SensorySystems Guide
A Parent Guide

Understanding
Sensory Systems

An occupational-therapy perspective on how children experience movement, touch, sound, sight, smell, taste and internal body signals — and simple ways to notice what helps them thrive.

Important: This guide is an educational resource, not a diagnostic assessment. Sensory preferences are individual and can change with context, fatigue, stress and development.
Parent / Carer
 
Child
 
Date
 

How to Use This Guide

Sensory processing is how the nervous system receives, organises and responds to information from the body and the environment.

What we're really looking for

A child may seek some sensations, avoid others, miss signals entirely, or respond differently depending on the situation. The goal isn't to label a child as "sensory" — it's to understand what helps them participate.

Look for patterns

Notice what happens before → during → after a sensory experience. Ask: does it help participation, make the child uncomfortable, or have no noticeable effect?

Parent observation tip: Try to observe across different times and settings rather than relying on one occasion. A preference is not automatically a problem. Consider whether it affects sleep, eating, self-care, learning, play, emotional regulation, safety or participation.

A simple parent rating

  • Enjoy — actively seeks or shows clear enjoyment
  • Comfortable — can participate without difficulty
  • Unsure — depends on the day, setting or intensity
  • Avoid — moves away, refuses, covers up, or becomes distressed
  • Seeks more — repeatedly looks for or increases the sensation

The Eight Sensory Systems

Each system below includes what it does, signs of individual differences, a simple try-at-home activity, and space for your own notes.

SYSTEM 01

Vestibular — Movement & Balance

Where is it?Inner ear
What does it do?Helps the brain understand movement, balance, head position, and where the body is in relation to gravity

What might sensory differences look like?

  • Seeks spinning, jumping, running, swinging, or constant movement
  • Dislikes swings, lifts, uneven surfaces, or having feet off the ground
  • Becomes dizzy, cautious, or distressed during movement
  • Has difficulty sitting still or maintaining posture during tasks

🎯 Try this — Movement Detective

Try 3–5 minutes of gentle movement such as marching, animal walks, slow rocking, or jumping. Then try a calm seated activity. Notice whether movement helps the child become more organised or makes them more unsettled.

My sensory notes

Movement I enjoy:

Movement I avoid:

I usually seek movement / avoid movement / it depends

After movement I feel: calmer / more alert / dizzy / unsettled / no change

Safety / OT note: Avoid fast spinning or challenging movement if it causes pain, nausea, pallor, distress, or loss of balance. Follow the child's cues.
SYSTEM 02

Proprioceptive — Body Awareness & Force

Where is it?Muscles, joints, and connective tissues
What does it do?Provides information about body position, movement, effort, and force without needing to look at the body

What might sensory differences look like?

  • Seeks pushing, pulling, carrying, climbing, crashing, or rough-and-tumble play
  • Chews clothing or objects, squeezes tightly, or uses too much / too little force
  • Appears clumsy or has difficulty grading force
  • May become more organised after heavy-work activities

🎯 Try this — Heavy-Work Helper

Invite the child to push a laundry basket, carry light groceries, pull resistance bands, do wall pushes, or complete animal walks for a short period. Observe changes in body organisation and attention.

My sensory notes

Activities that make my body feel organised:

I prefer: pushing / pulling / carrying / climbing / squeezing

I often use: too much force / too little force / about right

Heavy work makes me: calmer / more alert / tired / no change

Safety / OT note: Use age-appropriate resistance and supervision. Heavy work should never cause pain or exhaustion.
SYSTEM 03

Tactile — Touch & Skin Sensation

Where is it?Skin and body surface
What does it do?Detects touch, pressure, temperature, texture, and potentially unpleasant or protective sensations

What might sensory differences look like?

  • Strong reactions to clothing seams, tags, hair brushing, messy play, or light touch
  • Seeks firm pressure, hugs, rubbing, or touching objects
  • Avoids certain textures such as sand, grass, slime, or food textures
  • Does not notice small injuries, dirty hands, or touch that others notice

🎯 Try this — Texture Explorer

Offer 3–4 safe textures (e.g., cotton, playdough, dry rice in a sealed container, soft fabric). Let the child choose whether to touch, use a tool, or watch. Record preferences without forcing contact.

My sensory notes

Textures I like:

Textures I dislike:

I prefer touch that is: light / firm / predictable / none

Clothing or grooming that bothers me:

Safety / OT note: Never force a child to touch a texture. Check for allergies, skin sensitivities, and choking hazards.
SYSTEM 04

Auditory — Sound & Listening

Where is it?Inner ear and auditory pathways in the brain
What does it do?Helps the brain detect, locate, interpret, and respond to sounds

What might sensory differences look like?

  • Covers ears or becomes distressed with loud, sudden, or high-pitched sounds
  • Seeks noise, hums, makes sounds, or enjoys music
  • Misses spoken instructions when there is background noise
  • Has difficulty filtering several sounds at once

🎯 Try this — Sound Detective

In a quiet room, listen for 3 sounds. Then try a busier environment for a short period. Ask the child to rate sounds as like / okay / dislike and notice whether quiet or background sound supports participation.

