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Home > Ready for Life > Parents > Temperament > About Temperament > Tips For Working With Sensitivity To Senses
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      • About Temperament
        • Tips for Working With Activity Level
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Tips For Working With Sensitivity To Senses

two-year-old works to mix bread dough with her motherTips for Working with a Child Who Is Sensitive to Senses

Friends, Family and Home

  • Have family “group hugs” where everyone hugs together.
  • Remind a child who likes touching that friends may not want to hold hands and hug.
  • Use softer colors and pictures in his bedroom.
  • Lower the lights, television and music in the home.

Learning, Childcare and School

  • Find childcare that is quieter, calmer, with fewer children, and where there is an affectionate caregiver.
  • Let teachers know that a lot of noise causes her to be upset or too active.
  • Encourage teachers to hug and hold him.
  • Ask teachers to provide music and art activities for her.

Activities and Television

  • Use soft, soothing music to comfort him.
  • Limit television to avoid over-stimulating your child.
  • Keep the TV and music turned down.
  • Let her help you cook and smell, taste and touch the food as you prepare it.

Guidance and Discipline

  • Find out what things are too much for him: noise, strong flavors, certain textures or colors.
  • Give lots of holding and hugging.
  • Help her find a quiet, soothing place to calm down when she is cranky.
  • Seek him out and hold him when he is not being clingy.
  • Say things quietly and hold her when she is overactive or upset.

bored five-year-old boy on couchTips for Working with a Child Who Is Less Sensitive to Senses

Friends, Family and Home

  • Provide brighter colors in her bedroom, more pictures around the house and different music.
  • Encourage quieter, calmer activities with friends.
  • Make sure family members ask if they can give hugs and kisses to be sure they are wanted at the time.
  • Help family not take it personally when a baby prefers not to be held.

Learning, Childcare and School

  • Choose childcare programs that have good lighting and lots of colorful pictures, toys and materials.
  • Be sure that school and childcare teachers provide many art and music activities.
  • Choose toys that are bright and colorful.
  • Encourage teachers and friends to expose a baby to different sights, sounds and experiences.

Activities and Television

  • Provide him with colorful toys, musical instruments and activities that involve light, sound and color.
  • Give her a music player and a choice of songs to listen to.
  • Watch the volume on television and music so that he doesn’t damage his hearing.
  • Provide infant toys with many textures and activities that involve all of her senses.

Guidance and Discipline

  • Give lots of love with words when he doesn’t want to be held and help him do the same.
  • Have her stop, look around a messy area and show her what needs to be picked up.
  • Point out beautiful sunsets, soft and loud music and other things he may not notice.

Related Video

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  • Who Is My Child?

    In this video, you will learn about how our temperament traits make us different from one another.
  • What Makes Up a Child’s Temperament?

    Find out about the different aspects of temperament traits.
  • Temperament Traits

    Understand the different traits that make up your child's temperament.
  • Do Your Child’s Temperament and World Fit Together?

    Learn to balance what your child needs from their environment because of their temperament and also what they need to learn to adapt to.

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