Ready to learn

An Interoception Kit

Interoception kit
This kit contains the contents of the following:

• Goodall, E. (2016) Interoception 101 Activity Guide, Department for Education, South Australia
• Lean, C., Leslie, M., Goodall, E., McCauley, M., and Heays, D. (2019) Interoception 201 Activity Guide,
Department for Education, South Australia.
• Department for Education Interoception resources

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The legal code can be viewed
at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode
Preface
The first mention of interoception recorded was in 1905 by Charles Sherrington in his book; “The integrative
action of the nervous system”, however there was little research until 1955 when a few papers were
published. In 2010 research into interoception became more common place. In 2015, I was asked to review
a Master’s thesis on interoception and autism that was being turned into a book. Kelly Mahler’s research
led me on a quest to find out all I could about this topic that I hadn’t heard of previously.

Khalsa S.S., Lapidus R.C. (2016) Can Interoception Improve the Pragmatic Search for Biomarkers in Psychiatry? Frontiers in Psychiatry
DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00121

Gathering research from psychology, OT and psychiatry and drawing them together in 2015 and early
2016, it was clear to me that poor and atypical interoception was a key factor in difficulties with emotional
regulation and managing self. Following on from initial trials in 2016 and 2017 in South Australian schools
and preschools, there are now over 100 schools and preschools in Australia and New Zealand using the
interoception activities in this kit to support children and young people to improve their interoceptive
awareness in order to develop self-regulation skills. In every site, children and young people, their teachers
and support staff, leadership and parents and carers have reported the same results.

These results are that over a period of 8-10 weeks with regular implementation of interoception activities,
individuals are more able to self-regulate their emotions, exhibit less off-task behaviours and engage in
more kind and considerate behaviours. With higher levels of engagement in learning and lower levels of
difficult situations in classrooms and preschools, it is evident that interoception can contribute to both the
wellbeing of individuals and school/preschool improvement plans.

In 2019, it is clear that I am not alone in my fascination with interoception as there are now 15,800
published research articles and books on interoception and the links to emotional experience, expression,
regulation and a myriad of aspects of wellbeing and life outcomes. Other researchers as well as a range of
health and education professionals around the world are now confirming that interoception is a pre-requisite
for connection to self and others, as well as the ability to self-manage and self-regulate.

For my team, it is always rewarding to hear from leaders, teachers, parents as well as individual students
how interoception has positively impacted them and their schools/preschools. We strive to develop and
provide training and free adaptable resources to support the easy and effective implementation of
interoception across South Australian schools.
When we are thinking about emotional regulation, we need to be aware of the cultural aspects of emotional
expression, wellbeing and interpersonal relationships. I have neighbours with a variety of ethnicities and
each of them has a very different way of expressing emotions and interacting with their families. Our
cultural values and norms can also influence how we experience everyday life, including education.

In South Australia, it is helpful to understand the big differences between the dominant cultural norms and
Aboriginal Australian cultural norms. Many new migrants have both commonalities and differences with
these norms. Self-regulation and well-being are more easily achieved when children and young people are
comfortable in themselves in their environment. Where children and young people are expected to manage
their behaviour, it is useful for their educators to understand how those individuals interpret behaviour and
their bodies. Neither of these cultural values are superior, nor inferior, they are equally valid and hold true
for many peoples in many countries.

For Aboriginal Australians who link time and place, mind, body and spirit, interoception can be understood
as a way of integrating mind, body and spirit in ways that enable them to connect to self and so to place.

Dr Emma Goodall
Manager Disability and Complex Needs
Department for Education South Australia

