Sensory Strategies to Help 

Homework time can be difficult for many families.

Your child may leave the table constantly, rock on his or her chair, chew on pencils or fingers, lie across the desk, rush through the work or become upset before completing the first activity.

It is easy to assume that your child is being naughty, lazy or deliberately avoiding homework. However, some children are not choosing to be “busy”. Their bodies may be searching for the sensory input they need to remain calm, alert and ready to learn.

For most primary school children, homework happens after a full school day of sitting, listening, following instructions and coping with a busy classroom. By the afternoon, their capacity for concentration may be limited.

The goal is therefore not simply to make your child sit still. The goal is to help his or her body become organised enough for optimal focus.

What is your child’s behaviour telling you?

A child who constantly moves may be trying to keep themselves alert or regulated.

You may notice that your child:

• Rocks or tips the chair.
• Changes position constantly.
• Chews pencils, clothing or fingers.
• Talks continuously.
• Rushes through work.
• Presses too hard when writing.
• Falls off the chair or lies over the table.
• Finds reasons to leave the homework area.
• Becomes silly, emotional or argumentative.
• Understands the work but struggles to complete it.

These behaviours do not always indicate a sensory processing difficulty. Children may also struggle because they are tired, hungry, anxious, overwhelmed or unsure of the work.

Before starting homework, check the basics. Does your child need a snack, water, rest, connection or help understanding the task?

Once these needs have been addressed, the following sensory strategies may help.

Sensory Strategies: 

1. Allow time to decompress after school

Moving directly from school into homework may be too demanding for some children.

A short break can help the nervous system recover from the school day. 

This may include:

• Eating a snack.
• Drinking water.
• Playing outside.
• Talking about the day.
• Spending a few quiet minutes alone.
• Listening to calming music.

Try to keep the routine predictable:

Home → snack → movement → homework → free play

A consistent sequence helps children know what to expect and reduces daily arguments about when homework will begin.

2. Prepare the body before asking the brain to focus

Many busy children benefit from movement before homework, especially activities that involve pushing, pulling, carrying or working against resistance.

These are often referred to as heavy-work activities. They provide proprioceptive (resistive) input to the muscles and joints and may help the child feel more grounded and organised.

Try five to ten minutes of:

• Animal walks.
• Wall push-ups.
• Jumping on a trampoline.
• Carrying books or groceries.
• Pushing a laundry basket.
• Climbing on playground equipment.
• Wheelbarrow walks.
• Chair push-ups.
• Squeezing or rolling firm playdough.

The aim is not to exhaust the child. The activity should help them become more settled and ready to work.

Watch your child’s reaction. If fast jumping, spinning or rough play makes them more excited, choose slower and more controlled resistive activities.

3. Simplify the homework environment

A visually attractive homework space is not always a functional one. Too many toys, sounds, people or items on the table can make concentration more difficult.

Consider the following:

• Turn off the television.
• Remove unnecessary stationery and toys.
• Keep only the current task on the table.
• Reduce visual clutter.
• Choose a quieter room when possible.
• Position the child away from busy walkways.
• Make sure the lighting is comfortable.
• Separate siblings’ activities where possible.

Some children work best in silence. Others concentrate better with soft background music or neutral sound.

The best environment is the one in which your child can complete the work with the least amount of support.

4. Check your child’s seating position

It is difficult to concentrate when the body is working hard simply to remain upright.

Check that:

• The child’s feet are supported.
• The chair is an appropriate height.
• The table is not too high.
• The child can rest their forearms on the table.
• The worksheet is placed directly in front of them.
• The child is not constantly sliding forward.

A small box under your child’s feet can provide extra support when the chair is too high. Some children also work well in alternative positions. They may read while lying on their stomachs, practise spelling while standing or while moving. The position should support the task rather than distract from it.

5. Break the work into smaller steps

A full page of work can feel overwhelming, even when your child understands the content.

Cover part of the page with another piece of paper so that only a few questions are visible.

Instead of saying, “Finish all your homework,” give one clear instruction:

“Complete these three sums, and then we will take a break.”

A simple visual checklist can also help:

• Mathematics
• Reading
• Spelling
• Pack schoolbag

Allow the child to tick off each task. This creates a clear beginning and end.

6. Allow helpful movement

Some children listen and concentrate better when they are allowed a small amount of movement.

Helpful options may include:

• Standing for part of the task.
• Using a firm wobble cushion or sitting on an empty hot water bottle.
• Placing an elastic band around the chair legs, you can also use old stockings.
• Holding a quiet fidget in the non-writing hand.
• Squeezing a small ball while listening.
• Walking while practising spelling words.
• Chewing sugar-free gum when age-appropriate and safe.

A sensory tool is useful only when it improves participation. If the child is watching the fidget instead of listening, bouncing dangerously or becoming more distracted, the tool is not helping.

Ask: “Does this strategy help my child complete the task?”

7. Make learning more active

Homework does not always need to begin with a pencil and worksheet. Children can practise concepts through movement and hands-on activities before completing the written task.

Try:

• Forming spelling words with playdough.
• Writing words in sand or shaving foam.
• Jumping once for each letter in a word.
• Using blocks to practise number bonds.
• Writing on a chalkboard or whiteboard.
• Placing sight words around the room.
• Clapping syllables.
• Building words with magnetic letters.

These activities should support the required homework rather than replace it. They can make the learning process more engaging and help children understand the work before writing it down.

8. Observe your child’s individual needs

Sensory strategies are not one-size-fits-all. One child may calm down after running outside. Another may become overstimulated by fast movement. One child may need silence. Another may focus better with gentle background noise.

Pay attention to patterns:

• Which activities help your child settle?
• Which activities make things worse?
• How long can your child work successfully?
• Does hunger affect concentration?
• Is homework easier at a particular time?
• Are some subjects more difficult than others?
• Does your child struggle more after a busy school day?

The child’s response is more important than the activity itself.

9. Protect the parent-child relationship

Homework should not become a daily battle. Remain calm and keep instructions short. A dysregulated adult will struggle to help a dysregulated child.

Acknowledge the difficulty while maintaining the expectation:

“I can see that your body is finding it difficult to sit. Let’s do ten wall push-ups and then finish these two questions.”

Praise specific effort:

“You came back after your break and completed the last three sums.”

“You kept trying even though that word was difficult.”

Over time, the child can begin to recognise what their body needs and learn appropriate ways to manage those needs.

When should parents seek support?

Consider consulting an occupational therapist when homework difficulties are persistent, severe or affecting the child’s confidence and family life.

Additional support may be helpful when the child:

• Cannot remain engaged for short periods.
• Becomes extremely distressed during homework.
• Consistently avoids writing or reading.
• Is unusually sensitive to sound, touch or movement.
• Constantly seeks intense movement or pressure.
• Struggles with posture, handwriting or hand fatigue.
• Needs far more adult support than expected.
• Experiences similar difficulties at school and at home.

An occupational therapist can help identify whether sensory processing, postural control, motor coordination, visual-perceptual skills or other factors may be affecting participation.

Final thought

A few minutes of purposeful movement, a supportive seating position, a calmer environment and shorter work sessions can make a meaningful difference. The goal is not perfect stillness. It is a child who feel regulated, supported and able to participate successfully in homework.