The Ultimate Guide: Understanding Sensory Processing Systems in Kids

Inside: Everything you need to know about your child’s sensory processing systems and how they link to their behavior and emotional regulation. 

Do you have a child who seems to be in constant motion or perhaps, a child who is the opposite and prefers a very quiet house? Or you may have a son who melts down if his socks don’t feel right or a daughter who cries if her tights are itchy. 

I’ve heard parents explain the reason why their kids have frustrating behaviors is that they are “just sensitive”. That is part of it but understanding the true cause can transform the way you parent your child which can lead to much “easier” behaviors! 

Once I understood this super fascinating concept about brains, I was never the same! To help parents, I use a cup analogy as you’ll find throughout this entire post. I even created this cup worksheet for you to use with your kids!!

Think of it like this, your child is like a beautiful collection of eight different cups (and so are you!), each representing a different sensory processing system. 

In our kitchen, we have a coffee station with all sizes of coffee mugs that we have mostly collected on vacations. When I think of each of my child’s sensory processing systems, I can envision the different shapes and colors of our mugs. Understanding each of my kid’s cup sizes transformed how I support my child’s regulation needs, turning overwhelming moments into opportunities for connection and growth.

Recently, a mom from Australia reached out to me through Instagram, concerned about her toddler’s behavior. As she described her energetic, full-of-life little girl, I couldn’t help but smile – her words could have described my oldest son at that age.

The more this mom shared, the more I understood why her daughter was having the “behaviors” she was describing and not knowing how to respond. Her daughter isn’t “difficult” or “too much” or even “bad” – her brain simply requires more stimulation and sensory input than other kids her age. 

When I asked, “Does she like to spin in circles or slam her body into things?” her response was immediate and excited: “Yes! She could spin for hours! And she’s always jumping off of things.” 

The Science Behind Sensory Processing Systems and How Much Input Your Child Can Handle

Here’s where things get really interesting! 

Our brains constantly process incredible amounts of sensory information – way more than most people realize. When neuroscientists study brain development, they have discovered that our nervous system is like a highly sophisticated information processing center that develops from birth (and even before!) through childhood and beyond.

Each of our sensory processing systems has specialized neurons that act like tiny messengers, sending information to our brain for processing. 

Here’s a way to look at it:

Every time your child moves, touches something, hears a sound, or sees a sight, his or her brain receives thousands of tiny messages. The fascinating part is each child’s brain processes these messages differently, sometimes, drastically differently! This is why technology affects some kids more than others. 

Read Next: Why You Should Stop Buying Tech Toys For Your Kids According to Experts

Some children’s sensory processing systems are like sensitive radio receivers, picking up every signal intensely. Others need stronger signals to register the same information. This isn’t a flaw or something to fix – it’s simply their unique neurological wiring, as individual as their fingerprints! 

Occupational therapists refer to these behaviors as sensory seeking or sensory avoidant. 

When I talk about “cups” of different sizes, I’m referring to how much sensory input a child’s nervous system needs to function at its best. A child with a “large cup” for movement (like the little girl from Australia) has a nervous system that craves lots of motion to feel organized and regulated. She is a sensory seeker! Her brain needs more movement input to reach that “just right” state of alertness and calmness.

I knew about this little girl’s movement needs because neurodevelopmental research shows us that certain behaviors – like spinning, jumping, and crashing – are often signs that a child’s vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive (body awareness) systems need more input. It’s their brain’s way of seeking what it needs to feel balanced and regulated.

I’ve also heard from an uncle recently who was concerned about his toddler nephew who avoided playing with other kids and he also mentioned how he was a very picky eater. He is describing sensory avoidant behaviors. 

Let’s dive into these eight sensory processing systems together!

By the end of this post, you’ll have a whole new perspective on your child’s behavior and practical tools to support their sensory needs.

Trust me – understanding your child’s unique collection of “cups” might be the missing piece you’ve been looking for in your parenting journey as it was for me!

Understanding Your Child’s EIGHT Sensory Processing Systems

News alert! When most people think about senses, they usually count five – sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Your child’s amazing brain processes information from eight distinct sensory processing systems! 

Think of it as having eight different ways to understand and interact with the world. 

Along with the familiar five, we also have our movement sense (vestibular), our body position sense (proprioception), and our internal body sense (interoception). Each one plays a crucial role in how your child experiences and responds to the world around them.

Just like a symphony needs all its instruments to create beautiful music, your child’s brain needs all these sensory processing systems working together to help them feel balanced and regulated. Sometimes one instrument might play louder than the others, and that’s perfectly okay – that’s just your child’s unique sensory symphony!

The Tactile Sensory System: Your Child’s Touch Cup

Let’s start with one of the most fundamental sensory processing systems – touch. This sense develops before all others, even in the womb, and it’s absolutely incredible how it shapes your child’s early experiences and behaviors.