My sensory notes

Sounds I enjoy:

Sounds I dislike:

I concentrate best: in quiet / with gentle background sound

Sudden sounds make me: okay / startled / distressed

Safety / OT note: Respect hearing-related distress. Do not use loud sounds as a sensory challenge.
SYSTEM 05

Visual — Seeing & Processing Information

Where is it?Eyes and visual processing areas of the brain
What does it do?Helps the brain interpret light, colour, movement, shapes, depth, and visual information

What might sensory differences look like?

  • Becomes overwhelmed in bright, busy, cluttered environments
  • Seeks bright colours, movement, lights, or visually stimulating objects
  • Finds it hard to locate items on a busy page or find objects in clutter
  • May squint, avoid certain lighting, or prefer dimmer environments

🎯 Try this — Visual Calm vs Busy

Compare a simple uncluttered workspace with a busy one. Try a short tabletop task in each and observe attention, speed, and comfort.

My sensory notes

Lighting I prefer: bright / soft / dim / natural

I like looking at: colours / movement / patterns / simple spaces

Busy rooms or pages make me: okay / distracted / overwhelmed

Visual changes that help me:

Safety / OT note: If a child reports pain, headaches, visual changes, or significant difficulty seeing, seek appropriate medical / vision assessment.
SYSTEM 06

Olfactory — Smell

Where is it?Nose and olfactory pathways in the brain
What does it do?Detects and interprets odours and can strongly influence comfort, appetite, memories, and emotional responses

What might sensory differences look like?

  • Strongly dislikes perfumes, cleaning products, food smells, or other odours
  • Seeks or repeatedly smells foods, objects, or environments
  • Avoids rooms or foods because of smell
  • Can become upset or lose appetite when an odour is strong

🎯 Try this — Smell Detective

Present familiar, safe scents from a distance (e.g., orange peel, vanilla, coffee). Let the child choose to smell or not. Sort into "like," "okay," and "dislike."

My sensory notes

Smells I like:

Smells I dislike:

Strong smells make me: okay / uncomfortable / nauseous

Smell affects my eating: rarely / sometimes / often

Safety / OT note: Do not place substances under a child's nose or use essential oils as a treatment. Avoid known allergens and irritating fumes.
SYSTEM 07

Gustatory — Taste

Where is it?Taste receptors, mainly on the tongue and mouth
What does it do?Detects basic taste qualities and contributes to flavour preferences and eating experiences

What might sensory differences look like?

  • Strong preferences for sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or savoury flavours
  • Avoids unfamiliar foods or tastes
  • Seeks intense flavours or repeatedly eats a narrow range of foods
  • May react strongly to a food's taste even when the texture is accepted

🎯 Try this — Taste Explorer

Offer tiny amounts of familiar foods with different tastes. The child can look, smell, touch, lick, taste, or say "no thank you." The goal is exploration, not finishing the food.

My sensory notes

Tastes I enjoy:

Tastes I avoid:

I prefer flavours that are: mild / strong / mixed

New foods feel: easy / sometimes hard / very hard

Safety / OT note: Follow dietary, allergy, choking, and medical requirements. Never force tasting or use food as a reward / punishment.
SYSTEM 08

Interoceptive — Internal Body Signals

Where is it?Receptors throughout the body that communicate internal states to the brain
What does it do?Helps a person notice signals such as hunger, thirst, bladder / bowel needs, temperature, heartbeat, breathing, fatigue, and the need for rest

What might sensory differences look like?

  • Does not notice hunger, thirst, toileting needs, tiredness, or overheating until the signal is strong
  • Frequently seeks food / drink or has difficulty identifying what their body needs
  • Needs routines, visual supports, or reminders to respond to body signals
  • May notice body sensations very strongly and become worried or uncomfortable

🎯 Try this — Body Check-In

At natural points in the day, pause and ask: "What is my body telling me?" Use simple choices such as hungry / not hungry, thirsty / not thirsty, hot / cool, energetic / tired, toilet / no toilet.

My sensory notes

I notice hunger: easily / sometimes / only when very hungry

I notice thirst: easily / sometimes / only when very thirsty

I notice tiredness: easily / sometimes / after I am exhausted

Body signals that are hard for me to notice:

Safety / OT note: Interoceptive awareness varies widely. Persistent toileting, eating, breathing, pain, or other body-signal concerns should be discussed with an appropriate health professional.

My Child's Sensory Profile

Use this page to capture the patterns you've noticed. It is not a diagnostic checklist — focus on what supports comfortable participation.

SystemLikes / seeksDislikes / avoidsWhat helps?
Vestibular———
Proprioceptive———
Tactile———
Auditory———
Visual———
Olfactory———
Gustatory———
Interoceptive———

Patterns I notice across the day

Morning & transitions Mealtimes School / learning Community Bathing / grooming Bedtime

What helps my child feel organised and ready to participate?

 
 

When to Seek Occupational Therapy Support

Consider an OT assessment when sensory responses are persistent or significantly affect everyday participation — such as dressing, grooming, eating, sleep, toileting, school tasks, play, community access, transitions, or emotional regulation.

An OT may help by:

Identifying patterns in sensory processing and functional participation
Adapting activities, environments, routines and task demands
Developing practical regulation and participation strategies
Supporting parents and educators to understand the child's sensory preferences
Considering other factors such as communication, motor skills, sleep, learning, behaviour, vision / hearing and context
Remember: There is no single sensory strategy that works for every child. The best approach is individualised, function-focused, and guided by the child's own responses.