Key Takeaways
- Deep pressure activities (bear hugs, joint compressions, animal walks) are the safest starting point—almost universally calming
- Consistency beats intensity: brief, regular activities (5-10 minutes, several times daily) work better than occasional long sessions
- These free activities form the foundation of any sensory diet—specialized tools complement, not replace them
- Never force touch—let children control interactions, especially texture exploration activities
- Document what works: over time, you'll build a personalized toolkit for different situations
Effective tactile input doesn't require expensive equipment. Your hands, household items, and the natural world provide endless opportunities for sensory regulation. Here are 15 activities that cost nothing and require no special tools.
Deep Pressure Activities
These activities provide firm, consistent pressure that typically calms the nervous system. For more on why deep pressure works, see our guide on deep pressure vs. light touch.
1. Bear Hugs and Squishes
How to do it: Give firm, consistent pressure hugs. Wrap arms fully around your child and squeeze firmly (not painfully). Hold for 5-10 seconds, release, repeat.
Variations:
- "Sandwich game": Child lies between couch cushions while you press gently
- "Burrito roll": Roll child firmly in a blanket
- "Steam roller": Child lies face-down while you roll a pillow firmly over their back
When to use: Before challenging activities, during escalation, bedtime routine.
Age adaptations:
- Toddlers: Brief hugs, pillow pressing
- School-age: Longer hugs, burrito rolls
- Teens: Self-applied pressure with crossed-arm hugs
2. Heavy Work with Hands
How to do it: Push palms together firmly. Interlock fingers and pull apart. Press hands flat on wall and push.
Variations:
- Wall push-ups
- Palm wrestling (push palms together with partner)
- Hand squeezes (make tight fists, release, repeat)
- Finger pulls (interlace fingers and pull)
When to use: Before seated work, during transitions, when fidgeting increases.
3. Joint Compressions
How to do it: Firmly press down on shoulders, then through elbows, wrists, and fingers. Provide 10 quick compressions at each joint.
Variations:
- Full body: Shoulders → elbows → wrists → hips → knees → ankles
- Self-directed: Child can learn to do own arm compressions
- Counting: Combine with counting for dual focus
When to use: Before focused activities, as part of sensory diet, during calm-down.
Texture Exploration Activities
These activities expose children to varied tactile input in controlled, child-led ways—especially helpful for children working on tactile tolerance.
4. Nature Texture Hunt
How to do it: Go outside and collect items with different textures: smooth stones, rough bark, soft moss, bumpy pinecones and so on.
Variations:
- Sort by texture (smooth, rough, bumpy, soft)
- Match textures blindfolded
- Describe textures with new vocabulary
- Create texture rubbings with paper and crayons
When to use: Calm-down time, nature outings, building tactile vocabulary.
Caution: For tactile-defensive children, allow observation before touching. Never force contact. See our guide on tactile defensiveness.
5. Kitchen Texture Sorting
How to do it: Gather dry foods with different textures: rice, beans, pasta shapes, oatmeal. Explore with hands, sort by texture, pour between containers.
Variations:
- Hidden object game: Hide small toys in rice bin
- Texture guessing: Close eyes, guess the texture
- Pouring practice: Transfer between containers
- Drawing in rice: Write letters or shapes with fingers
When to use: Calm afternoon activity, rainy day play, fine motor practice.
6. Fabric Touch Stations
How to do it: Gather fabric scraps with varied textures: silk, velvet, cotton, denim, wool. Create a "texture path" or sorting activity.
Variations:
- Match textures blindfolded
- Describe with texture words
- Rank from smoothest to roughest
- Create a texture book
When to use: Building tactile tolerance, vocabulary building, calm exploration.
Self-Massage Activities
These activities provide controlled tactile input that children can direct themselves.
7. Hand and Arm Massage
How to do it: Using your own hands, firmly massage child's hands and forearms. Use consistent, firm pressure (not light stroking).
Technique:
- Start at shoulder, work down arm with firm strokes
- Squeeze each finger base to tip
- Press thumb firmly into palm in circles
- Finish with firm squeeze of whole hand
Variations:
- Self-massage with lotion
- Massage before haircuts or nail trimming
- Include feet (if tolerated)
When to use: Before challenging touch activities, bedtime, calm-down routine.
8. Face and Head Press
How to do it: Using palms, provide firm pressure to forehead, cheeks, and jawline. Move to scalp with firm fingertip pressure.
Technique:
- Palm on forehead, hold firmly 5 seconds
- Palms on cheeks, gentle press
- Fingertips on scalp in circles
- Finish with firm pressure on back of neck
When to use: Before haircuts, overwhelm, headache or sensory overload.
9. Lotion Massage
How to do it: Use unscented lotion to provide deep pressure massage to hands, arms, and legs. The lotion adds smooth texture while pressure calms.
Technique:
- Apply firm, consistent strokes (not light tickling)
- Follow natural direction of arms and legs
- Include hands and feet if tolerated
- Let child control pressure and areas
When to use: Bedtime routine, after bath, calm-down ritual.
Proprioceptive Activities
These activities provide input to muscles and joints—often the most regulating form of tactile input.
10. Animal Walks
How to do it: Move like different animals, engaging muscles and joints:
- Bear walk: Hands and feet, bottom up
- Crab walk: Hands and feet, stomach up
- Frog jumps: Deep squat, jump forward
- Inchworm: Walk hands forward, walk feet to hands
Variations:
- Animal parade: String together multiple animals
- Obstacle course: Include animal walks between stations
- Freeze dance: Freeze in animal positions
When to use: Energy regulation, before seated work, movement breaks.