What Your Child’s Tactile Sensory System Looks Like

Imagine your child’s touch system as a cup that can be filled by every tactile experience throughout their day – from the morning hug you give them, to the feel of their breakfast spoon, to the texture of their favorite stuffed animal. Some children have big touch cups that need lots of input to feel satisfied, while others have smaller cups that fill up quickly.

Signs of a Big Touch Cup

If your child has a big touch cup, they’re like my son who is constantly seeking tactile experiences. You might notice your child:

• Loves being squished in big bear hugs.
• Prefers tight-fitting clothing or a big heavy blanket to sleep with at night.
• Seeks out deep pressure.
• Enjoys messy play and doesn’t mind getting their hands dirty.
• Might even enjoy play fighting or constantly touching other kids making you and possibly other parents nervous!

Signs of a Small Touch Cup

On the flip side, if your child has a small touch cup like my two other sons, they might:

• Find clothing tags unbearable leading to those morning dress battles.
• Get distressed about certain fabric textures.
• Prefer loose-fitting clothes or not to wear clothes at all when at home.
• Get overwhelmed by messy activities like finger painting or playing with sand.
• Sometimes pull away from hugs or light touch (which doesn’t mean they don’t love you – their sensory system is easily overwhelmed!)
• HATES getting his or her hair brushed.

Supporting Your Child’s Touch Needs

Understanding your child’s touch cup size helps you respond with empathy and provide practical solutions.

For a child with a big touch cup, you might:

• Create a cozy corner with heavy blankets and soft cushions.
• Offer compression clothing. 
• Include lots of opportunities for safe, tactile play like using sensory bins.

For a child with a small touch cup:

• Cut out all clothing tags before the first wear.
• Let them choose fabrics that feel comfortable. Don’t force them to wear clothes that don’t feel good for their bodies or find alternatives if they are at a school with uniforms. 
• Respect their boundaries with physical touch while finding alternative ways to show affection

The Vestibular System: Your Child’s Movement Cup

Remember my new Australian friend whose daughter loved to spin? That’s the movement cup in action! Whereas, I’m the complete opposite. After one spin, I feel like I’m going to puke!

Located in your child’s inner ear, this fascinating system is like their body’s own GPS – it tells them where they are in space and how they’re moving. Essentially, it’s their internal rollercoaster sensor!

What Your Child’s Vestibular Sensory System Looks Like

Think about how some children can spin in a swing nonstop while others feel sick just watching. This difference comes down to their movement cup size. This system isn’t only about fun at the playground – it impacts everything from your child’s ability to sit still during school to how they handle car rides.

Signs of a Big Movement Cup

If your child has a big movement cup, you might notice they:

• Turn everything into an opportunity for movement – even reading a book might involve rocking or spinning. 
• Seek out every spinning opportunity they can find like spinning an office chair or spinning in circles. 
• Use playground equipment that involves lots of movement – swings, merry-go-rounds, and anything that goes upside down.
• Have trouble sitting still during dinner or while working on homework.
• Frequently bounce, rock, or swing their legs while sitting.
• Are drawn to activities like gymnastics or dance where they can move in all directions.

Fun fact: When these kids spin or move a lot, they’re not being “hyperactive” – they’re helping their brains get organized! It’s like they’re filling up their movement cup to help them feel just right.

Signs of a Small Movement Cup

On the other hand, if your child has a small movement cup, you might notice they:

• Get car sick easily or dislike winding roads.
• Prefer to keep both feet firmly on the ground.
• Avoid spinning playground equipment.
• Get dizzy or uncomfortable on swings.
• Might seem more cautious about movement-based activities.
• Could get overwhelmed in busy, moving environments (like crowded stores or busy playgrounds).

Supporting Your Child’s Movement Needs

For kids with big movement cups:

• Create safe opportunities for movement throughout the day.
• Set up “movement breaks” during seated activities.
• Have your child sit in a chair that moves when doing homework or reading books. I found this cool spinning chair for kids!
• Incorporate activities like:
  • Animal walks between tasks
  • Dance parties during transition times
  • Safe spinning activities 
  • Obstacle courses that include lots of different types of movement

For kids with small movement cups:

• Start with gentle, controlled movements.
• Let them control the pace and intensity of movement activities
• Have them sit in stationary chairs that do not move
• Build confidence gradually with:
  • Slow, gentle swinging
  • Rocking while you hold them securely
  • Simple balance activities on the ground
  • Games that involve slow, predictable movements

Safety and Balance

While it’s important to support your child’s movement needs, safety always comes first. If your child has a big movement cup, help them find safe ways to get that input. And remember – just because they can spin for days doesn’t mean they should! Even children with big movement cups need breaks to let their system process all that input.

