Sensory Seeking Activities for Toddlers and Young Children: Turning Movement Into Connection Through Play

Does your child constantly jump, crash, spin, climb, push, or move their body? They may be seeking sensory input to help their body feel organized and ready to engage.

Sensory seeking can sometimes feel overwhelming for parents. You may find yourself wondering, “Why does my child need to move so much?” or “How can I help them without constantly telling them to stop?”

The good news is that you don't always have to stop the sensory-seeking behavior.

Instead, you can use your child's natural interests as an opportunity for connection, communication, regulation, and play.

At Growing Through Play, we use a DIR/Floortime, relationship-based approach that encourages parents to follow their child's lead and join them in their world.

What Is Sensory Seeking?

Sensory seeking is when a child actively looks for certain types of sensory experiences.

A child who seeks sensory input may:

• Jump or crash into furniture or cushions

• Spin in circles

• Run constantly

• Climb on everything

• Push or pull heavy objects

• Enjoy being squeezed or hugged

• Seek lots of movement

• Make loud noises

• Touch everything around them

• Prefer rough-and-tumble play

• Repeat certain movements over and over

Sensory seeking can look different from child to child.

For some children, movement helps them feel more alert and ready to play. For others, certain types of sensory input may help them organize their bodies or participate in an activity.

Rather than assuming that every sensory-seeking behavior needs to be stopped, we can start by asking:

“What is my child telling me through their body?”

Sensory Play Isn't Just About Providing Sensory Input

It's easy to think of sensory play as simply giving a child something to jump on, squeeze, spin, or crash into.

But from a relationship-based perspective, we can take it one step further.

What happens if we join them?

Imagine your child repeatedly jumping onto a pile of pillows.

You could say:

“Stop jumping on the couch.”

Or you could create a shared game:

“Ready...set...JUMP!”

Then pause.

Maybe your child looks at you.

Maybe they laugh.

Maybe they gesture for you to do it again.

Maybe they say, “More!”

That moment of shared interaction is incredibly valuable.

The sensory experience has now become an opportunity for two-way communication and connection.

Follow Their Lead

One of the most important ideas in DIR/Floortime is following the child's lead.

This doesn't mean letting your child do absolutely anything they want.

It means paying attention to what interests them and using that interest as a starting point for interaction.

If your child loves:

🌀 Spinning — spin together and play “stop and go.”

💥 Crashing — create a safe crash-and-catch game.

🐻 Deep pressure — offer gentle hugs or squeezes and pause for their response.

🚂 Pushing — push a laundry basket filled with stuffed animals.

🐸 Jumping — create a jumping game using pillows or floor markers.

💨 Running — play chase and freeze.

The activity itself doesn't have to be complicated.

Your connection is what makes the difference.

6 Sensory-Seeking Games to Try at Home

1. Crash & Catch

Create a safe space with cushions or pillows where your child can crash.

Say:

“Ready...set...CRASH!”

Then join them if they invite you.

After the crash, pause.

Wait.

What does your child do?

Do they look at you?

Move toward you?

Gesture?

Make a sound?

Say “again”?

These small moments are opportunities for communication.

Floortime tip: Don't rush to repeat the game. Give your child time to show you what they want next.

2. Spin & Stop

If your child loves spinning, turn it into a social game.

Spin together for a few seconds.

Then stop.

Make a silly face and wait.

You might say:

“STOP!”

Then watch for your child's response.

If they come back, gesture, laugh, or communicate that they want more, you've created a simple back-and-forth interaction.

Watch → Join → Pause → Wait → Respond

3. Bear Hugs

Some children love deep-pressure experiences.

Try offering a gentle hug or squeeze while saying:

“Bear hug!”

Then release and pause.

Instead of immediately giving another squeeze, wait to see whether your child communicates that they want more.

This could be through words, reaching, looking, smiling, moving closer, or another form of communication.