April 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Department for Education forms and resources .............................................................................. 7
References ....................................................................................................................................10
Further information ........................................................................................................................12
Testimonials ..................................................................................................................................13
Interoception 101 Activity Guide ......................................................................................15
1. Interoception explanation ......................................................................................................16
2. Interoception and the autism spectrum..................................................................................19
3. Developing interoception ......................................................................................................20
3.1 Responding to external sensory input ...................................................................................20
3.2 Responding to noise .............................................................................................................20
3.3 Responding to temperature (cold and heat)...........................................................................21
3.4 Default energy level ..............................................................................................................22
3.4.1 Energy level – mind and body #1 ..........................................................................................22
3.4.2 Energy level – mind and body #2 ..........................................................................................23
3.4.3 MIND PHOTOS ....................................................................................................................24
3.4.4 BODY PHOTOS ...................................................................................................................26
3.4.5 BODY OUTLINE ...................................................................................................................28
3.4.6 WORD BANK .......................................................................................................................29
3.5 Anger ...................................................................................................................................31
3.5.1 Responding to anger with volcano breathing .........................................................................31
4. Interoception activities ..........................................................................................................32
4.1 Feeling muscles (hands) .......................................................................................................33
4.2 Feeling muscles (feet)...........................................................................................................34
4.3 Feeling muscles (arms).........................................................................................................35
4.4 Feeling muscles (legs) ..........................................................................................................36
4.5 Feeling muscles (whole body) ...............................................................................................37
4.6 Feeling temperature #1 .........................................................................................................38
4.7 Feeling temperature #2 .........................................................................................................39
4.8 Feeling temperature #3 .........................................................................................................40
4.9 Feeling temperature #4 .........................................................................................................41
4.10 Feeling breathing #1 .............................................................................................................42
4.11 Feeling breathing #2 .............................................................................................................43
4.12 Feeling breathing #3 .............................................................................................................44
4.13 Feeling pulse #1 ...................................................................................................................45
4.14 Feeling pulse #2 ...................................................................................................................46
4.15 Feeling firm versus light touch #1 ..........................................................................................47
4.16 Feeling firm versus light touch #2 ..........................................................................................48

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Interoception 201 Activity Guide ......................................................................................49
1. Foreword ..............................................................................................................................50
2. Introduction to interoception ..................................................................................................50
2.1 Interoception is our eighth sense...........................................................................................50
2.2 What is interoception? ..........................................................................................................50
2.3 Benefits of teaching interoception .........................................................................................50
2.4 Models of interoception for Department for Education sites ...................................................51
2.5 Models of interoception for in class teaching .........................................................................51
2.6 What is an interoception activity? ..........................................................................................51
2.7 Structure of an interoception activity?....................................................................................51
2.8 Interoception research ..........................................................................................................52
3. Interoception activities ..........................................................................................................52
3.1 Muscles activities | Wall squat...............................................................................................53
3.2 Muscles activities | Core muscles..........................................................................................54
3.3 Muscles activities | Cat/Cow stretch ......................................................................................55
3.4 Muscles activities | Knee to chest stretch ..............................................................................56
3.5 Muscles activities | Shoulder strength ...................................................................................57
3.6 Muscles activities | Butterfly wings ........................................................................................58
3.7 Muscles activities | Surfing stretch ........................................................................................59
3.8 Muscles activities | The knuckle cracker ................................................................................60
3.9 Muscles activities | The plank................................................................................................61
3.10 Muscles activities | The star ..................................................................................................62
3.11 Muscles activities | The floss .................................................................................................63
3.12 Muscles activities | Giraffe stretch .........................................................................................64
3.13 Muscles activities | Rocking bug............................................................................................65
3.14 Muscles activities | Meerkat look-out .....................................................................................66
3.15 Muscles activities | Row, row, row your boat .........................................................................67
3.16 Breathing activities | Progressive muscle focus .....................................................................68
3.17 Breathing activities | Emperor Penguin breathing boat...........................................................69
3.18 Breathing activities | Rainbow breathing boat ........................................................................70
3.19 Breathing activities | Balloon breathing boat ..........................................................................71
3.20 Breathing activities | Back to back breathing boat..................................................................72
3.21 Breathing activities | 10 steps breathing boat ........................................................................73
3.22 Pulse activities | Mountain climbers.......................................................................................74
3.23 Pulse activities | Frog Squat Jump ........................................................................................75
3.24 Pulse activities | Jumping Jacks ............................................................................................76
3.25 Mini lesson | Regulating body temperature ............................................................................77
3.26 Mini lesson | Hydration..........................................................................................................78
3.27 Mini lesson | Bristol Stool Chart.............................................................................................81

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Department for Education forms and resources

The Department for Education public neurodiversity website has the following resources available that
are recommended to be used to support education and care services and assist educators and support
staff to develop individualised strategies to support children and young people to develop interoception.

The neurodiversity webpages also provide additional information for education staff and parents
including how we support children in education and care services with atypical neurodiversity,
educational implications and suggested educational adjustments; as well as further resources and
external services that can support education and care staff, parents and children and young people.

Interoception support plan (HSP421)

An interoception support plan is completed by the education or care service, family and the child or
young person (where possible) to provide a detailed understanding of the interoception issues and
support the development of individualised strategies to increase interoception.

Interoception activity plan (HSP422)

An interoception activity plan can be used as a template by education staff to plan for the inclusion of
interoception activities into daily class activities.