The Magic of Understanding Movement Needs and What Hyperactivity Is

When we understand our child’s movement cup size, those behaviors that might have seemed challenging suddenly make sense. We can understand some of the root causes of hyperactivity. Do you have a child who can’t sit still in a hard chair under fluorescent lights in a traditional classroom? Chances are, he or she needs movement breaks all throughout the day or a completely different environment while learning such as a microschool. 

The kids who are hesitant about playground equipment? They’re listening to their body’s need for slower, more controlled movement.

Understanding your child’s movement cup helps you move from frustration to empathy and from confusion to confident support. Instead of saying, “stop spinning!” to a child with a big movement cup, you can say, “I see you need to move! Let’s find a safe way to do that.” Instead of pushing a child with a small movement cup onto the big slides, you can respect their space and help them find movement activities that feel comfortable and enjoyable or maybe do it with them to help their nervous system feel safe with your co-regulation. 

The Proprioceptive Sensory System: Your Child’s Body Awareness

Some kids can seem really “rough”. They do things like push hard when they’re petting a dog or they might run into walls or crash into other kids even when they’re told to “be careful.” 

Welcome to the world of proprioception – your child’s internal body awareness system!

Think of proprioception as another internal GPS that helps them understand where their body parts are and how much force they need to use in different situations. This sense comes from special receptors in their muscles and joints that send constant updates to their brain about their body’s position and movement.

What Your Child’s Body Awareness Cup Looks Like

Like the previous sensory cups, each child’s proprioceptive system has its own unique “size.” This system is particularly interesting because it’s often called our “organizing” sense – the right amount of heavy work or deep pressure can help our kids regulate. In our culture, a regulated child is often considered a “well-behaved” child.

Signs of a Big Body Awareness Cup

If your child has a big proprioceptive cup (which often goes hand-in-hand with a big vestibular cup), you might notice they:

• Love to jump, crash, and bump – often looking like a tiny stunt person in training!
• Seek out heavy work activities naturally, like pushing, pulling, or carrying heavy things.
• Give extremely tight hugs (sometimes knocking you over with excitement)!
• Might appear rough during play, even when trying to be gentle.
• Love activities that provide deep pressure, like being wrapped in blankets or squeezed between couch cushions.
• Tend to break toys accidentally because they’re playing too rough.
• Wear holes in the bottom of their shoes because of how much force they use when walking.
• Have trouble knowing how much force to use when writing. 

When my son, Nolan, was in preschool, we could always pick out his coloring page on the wall because it was incredibly dark. I always thought it looked the best but then discovered the reason why his coloring page stood out. Then when he was learning how to write his letters, he sometimes tore through the paper because of using too much force. We didn’t learn about OT until he was 7 and at that point, they said it was difficult to “rewire” his writing skills. Topped with his demand avoidance, it’s still something he struggles with because he is very avoidant when anyone tries to help him. 

I often have moms email me about their preschoolers constantly getting into trouble for being too rough or needing to move their bodies during activities like circle time. Once I help them understand that their child doesn’t need more punishments and rewards but instead that he or she has a big proprioceptive cup, they can advocate for their kids so the school can properly support the child. 

The rough play can be transformed into helpful energy!

Signs of a Small Body Awareness Cup

Children with small proprioceptive cups might:

• Fall over or bump into things often and are seen as clumsy. 
• Barely use any pressure when writing. 
• Seem uncertain about where they are in space. 
• Prefer to sit at the back of a group or against a wall.
• Get easily overwhelmed in crowded spaces.
• Have difficulty with tasks requiring precise motor control.

Supporting Your Child’s Body Awareness Needs

For Children with Big Proprioceptive Cups:

• Create “heavy work” opportunities throughout the day:
  • Help bring in the groceries.
  • Push a heavy laundry basket around the house.
  • Dig with a shovel. 
  • Use a hammer and nails in chunks of wood outside.
  • Clean windows or tables.
  • Do animal walks (bear crawls, crab walks, frog jumps, or jump on a trampoline)
• Provide resistance activities:
  • Play tug-of-war
  • Use therapy putty or playdough
  • Squeeze stress balls
  • Do wall pushes
• Set up crash zones with pillows or crash pads for safe impact play.

My son who has a very large proprioceptive cup would become extremely dysregulated and have sensory meltdowns when he was younger. The best way to help him regulate was to hop on his back and have him walk up and down the hallway carrying all of my weight. Unintentionally, I would also co-regulate with him since my body was physically close to him. As he walked, I would take long, slow deep breaths.

For Children with Small Proprioceptive Cups:

• Break down movement activities into smaller steps.
• Use visual markers to help with spatial awareness.
• Provide supportive seating with clear boundaries.
• Incorporate gentle proprioceptive activities:
  • Rolling a therapy ball over their body while they lie down.
  • Gentle sandwich squishes between pillows.
  • Simple yoga poses with clear physical boundaries.

