Click here for the simplest, fastest, and most powerful tantrum tamer! Watch two young children as they are in the midst of ongoing crying and within moments are able to settle  to quiet and calm with a scent intervention.  A caregiver simply places an essential oil lid or a small container with a scented cotton ball in front of them.  Even the child who turned her face away initially is enticed to engage the scent and within seconds is silent and focused.  How wonderful to have a tool this effective and inexpensive that can be used anywhere, anytime!  Vary the scent to keep the novelty strong to combat the intense dysregulation.  Try it today and let us know how it works for you!  TIP: This is a fantastic option for caregivers also to support mental health!

Source: YouTube, Mendability Channel, Examples Playlist,

"How To Help a Child Recover from a Meltdown" (0 min 50 secs)

Water has long been known for it's physiological and psychological benefits, and this is no exception!  You may have seen the latest viral trend for cold water immersion therapy, but don't worry, this is not that, exactly.  This sensory enrichment exercise packs a powerful stress tolerance punch.  While one hand is submerged to the wrist in cold water (which the body perceives as a stress), the other hand is also dipped into warm, bath temperature water to the wrist.  This warm bowl allows the body to tolerate the stress response much better and helps to translate that into daily life!  An extra benefit is the switching of the bowls by the partner or caregiver after a few seconds so the body and the brain can experience the opposite sensation and benefit.  This activity is designed to stimulate tactile, proprioception, and defense systems.

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Source: YouTube, Mendability Channel, Examples Playlist,

"Water Game - Hands" (0 mins 56 secs)

Further to the left/right brain connection is this super simple activity.  You will likely have many items available around your home to provide variety such as a washcloth and a toy car, a stress ball and a weighted chess piece, or even a rock and a balled up sock.  This activity also targets tactile, fine motor, and complex functions.  How many different combinations can you create?

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Source: YouTube, Mendability Channel, Examples Playlist,
"Hold and Squeeze - Weight and Texture" (0 mins 46 secs)

A simple and enjoyable activity for children and adults alike!  Who doesn't need more serotonin and dopamine in their life?  Videos full of beautiful art and relaxing music, this activity is only 2 minutes long so it can be done anywhere, anytime for a natural boost!

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Source: YouTube, Crown Family Wellness Channel
*Both Therapeutic and Relaxation videos are available to view here

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*BONUS CONTENT: Don't see a theme you enjoy? Feel free to contact us and suggest one! We are on a mission to create over 100 videos by end of summer 2023!

A core part of Sensory Enrichment Therapy (SET) is using the sense of smell (olfactory) to stimulate brain activity.  Often times individuals with developmental challenges have not learned how to take deep breaths.  Improving breathing skills will prepare them for SET for increased effectiveness.  This also helps with increased oxygen to the brain and speech development.  This simple, fun game can be played at a table or on the floor with only a cotton ball.  If your child struggles with blowing, start with having them watch you!  Even more fun is blowing dandelions together!

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Source: YouTube, Mendability Channel, Examples Playlist,

"Blow Light Item Away" (1 min 19 secs)

Did you instantly imagine the scent of the rose when you saw it?  Scent is extremely compelling to our brain, with pleasant smells increasing dopamine resulting in better mood, memory, and motivation.  Gentle tactile experiences such as someone drawing with their fingertips on your back or lightly scratching with fingernails over a shirt can increase serotonin which is beneficial for feeling calm and relaxed, learning, sleep, eating, and more.  Scientists have discovered that pairing these two activities produces a third neurotransmitter, norepinephrine (nor-ep-in-eff-rin) increased by 300% for over an hour, that is associated with attention, concentration, cognitive function, and mood.  An additional benefit of the norepinephrine is the increase in brain plasticity while the brain is developing and restructuring.  Sometimes individuals are too sensitive to receive passive gentle touch.  When this is the case, it is recommended to have them engage in smelling a preferred scent while touching four different textures with their hands.

The back may not be a preferred location for gentle touch.  Other parts of the body can be engaged to accomplish the same goal.  Options can include a feather on the side of the foot or the back of a pencil on the forearm.  The important part to remember is to avoid it feeling ticklish, irritating, or painful.  It is effective when it is enjoyable only.  If you attempt several options over a few weeks and it is not evoking a pleasurable response, please contact us so we can discuss how to rehabilitate their sense of touch. In most cases we would recommend having the individual engage in the above mentioned smell and touching four textures activity independently and working on tolerating it with fingertips then moving to the palm of their hand and then the back of their hand.  

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Source: YouTube, Mendability Channel, Examples Playlist,
"Smell and Gentle Claw" (1 min 16 secs)

This is deceptively challenging but fantastic for fine motor skills and is a necessary connection for developing speech.  Speech requires the use of visual, auditory, memory, and fine motor skills.  While this activity requires time and patience, it can really pay off in the long run as the brain creates new (or strengthens existing weak) neural pathways.  This isn't just for children, try it yourself!  Can you do it? How long does it take you to improve?  Let us know!

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Source: YouTube, Mendability Channel, Examples Playlist,

"Play Dough Snakes" (1 min 33 secs)

Get those shoes off! There are thousands of nerve receptors in our hands and feet.  The more they interact with the more they benefit us in so many ways!  By creating a pathway of several differing textures to walk on in this activity, one texture per foot, we increase sensory processing signals, develop self-awareness, balance, and motor organization.  

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Source: YouTube, Mendability Channel, Examples Playlist, 
"Multitexture Walk - Explained" (0 mins 58 secs)