Remember: Always respect your child's body and preferences. Some children enjoy deep pressure, while others do not.

4. Push & Pull

Give your child opportunities to use their muscles while playing together.

Try:

• Pushing a laundry basket

• Pulling a blanket with stuffed animals

• Carrying pillows

• Moving couch cushions

• Pushing a large box across the floor

Turn it into a game.

“Can we get the animals to the other side?”

Or:

“Push, push, push!”

You are giving your child movement while also creating a shared goal.

5. Jumping Games

If your child is constantly jumping, make jumping part of the interaction.

Place a few pillows or safe floor markers on the ground.

Try:

“1...2...3...JUMP!”

Then pause.

Let your child decide what happens next.

You can make it silly by changing the words:

“Jump like a frog!”

“Jump like a dinosaur!”

“Tiny jump!”

“GIANT jump!”

This combines sensory input, imagination, language, and social interaction.

6. Chase & Freeze

If your child loves running, try turning it into a predictable social game.

Say:

“I'm coming!”

Chase your child for a short distance.

Then suddenly freeze.

Make a silly face.

Wait.

Your child may come back to restart the game, laugh, gesture, or communicate for you to continue.

Now their movement has become a back-and-forth interaction.

What If My Child Doesn't Want Me to Join?

That's okay.

Following your child's lead doesn't mean forcing yourself into their play.

Start by observing.

What are they doing?

What seems interesting to them?

What makes them smile?

What movement do they repeat?

You might begin by simply copying one small part of their play.

If they jump, you jump.

If they push, you push.

If they make a sound, you make a similar sound.

Then pause.

Give them an opportunity to notice you.

Sometimes connection begins with simply being alongside your child in their world.

Sensory Seeking and Regulation

Children don't always seek sensory input because they are “misbehaving” or trying to avoid an activity.

Their bodies may be communicating a need for movement, stimulation, or help becoming organized enough to participate.

This is why it can be helpful to look at the whole child and the context.

Ask yourself:

• What was happening before my child started seeking movement?

• Does movement help them become more engaged?

• Are they tired, overwhelmed, bored, or excited?

• What types of sensory experiences do they consistently seek?

• Can I turn the activity into a shared interaction?

There isn't one sensory strategy that works for every child.

Your child's individual sensory preferences, development, communication, and relationship with caregivers all matter.

You Don't Need Expensive Sensory Equipment

One of the best things about sensory play is that you don't need a house full of specialized equipment.

You can use everyday items:

Pillows → crashing

Laundry basket → pushing

Blanket → pulling

Stuffed animals → carrying

Couch cushions → climbing and jumping

Your arms → hugs and connection

The goal isn't to create the perfect sensory room.

The goal is to find opportunities for your child to move, connect, communicate, and play.

The Growing Through Play Approach

At Growing Through Play, we believe that children's interests can become our greatest opportunities for connection.

Instead of asking:

“How do I stop this behavior?”

Try asking:

“How can I join my child here?”

Your child's sensory-seeking behavior may give you a window into what their body enjoys and what helps them engage.

Follow their lead.

Join their world.

Pause.

Wait.

And see what happens.

WATCH. JOIN. PAUSE. WAIT. FOLLOW.

Because play isn't just something children do.

Play is how children connect, communicate, regulate, and grow.

Looking for Support?

If you are looking for a relationship-based pediatric occupational therapy approach that incorporates DIR/Floortime, sensory regulation, play, and caregiver coaching, Growing Through Play supports families in understanding their child's unique developmental needs and building connection through everyday play.

Growing Through Play

Helping you understand your child, one playful moment at a time.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy • DIR/Floortime • Parent Coaching • Play-Based Support

Primary Keyword: sensory seeking activities

Secondary Keywords: sensory seeker, sensory seeking toddler, sensory play activities, sensory processing, sensory activities for toddlers, DIR Floortime, child-led play, pediatric occupational therapy, sensory regulation