The Power of Heavy Work

Here’s something amazing about the proprioceptive system – heavy work activities can be calming and organizing for ALL children, regardless of their cup size! This is why you might notice your child seems calmer after helping you carry a sack of potatoes or push a heavy shopping cart. Jumping on a trampoline is even considered heavy work because it involves significant muscle engagement and resistance against the body as the child jumps and lands.

Making Peace with Different Cup Sizes

Remember, whether your child has a big or small proprioceptive cup, their needs are valid and natural.

Our job isn’t to change the cup size but to help them understand how to appropriately meet their sensory needs in appropriate ways. When we do this, we often see improvements in attention, behavior, and overall regulation.

By understanding your child’s body awareness cup, you can transform challenging moments into opportunities for connection and support. You can also learn how to be your child’s biggest advocate since these kids often get in trouble at school or are punished for acting in ways they can’t quite control in the way adults think they can.

Instead of saying, “Be careful!” or “Stop crashing!” we can say, “I see your body needs some heavy work – what activity would you like to do?”

The Auditory Sensory System: Your Child’s Sound Cup

Some kids can focus well in a loud room while others need complete silence. There are also kids like my youngest son who is so incredibly loud all the time but yet, if others are yelling, he covers his ears. 

We are now getting to the world of auditory processing – your child’s relationship with sound!

Understanding Your Child’s Auditory Sensory System

Think of your child’s auditory system like a personal volume control knob. Some children have big sound cups that rarely feel full, leading them to seek out more and more auditory input (and turn that sucker on high). Others have smaller cups that fill up quickly, making them extremely sensitive to the slightest sounds.

Signs of a Big Sound Cup

If your child has a big sound cup, you might notice they:

• Create constant background noise (humming, singing, talking).
• Turn up the volume on everything.
• Seem to focus better with music playing or background noise.
• Love noisy toys and loud environments.
• Often speak in a louder voice than necessary.
• Might not notice when they’re making too much noise.
• Are drawn to places with lots of auditory input (arcades, busy playgrounds).
• Can only fall asleep to a sound machine playing sounds like waves crashing or brown noise.

Signs of a Small Sound Cup

Children with small sound cups often:

• Cover their ears in response to everyday sounds.
• Get overwhelmed in noisy environments like cafeterias or gyms.
• Notice sounds that others don’t (humming of lights, distant lawnmowers).
• Have trouble focusing when there’s background noise.
• May become irritable in loud places.
• Ask people to be quiet or speak more softly.
• Prefer quieter activities and spaces.

Supporting Your Child’s Auditory Needs

For Children with Big Sound Cups:

• Create appropriate opportunities for noise:
  • Designate “loud time” periods during the day.
  • Set up a music corner where they can play instruments.
  • Use music and rhythm in learning activities.
  • Incorporate singing into daily routines.
• Teach volume awareness:
  • Use visual volume meters.
  • Practice “inside voice” vs “outside voice”.
  • Create fun games around different voice levels.

For Children with Small Sound Cups:

• Create sound-friendly environments:
  • Designate quiet spaces in your home.
  • Use noise-reducing headphones when needed.
  • Place felt pads under chair legs to reduce noise.
  • Use soft materials (rugs, curtains) to absorb sound.
• Prepare for challenging situations:
  • Visit busy places during quieter times.
  • Take breaks in quiet spaces. 
  • Give warnings about upcoming loud noises.
  • Teach self-advocacy skills (“I need a quiet break”).

A Note About Learning and Sound

It’s important to note that it’s not always one or the other with these “cups”. My son, Dax, seems to have a large auditory cup when he’s the sound-maker but a very small cup when he’s in a noisy environment. 

He is the loudest noise maker in our house. He’s always singing, yelling, and making loud noises with his voice and he’s typically banging on something to make even more noise with his body. As I write this, I’m in my backyard and can hear him singing at the top of his lungs in the house. On the flip side, he can’t handle a ton of noise from other people. If we’re in a noisy indoor playground for a few hours, I know he’ll need quiet time once we get home.  

The Impact of Sound on Learning

Your child’s sound cup size can significantly impact their learning experience. A child with a big sound cup might focus better with some background noise, while a child with a small cup might need near-silence to concentrate. Neither is wrong – they’re just different needs!

When my oldest son went to a traditional school and had homework, he could only focus if there was loud music playing and he was swiveling in a chair. Sometimes, he would listen to an audiobook while doing math problems. I’m the opposite so before understanding this, I would make him turn all the sounds off. It took me a while to realize he is unique and experiences the world far differently than I do. Once I figured this out, our relationship got better and homework time was a lot less stressful. 

It’s helpful to keep your child’s sound cup size in mind when choosing a school. Microschools and co-ops tend to be loud and messy, whereas, a traditional classroom may enforce a quiet environment during instruction. 

