Using Indoor Swings

With all sensory activities it’s best to have an obvious way for the child to know when it’s the end of the activity. This can be done by counting (let’s count to 10 or 50), by saying the alphabet, by singing a song, or by throwing a predetermined number of objects into a container while moving. If the child appears to need more sensory input, you can repeat an activity, but again have an obvious ending point. In class it seems to work to set a timer for most kids, but if swinging is part of a structured sensory diet, try to find another method of marking the end of the activity that will be more obvious to the child and won’t take them by surprise.

Any time that children move themselves on a swing independently, they receive more input to the joints (tends to be organizing to the nervous system), and they work more on motor planning, strength, and postural control. Independent movement should often be encouraged for this reason, but may not always be possible, or may not be preferred for specific reasons, depending on the goal of the activity.

Flexion Swing

from Southpaw Enterprises, Inc.

  • one or two children sit on the swing and hug the bolster with their feet and arms and hands
  • ask children if they’d like to be bounced; swung in a straight line; or swung in a large circle, first in one direction and then in the other; some children like all three or a combination of bouncing and linear or rotary movement
  • don’t push the swing in tight fast circles because it may cause nausea, tends to be dysregulating, and can set off seizures
  • a child can also stand on the swing with a foot on each side of the bolster and their arms and hands hugging the bolster
  • an older or more coordinated child can reach down to the floor to pick up a yarn ball, koosh ball, or bean bag to throw into a container or at a target; be sure the child can keep their balance when you try this (stand close enough to catch or help a child the first few times)

Benefits:provides vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive/kinesthetic input, works on strength and postural control, motor planning and eye-hand coordination are worked on with the ball activities

Net Swing/Hammock:

from Autism-Products.com

  • seat a child in the swing by holding it open from behind with your hands and arms; have the child stand in front of the swing with their back to it and cue them to sit down just like in a chair; before startingplace something in the swing to hold it open (carpet square, folded towel, piece of foam, etc.). Once seated the child’s arms should come around the outside of the swing so they can hold onto the sides of the net; holding in this way helps to prevent the child from falling out of the swing onto their face.
  • some children enjoy lying prone in a net swing (on their tummies), and this is a great activity to work on core strength, especially if the child is hung low enough to push themselves with their hands; it can take practice to learn how to get a child into the swing in prone; some children like the net pulled under their legs to provide support; some children dislike this position, so don’t force them to lie prone, if they seem resistant; children’s hands can be pulled while they lie prone, which provides additional input to the joints
  • hang the swing low enough for the child to feel secure and to push themselves, if possible; you may have to cue some children about how to push themselves
  • hang the swing a little higher, if you intend to push the child, so that their feet don’t catch on the floor; cue the child to keep their feet up off of the floor as you push
  • for calming, slow, rhythmic straight pushes are the best
  • many children like to go in circles and can be pushed in large circles, stopping after a few rotations to push them in the other direction
  • don’t push children in tight, fast circles; it’s dysregulating, may cause nausea, and can set off seizures; if a child can push themselves in this manner and insists on swinging that way, it’s OK for brief periods of time (a few minutes)—watch to be sure that they don’t look sick afterward
  • additional proprioceptive input (input to the joints), which tends to be organizing to the nervous system, is provided if the bottom of the child’s feet are pushed as they hold their legs straight out, or if they keep their knees bent to hold onto a hula hoop that an adult pulls while counting to 3 and then the child straightens their legs to let go of the hoop
  • an older or more coordinated child can reach down to the floor to pick up a yarn ball, koosh ball, or bean bag to throw into a container or at a target; be sure the child can keep their balance when you try this
  • many children like to explore backward space by leaning back to tip their head upside down as they swing; this is a great activity as long as the child is able to keep holding onto the swing so that they are safe; leaning back and then straightening up works on core strength and postural control

Benefits: provides vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive/kinesthetic input, works on strength and postural control if the child pushes himself or herself, motor planning and eye-hand coordination are worked on with the ball activities

Platform Swing:

from Sensory Goods

  • this swing works especially well for two or more students (more than two is OK, if they are young/small); some teachers have commented that they like the opportunities for socialization that this swing easily provides if more than one student at a time uses it
  • children can sit on the swing and be pushed in straight lines or large circles; avoid pushing in tight, fast circles for the reasons stated above
  • children can stand on the swing and use their arms and legs to push themselves

Benefits: provides vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive/kinesthetic input; works on motor planning, strength, and postural control if children stand and move the swing themselves; provides opportunities for socialization and cooperation if two or more students use the swing at the same time

Airwalker:

from Sensory Edge

  • a student can sit or lie on their back or tummy in the swing
  • the swing can be pushed by the student with their feet or arms, or pushed by an adult
  • pushing with slow, rhythmic, linear movements tends to be calming
  • pushing in large circles may be preferred by some students
  • avoid pushing in tight, fast circles for the reasons stated above

Benefits:provides touch pressure and vestibular (movement) input, if pushed by the student proprioceptive input (input to the joints) is provided, this swing is often calming for students because of the touch pressure and the blocking out of visual stimuli if the student is lying down in it on their back

Pogo Swing:

from Air Pogo

  • a child can sit or stand on the pogo swing, holding on with their arms and hands
  • it tends to be easier for children to propel the swing themselves if they stand
  • the pogo swing can be bounced, as well as swung straight or in large circles
  • it appears that children vary in how much they enjoy the bouncing motion, start with gentle bouncing and then bounce more vigorously if the child seems to enjoy it or asks

Benefits: provides great input to the joints (proprioception), as well as vestibular (movement) input; if the child moves themselves this swing provides opportunities to improve strength and postural control

2/24/2012 Academy School District 20 Occupational Therapists