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| Puppies need heavy work, too! |
I learned about the concept of “heavy work” when I was learning about autism and sensory processing issues. It can be calming, and help kids organize their minds so they are ready to participate in whatever other learning activity is going on. Heavy work is any kind of slow, steady resistance that requires a child to use their muscles. Things like pushing on the wall, giving yourself a bear hug, marching with really heavy stomps–all of these allow for more input, which can have a calming affect.
There’s a nice blog post about using heavy work, with some good examples of the kinds of things to try for various age groups. This is another of those universal design things–it’s great for kids with sensory processing issues, but good for everyone else, too!