Read next: The Top 10 Tips to End Homework Battles With Kids

Understanding Sound Needs

When we understand our child’s sound cup size, we can:

• Stop saying, “Be quiet!” to a child who needs to make noise to feel regulated. And figure out ways to help ourselves stay regulated if we have a small auditory cup. 
• Take noise-cancelling headphones to loud environments. 
• Create environments that support their unique auditory needs.
• Help them develop strategies to manage different sound environments.
• Advocate for them in school and other settings.

Remember, your child’s sound cup size isn’t something to fix – it’s something to understand and support. With this knowledge, you can help your child navigate their auditory world more successfully, leading to better regulation, learning, and overall happiness.

The Visual Sensory System: Your Sight Cup

Imagine walking into a toy store during the holidays – bright flashing lights, colorful displays everywhere, moving decorations catching your eye. It’s quite the sight! For some children, this is sensory heaven; for others, it’s completely overwhelming without them necessarily knowing it. This difference comes down to the size of their sight cup (combined with their other sensory processing systems, of course)!

Understanding Your Child’s Visual Processing

Your child’s visual system goes far beyond just seeing clearly (though that’s important too!). It’s about how their brain processes everything they see – from the brightness of lights to the movement of the long fur of your dog, from the colors in a room to the way words appear on a page.

I remember my son struggling to read paper books versus listening to the audio versions because he said it felt like there was too much black and white on the page. This experience for him is connected to his visual sensory system. 

Signs of a Big Sight Cup

If your child has a big sight cup, you might notice they:

• Are drawn to bright, colorful objects.
• Love visual stimulation such as light-up toys, spinning objects, glitter, and lava lamps.
• Can spend hours watching things move like ceiling fans, automatic van doors, water flowing, and battery-powered trains moving on a circular track.
• Prefer busy, visually rich environments.
• Notice tiny visual details others might miss.
• May seem visually distracted in busy environments.
• Often choose the brightest colors when drawing or dressing.

These kids can be described as “visual seekers” and love watching for the tiniest movements in their world. 

Signs of a Small Sight Cup

Children with small sight cups often:

• Squint or cover their eyes in bright environments.
• Prefer dimmer lighting conditions.
• Get overwhelmed in visually busy places (like some stores or classrooms).
• May have trouble finding objects in cluttered spaces.
• Prefer simple, uncluttered environments.
• Might be sensitive to bright screens or sudden light changes.
• Choose more muted colors and simpler patterns.

Supporting Your Child’s Visual Needs

For Children with Big Sight Cups:

• Create appropriate visual experiences:
  • Set up a space in your house with visually stimulating items such as colorful paintings, twinkling lights or something like a Litebrite, fake flowers, books with intricate patterns, mirrors, etc. 
  • Use visual schedules and reminders like my routine charts that I laminated and have used for years.
  • Incorporate visual elements into learning activities such as visual literacy. 
  • Provide opportunities for safe visual exploration like having a costume trunk for dress-up, playing iSpy, and making objects out of colorful playdough or clay. 
• Help them manage visual stimulation:
  • Teach them to recognize when they’re visually overwhelmed and give them strategies such as closing their eyes for 20 seconds at a time. 
  • Create designated “calm down” spaces with less visual input. 
  • Use visual supports to help with transitions and routines. 

For Children with Small Sight Cups:

• Modify their environment:
  • Install a dimmer switch in their room. 
  • Use natural lighting when available and replace harsh cold lights with warm lightbulbs. 
  • Reduce clutter and visual noise.
  • Organize spaces with clear visual boundaries.
• Support their comfort:
  • Allow them to wear sunglasses when needed.
  • Create a visually calming study/play space with very little clutter. 
  • Seat them away from windows or bright lights. 
  • Use neutral colors and simple patterns in their personal spaces.
  • Choose a school that uses neutral colors and has minimal visual distractions in its classrooms. Montessori is a good example of this with all the wood they use! 

Impact on Learning and Daily Life

Understanding your child’s sight cup size can be particularly helpful for:

• Setting up homework spaces.
• Organizing their bedroom.
• Choosing appropriate toys and activities.
• Managing screen time.
• Navigating challenging environments like stores or restaurants.
• Supporting reading and writing activities.

You may have a child who gets high amounts of dopamine from playing video games but also has a small visual cup. This could be connected to why he or she has a major meltdown once the screen is turned off. I have a son whose eyes will even appear to be red and strained. Part of him desires screens but his physical body and brain do not like all the visual stimulation. This is when we have to have clear boundaries around technology use for his safety. 

Your Child’s Unique Sight Cup 

Remember, whether your child has a big or small sight cup, their experience of the visual world is valid. We’re not trying to change how they process visual information – we’re supporting their unique needs and helping them develop strategies to navigate their world successfully.

Some practical daily strategies:

• Morning routines: Consider lighting and visual organization.
• School support: Communicate with teachers about seating and classroom environment.
• Shopping: Plan ahead for visually busy environments.
• Screen time: Adjust brightness and temperature (blue light versus warm light).
• Play spaces: Create visually appropriate areas for your child’s needs.

