Heavy Work Go-To — 15 Regulation Activities for Home (Parent Handout)

"He just needs some heavy work."

If you're a sensory parent, you've heard that phrase. From an OT, a teacher, a TikTok video, usually with zero explanation of what it actually means, how to do it safely, or how to tell if it's even working.

I'm a pediatric occupational therapist (and toddler mom), and this is the handout I wish every parent walked out of an OT session holding.

Heavy work = activities where the muscles and joints push, pull, carry, and squeeze. That input (proprioception) is some of the most organizing input a nervous system can get. But here's what most activity lists leave out: what calms one child's nervous system can alert another's. This guide teaches you to read YOUR child, not copy someone else's list.

Inside this 2-page printable:

✓ What "heavy work" actually is, explained in plain parent language

✓ The Regulating vs. Alerting chart, signs an activity is calming your child, and signs it's winding them up instead

✓ All 15 go-to activities using stuff you already have at home: Delivery Driver, Grocery Helper, Move the House, Animal Walks, Wheelbarrow Walks, Crash Pad, Burrito Roll, Sandwich Squishes, Tug-of-War, Real Chores Crew, Dig & Build, Dough Power, Chair Push-Ups & Palm Presses, Climb & Carry Course, and Water Power

✓ A safety note attached to EVERY activity — not buried in fine print

✓ The always-rules: supervision, your child can always stop, comfortable breathing, start smaller than you think, and when to check with a clinician first

✓ How to dose it: short bursts through the day, before homework/transitions/car rides, and why predictable usually beats exciting when calm is the goal

✓ A fill-in section to build YOUR child's personal go-to list — what works, what sometimes works, and what's too alerting for them — to stick on the fridge and share with teachers

Perfect for: parents of sensory seekers and wiggly kids, families building a home regulation routine, and OTs/teachers who want a clean handout to send home.

Important: This is general education from a pediatric OT. It is not a replacement for individualized care and it is not a sensory plan for your specific child. If your child has an OT, PT, or pediatrician guiding their care, their advice always comes first.

Print it, try one activity at a time, and watch what your child's body tells you.

— @sammyvibes_pediatric_OT