11. Pushing and Pulling Activities
How to do it: Find heavy things to move: laundry baskets, grocery bags, furniture (supervised).
Variations:
- Push shopping cart at store
- Pull wagon with items inside
- Push against wall (wall push-ups)
- Tug-of-war with rope or towel
- Carry heavy books or backpack
When to use: High energy, before focused work, as "helpful" chores.
12. Squeeze and Release
How to do it: Create tight muscle tension, then release completely:
- Make fists as tight as possible—hold 5 seconds—release
- Scrunch face tight—hold 5 seconds—release
- Squeeze whole body tight—hold 5 seconds—release completely
Variations:
- Progressive relaxation: Work through body parts systematically
- "Tight-loose" game: Alternate on command
- Combine with breathing: Squeeze on inhale, release on exhale
When to use: Calm-down, bedtime, overwhelm, anxiety.
Calming Tactile Activities
These activities combine tactile input with calming rhythms and predictability.
13. Slow Stroking (Firm, Not Light)
How to do it: Using firm pressure (not light touch), stroke slowly from shoulder to wrist, or from hip to ankle. Move slowly, consistently, in one direction.
Key points:
- Firm pressure (palm, not fingertips)
- Slow, consistent rhythm
- Same direction each stroke
- Let child control when to stop
When to use: Before sleep, during calm-down, post-meltdown recovery.
14. Breathing with Touch
How to do it: Combine breathing exercises with tactile input:
- Place hands on belly
- Breathe in—feel belly rise against hands
- Breathe out—feel belly fall
- Focus on the sensation of hands on stomach
Variations:
- Hands on chest for chest breathing
- Partner places hands on child's back
- Hold a weighted item while breathing
When to use: Anxiety, calm-down, bedtime, transitions.
15. Water Play
How to do it: Use the sink, bathtub, or outdoor water sources for tactile exploration:
- Run hands under warm water
- Play with ice cubes in a bowl
- Pour water between containers
- Splash in puddles
Variations:
- Temperature contrasts: Warm and cool water
- Add items: Sponges, cups, funnels
- Bubble play: Add dish soap for foam
- Outdoor: Sprinklers, puddles, rain exploration
When to use: Calm afternoon activity, sensory break, temperature regulation.
Building a No-Equipment Sensory Diet
A sensory diet is a planned schedule of sensory activities throughout the day. Here's how to incorporate these free activities:
Morning Routine
- Joint compressions before getting dressed
- Animal walks from bedroom to bathroom
- Bear hugs before heading to school
Before Challenging Activities
- Heavy work with hands
- Wall push-ups
- Squeeze and release
After School
- Nature texture hunt (outdoor time)
- Kitchen texture sorting (snack time activity)
- Pushing and pulling activities (helpful chores)
Transitions
- Hand massage before leaving home
- Deep breathing with touch in car
- Animal walks between activities
Bedtime
- Warm water play (bath)
- Lotion massage
- Slow stroking
- Bear hugs and squeeze
For a complete no-equipment bedtime approach, see our guide to calming bedtime activities without equipment.
When No-Equipment Isn't Enough
These activities work well for daily regulation and mild needs. You may need additional tools if:
- Activities don't provide enough input intensity
- Child needs portable options for school or outings
- Specific situations require dedicated tools
- OT recommends specific equipment
For product recommendations, see our tactile sensory toys guide, fidget toys for focus, or calm-down tools.
Tips for Success
Follow the Child's Lead
Let your child choose activities and control intensity. Forced tactile input increases defensiveness rather than building tolerance.
Consistency Beats Intensity
Regular, brief activities throughout the day work better than occasional intense sessions.
Combine with Other Senses
Pair tactile activities with calming music, dim lights, or familiar scents for multi-sensory regulation.
Watch for Signs of Overload
If your child pulls away, becomes agitated, or says stop—stop. The goal is regulation, not tolerance testing.
Document What Works
Keep notes on which activities help in which situations. Over time, you'll develop a personalized toolkit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should we do these activities?
Build them into daily routines rather than treating them as special events. Brief, regular input (5-10 minutes, several times daily) works better than long, occasional sessions.
What if my child resists touch activities?
Start with activities your child controls entirely (like texture sorting with hands). Avoid forced touch—it increases defensiveness. See our guide on tactile defensiveness.
Can these replace occupational therapy?
These activities support sensory regulation but don't replace professional assessment and intervention. If your child has significant sensory challenges, an OT can provide personalized guidance.
What's the most important activity to start with?
Deep pressure (bear hugs, joint compressions) is the safest starting point—it's almost universally calming and rarely triggers defensive responses.
Final Thoughts
Effective tactile input is always available—in your hands, your home, and the world around you. While specialized tools have their place, these free activities form the foundation of any sensory diet.
Start with deep pressure activities (hugs, joint compressions, heavy work) and expand to texture exploration as tolerance builds. Consistency matters more than equipment.
For additional tools when needed, see our guides to therapy putty, textured sensory toys, and affordable tactile toys under $25. For a complete overview, return to our tactile sensory toys guide.
The most powerful sensory tool is understanding your child's unique needs—and that costs nothing at all.