Understanding your child’s sight cup helps you see the world through their eyes and supports them in creating a visual environment where they can thrive. Instead of fighting against their natural processing style, we can work with it to help them feel comfortable and confident in their daily activities.

The Olfactory Sensory System: Your Child’s Smell Cup

Do you have a child who can smell cookies baking before anyone else in the house? Or do you have a kid who struggles at dinner because of certain smells wafting from the table? This is the world of the olfactory system – your child’s sense of smell!

Of all our sensory processing systems, smell has the strongest connection to our emotions and memories.

Every time I smell Lovespell by Victoria’s Secret, I think of those first few months after becoming a mom. I had hand sanitizer with that smell that I used after every diaper change. This was long before I learned to avoid fragrances! 

The olfactory system is also the only sense that has a direct pathway to our brain’s emotional center meaning certain smells can instantly change your child’s mood or behavior. My mind was blown when I figured this out! 

Understanding Your Child’s Smell Cup

Just like our other sensory cups, each child’s ability to process smells is unique. Some children have big smell cups that never seem to get their fill of scent experiences, while others have small cups that overflow quickly with even mild odors.

Signs of a Big Smell Cup

If your child has a big smell cup, you might notice they:

• Act like a tiny sommelier, noticing subtle scents others miss.
• Seek out strong-smelling items like markers, essential oils, and spices.
• Positively comments on smells. 
• Love to smell everything, even non-food items.
• Can identify people, places, or objects by their smell.
• Might be drawn to powerful scents that others find overwhelming.

Signs of a Small Smell Cup

Children with small smell cups often:

• Become nauseated by strong scents such as perfumes, and cleaning products.
• Have trouble in spaces with strong smells at places like restaurants or smelly gyms. 
• Gag or avoid certain foods based on their smell.
• May prefer bland-smelling foods.
• Get headaches from scented products.
• Ask people not to wear perfume or scented lotions.
• Might struggle in public bathrooms or spaces with air fresheners.

Just this weekend, when my son’s friend walked into the house, I asked her if she had showered before coming over. The smell of her freshly shampooed hair smelled very potent, but others barely noticed. It was so strong, I had to go outside for fresh air. 

Supporting Your Child’s Olfactory Needs

For Children with Big Smell Cups:

• Create appropriate scent experiences:
  • Set up a “smell exploration station” with safe items like spices, flowers, or essential oils. For ideas, check out your local Children’s museum or Science Center. 
  • Put a fun diffuser with essential oils in their room.
  • Use scent in learning activities such as adding essential oils to slime.
  • Involve your kids in cooking and baking. After adding spices, have them close their eyes and take a big whiff! 
  • Create scent-guessing games.
• Help them understand boundaries:
  • Teach which items are safe to smell or what should be avoided such as cayenne pepper or something grotesque. 
  • Establish personal space rules about smelling others. 
  • Explain social norms about commenting on smells.

Check this out! Kids Can Cook Real Food has amazing classes that can help your kids with their olfactory (and other) sensory needs! 

For Children with Small Smell Cups:

• Create a scent-friendly environment:
  • Use unscented cleaning products (which I prefer anyway as they tend to be non-toxic).
  • Avoid artificial air fresheners. 
  • Keep spaces well-ventilated. 
  • Create “smell-free” zones in the house. 
• Support their comfort:
  • Allow them to step away from overwhelming smells. My youngest will eat dinner in the other room if we have balsamic vinegar or spicy-smelling foods. 
  • Keep a mask handy for particularly smelly environments. 
  • Teach them to advocate for their needs (“I’m sensitive to strong smells”)
  • Plan for smelly situations (especially if you have a baby! Ha)! 

The Impact of Smell on Daily Life

Understanding your child’s smell cup can help with:

• Mealtime success
• Social situations
• Learning environments
• Personal care routines
• Public spaces navigation

Supporting Different Smell Needs in the Same Family

Sometimes the biggest challenge comes when family members have different smell cup sizes. I remember a family where the mom loved scented candles (and had a big smell cup), while her daughter had a small smell cup. They created a beautiful compromise:

• Mom enjoyed her scented products outside the home.
• They chose unscented products for shared spaces.
• They created a “scent schedule” for special occasions.
• They found natural alternatives for home fragrancing like simmering cinnamon sticks.

The Power of Understanding Smell Sensitivity

Remember, your child’s smell cup size isn’t a choice – it’s how their brain is wired to process scents. When we understand this, we can:

• Stop seeing smell sensitivity as “being picky”.
• Create environments that support their olfactory needs or at least find some compromises.
• Help them develop strategies for challenging situations.
• Advocate for them in school and other settings.

Whether your child has a big or small smell cup, understanding their olfactory sensory processing helps you support their needs and create a more comfortable sensory environment. 

