour Drops: Add flavour drops to water or snacks for a burst of taste.
Oral Play with Food
- Play with Food Shapes: Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes with fruits, vegetables, or sandwiches.
- Layered Snacks: Build layered snacks like mini sandwiches or stacked fruits to explore different textures in one bite.
- Edible Jewellery: Create edible jewellery using cereal, pretzels, or gummy rings.
Heavy Work for the Jaw
- Caramel or Toffee: Chew on caramel or toffee for intense jaw work.
- Gumdrops or Jelly Beans: Munch on gumdrops or jelly beans that require a lot of chewing.
- Rice Crispy Treats: Chew on sticky, resistive treats like rice crispy squares.
Scented and Flavoured Items
- Flavoured Lip Balm: Use flavoured lip balms that provide both scent and taste.
- Scented Chew Toys: Offer scented chew toys or chewables for a multi-sensory experience.
These activities and tools can help fulfill the oral sensory needs of individuals who seek out oral stimulation, providing a range of options that are both safe and satisfying.
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