The Gustatory Sensory System: Your Child’s Taste Cup

My oldest son craves Red Hot while my youngest will only eat plain pasta. The same goes for how “picky” and not “picky” they each are. The Red Hot lover will eat just about anything and loves his food packed with flavor. My plain pasta eater is considered a “picky eater” but is just responding to his sensory preferences. This perfectly explains the world of the gustatory system – your child’s relationship with taste and food textures!

Understanding Your Child’s Taste Cup

First, let’s clear up a common misconception: what we often call “picky eating” is frequently about sensory processing rather than behavior. Your child’s taste cup isn’t just about flavor – it includes texture, temperature, and the whole mouth-feel experience of eating.

My son is extremely particular about what the food looks like, the texture, and the taste. If it grows out of the ground and hasn’t been altered too much or mixed with other foods, he’ll eat it. He has never touched lunch meat, eggs, or even cheese. I have to buy fresh fruits and vegetables He’s my clean eater! It’s way healthier so I’m not sure why I get so frustrated. Once I understood he has a small taste cup, and he is listening to his body’s preferences, I began to help him get involved with the meal planning and meal creation process. 

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Signs of a Big Taste Cup

If your child has a big taste cup, you might notice they:

• Seek out intense flavors that are spicy, sour, or very sweet.
• Love crunchy or chewy foods.
• Often add extra seasonings to their food.
• Enjoy extreme temperatures (very cold or hot foods).
• Might bite or chew on non-food items.
• Can handle spicy foods that surprise adults.
• Are drawn to foods with complex textures.

My son with the large gustatory cup loads every meal with spices…or hot sauce! 

Signs of a Small Taste Cup

Children with small taste cups often:

• Prefer mild, simple flavors.
• Have a strong preference for certain textures.
• May gag easily with new textures.
• Avoid mixed-texture foods like casseroles or stews.
• Prefer foods to be certain temperatures.
• May be overwhelmed by strong flavors.
• Like to keep different foods separate on their plate.
• Do not like casseroles or mushy types of food. 

Supporting Your Child’s Taste Needs

For Children with Big Taste Cups:

• How to create safe opportunities for intense flavors:
  • Offer a variety of spice levels.
  • Provide crunchy, chewy alternatives.
  • Experiment with sour flavors.
  • Include safe, intense sensory foods in meals.
• Channel their need for oral input:
  • Provide crunchy raw vegetables.
  • Offer chewy alternatives such as dried fruit or jerky.
  • Use special sensory necklaces for those who need extra oral input.
  • Include straws, sports bottles, or other oral motor tools.

For Children with Small Taste Cups:

• Respect their sensory boundaries:
  • Don’t force new textures.
  • Allow food separation on the plate. We love these plates!
  • Honor temperature preferences.
  • Provide “safe” foods at each meal.
• Support gradual exploration:
  • Use a “food exploration plate” separate from their eating plate
  • Make tiny changes to familiar foods.
  • Allow your child to interact with new foods without pressure to eat. Sometimes it takes 20 different exposures to a food before my son will even put it in his mouth! *Don’t give up!
  • Celebrate small steps in food exploration.

Mealtimes and Stress

Here’s something crucial: stress makes sensory processing more difficult. When we pressure children around food, we often make eating harder for them. Instead, try to:

• Create a calm mealtime environment.
• Remove pressure to “try everything”.
• Have at least one “safe” food at each meal.
• Make mealtimes about connection, not consumption.

The Impact Beyond Mealtimes

Understanding your child’s taste cup affects:

• Family mealtimes
• Social eating situations
• School lunches
• Holiday celebrations
• Restaurant experiences

Labeling Kids For How They Eat

Remember, your child’s taste cup size isn’t about being “picky” or “adventurous” – it’s about how his brain processes sensory information in his mouth. When we understand this, we can:

• Be more mindful when serving meals to our kids.
• Create supportive eating environments.
• Help them develop a healthy relationship with food.
• Advocate for their needs in different settings.

Whether your child has a big or small taste cup, they can develop a positive relationship with food when we honor their sensory needs and support their journey at their own pace. After all, mealtime should be about nourishment and connection, not stress and struggle. 

This is where the Kids Cook Real Food Courses can really come in handy again! 

Interoception Sensory System: Your Child’s Internal Cup

Our bodies are constantly sending us messages from within – signals about hunger, thirst, temperature, and the need for bathroom breaks. This internal sensing system, called interoception, acts like an inner cup that collects and processes these bodily sensations. Just as each child has unique sensory preferences for touch or sound, they also have different capacities for sensing and responding to these internal signals.

Interoception is not as commonly known to parents. According to the American Psychological Association, they say, “Interoception is the ability to be aware of internal sensations in the body, including heart rate, respiration, hunger, fullness, temperature, and pain, as well as emotion sensations. Many people consider interoception to be an additional sense that is critical to the way we understand how we feel on a moment-to-moment basis.”

Understanding Your Child’s Internal Cup

Signs of a Big Internal Cup: 

Kids with big internal cups are highly attuned to their body’s messages. They might:

• Notice subtle changes in their heartbeat during excitement or anxiety.
• Readily identify when they’re hungry or full, making mealtimes more predictable.
• Quickly recognize when they need to use the bathroom, leading to smoother potty training.
• Be aware of temperature changes in their body, promptly removing or adding layers of clothing.
• Express physical discomfort clearly and specifically, helping caregivers address their needs.

Signs of a Small Internal Cup: 

Conversely, children with a “smaller internal cup” might experience challenges in recognizing these internal signals:

• Miss hunger cues until they’re extremely hungry, leading to sudden mood changes.
• Have difficulty recognizing when they need to use the bathroom, potentially resulting in accidents.
• Struggle to identify when they’re too hot or cold, requiring adult guidance for appropriate clothing choices.
• Find it hard to pinpoint the source of physical discomfort when feeling unwell.

The Connection to Emotional Safety

Interoception plays a crucial role in emotional development and safety. When children can accurately sense their internal states, they’re better equipped to:

• Recognize the physical sensations that accompany different emotions (butterflies in the stomach for anxiety, tension for anger).
• Develop stronger emotional self-awareness and regulation skills.
• Build a more secure sense of self and bodily autonomy.
• Trust their instincts about comfortable and uncomfortable situations.

Absorbing Others’ Energy and Moods

The internal cup also influences how children process and respond to the emotional energy around them. Children with heightened interoceptive awareness often:

• Pick up on subtle changes in the emotional atmosphere of a room.
• Absorb others’ moods and energy more readily, sometimes taking them on as their own.
• Feel physically affected by intense emotional environments.
• Need more time and space to process and release absorbed emotional energy.

Supporting these sensitive children involves:

• Creating calm, predictable environments when possible.
• Teaching them to recognize when they’re carrying others’ emotional energy.
• Providing strategies for emotional release and self-regulation. 
• Helping them understand that while their sensitivity is a gift, they don’t need to hold onto or fix other people’s emotions. 

Download Next: Calm Down Toolkit

Nurturing the Internal Cup

Whether your child has a big or small internal cup, you can support their interoceptive development by:

• Regularly checking in about basic needs such as hunger, bathroom, and temperature.
• Using clear language to help them identify and express internal sensations.
• Creating routines that promote body awareness like mindful breathing, and body scanning.
• Validating their physical experiences while gently building their capacity to respond to internal signals.
• Maintaining predictable meal and rest schedules to support natural body rhythms.

Remember that like all sensory processes, interoceptive awareness can be developed and refined over time. With patience and understanding, we can help our children build a healthy relationship with their internal signals, leading to better self-regulation and emotional well-being.

As I did research for this section, although I already knew this about myself, I started to tear up because I experienced the world with interoceptive hypersensitivity.

Adults didn’t know about sensory processing systems when I was a child. Therefore, I was shamed and criticized for being overly sensitive instead of being given the support I needed. I have so many memories of being called a crybaby which in turn, affected me even more because of “how sensitive I was.” 

I’m not blaming anyone but rather include this to empower you as the parent to give your child a different experience. You have the GIFT to show your child the strengths or a large interoceptive cup. And the opportunity to give them the tools they need to integrate that system. 

There Is No “Right” Size Cup

Remember, there’s no “right” cup size – it’s all about understanding and supporting your child’s unique sensory needs. When we respond to these needs with understanding instead of judgment, we help our children feel seen, understood, and capable of navigating their world successfully.

We can love our sensory seeks and our sensory avoiders all the same. 

Navigating the Sensory Landscape: Your First Step to Understanding

Our journey through the eight sensory processing systems reveals the incredible complexity of how children experience the world. From touch and movement to interoception, each sensory cup tells a unique story of your child’s inner experience.

Understanding these sensory systems is more than just knowledge – it’s a powerful tool for connection, support, and empowerment. By recognizing how your child processes sensory information, you can transform moments of frustration into opportunities for deeper understanding and compassion.

Your Free Sensory Profile Worksheet

Ready to dive deeper into your child’s sensory world? I’ve created a comprehensive Sensory Profile Worksheet to help you:

• Track and identify your child’s unique sensory cup sizes
• Recognize patterns in their sensory processing
• Develop targeted support strategies
• Communicate more effectively with educators and caregivers

Download your FREE Sensory Profile Worksheet now and begin your journey of understanding and supporting your child’s incredible sensory landscape.

Not quite ready? Join our mailing list to receive ongoing support, tips, and insights into sensory processing and parenting sensitive children. As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need guidance with understanding sensory processing systems! I love hearing from you! adriane@raisingkidswithpurpose.com.