Personal best tracking sheet (HSP423)

A personal best tracking sheet can be used by children and young people to record their personal bests
for different interoception activities. Education staff can also use to record for children and young
people.

Engagement observation record (HSP424)

The engagement observation record is used to collect data on the level of engagement in learning of
children and young people through a short observation. Tracking levels of engagement is a useful tool
to monitor the effectiveness of strategies.

Interoception room record (HSP425)

The interoception room record can be used to collect relevant information needed to evaluate when
children and young people are requiring the additional support needed by the interoception room and if
there are additional contexts and professional development requirements for staff.

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Interoception small group session structure

The interoception small group session structure is designed to support education staff to structure a
cluster group interoception session.

Wellbeing, stress and distress questionnaire (HSP426)

The wellbeing, stress and distress questionnaire (WSD) is a brief emotional and behavioural screening
questionnaire for children and young people. The tool can capture the perspective of children and young
people and/or their teachers.

The WSD can be used for various purposes, including as an assessment tool and data tracking to
evaluate the impact of the interoception activities over a term.

Interoception in the Australian Curriculum

Interoception in the Australian Curriculum provides detailed information for education staff on how
interoception can be incorporated into the curriculum to support children and young people’s learning.

Sensory overview support plan (HSP431)

A sensory overview support plan is developed by the education or care service, family and the child or
young person (where possible) to provide a detailed understanding of the sensory issues and support
the development of strategies to minimise sensory seeking or avoidance.

Regulation scale (HSP432)

The regulation scale is a tool that can be used for any child or young person to identify what is
happening around them that is impacting on their mood change, what signals their body is giving them,
and ways to respond to their body’s signals that will help them manage the change in mood.

Understanding behaviour template (HSP433)

The understanding behaviour template is a useful tool to assist in determining the reason behaviour is
occurring and to plan and implement replacement behaviour. This worksheet is used for a single
behaviour and works most effectively when education staff, families and the child or young person work
together to develop.

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Emotional wellbeing care plan (HSP400)

An emotional wellbeing care plan is completed by a health professional in consultation with parents or
legal guardians for children and young people requiring additional care or support for their mental health
and emotional wellbeing.

Autism spectrum support plan (HSP430)

An autism spectrum support plan is completed by education and care services in collaboration with the
child or young person and their family. The plan includes a description of the child or young person’s
interests, strengths, skills and support needs from the perspective of the child, family and education or
care service.

Constipation and dehydration

To support wellbeing in education and care services the department promotes free access to water and
encourages the display and discussion of the urine colour chart and bristol stool chart.

Differences in the autism spectrum

The thinking style differences and verbal communication differences documents have been developed to
support education and care services to understand thinking and communication styles in autistic children
and young people.

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References

Interoception 101 Activity Guide

Baker-Ericzen, M.,(2013) Early Intervention for Children/youth with Asperger Syndrome. In Ducharme,
R.W. and Gullotta, T.P. (Eds.) Asperger Syndrome - A Guide for Families and Professionals. (pp65-90)
2nd ed. New York: Springer.

Brown, K., Ryan, R., & Creswell, J. (2007). Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its
Salutary Effects.Psychological Inquiry, 18(4), 211-237.

Flook, L., Goldberg, S.B., Pinger, L.J., & Davidson, R. J. (2015). Promoting prosocial behavior and self-
regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based kindness curriculum.
Developmental Psychology, 51(1), 44–51. PMCID: PMC4485612
http://centerhealthyminds.org/assets/files-publications/FlookPromotingDevPsych.pdf

Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. New York: Bantam Books.

Goodall, E. (2013) Understanding and facilitating the achievement of autistic potential, SC, Create
Space.

Idusohan-Moizer, H., Sawicka, A., Dendle, J., & Albany, M. (2015). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive
Therapy for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Mindfulness in
Reducing Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 59(2), 93-
104

Lewis, M., Haviland-Jones, Jeannette M, & Barrett, Lisa Feldman. (2008). Handbook of emotions (3rd
ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

Lovett, J.P., (2005) Solutions for adults with Asperger syndrome: Maximising the benefits, minimizing
the drawbacks to achieve success. Beverley, MA: Fair Winds Press.

Mahler, K., (2015) Interoception: The eighth sensory system. KS: AAPC.

Moses, L.J. & Baird, J.A., (1999). Metacognition. In Wilson, R.A., & Keil, F.C. (Eds.). The MIT
encyclopaedia of the cognitive sciences (pp. 533-535). Cambridge, MA:MIT Press.

Schauder, Mash, Bryant, & Cascio. (2015). Interoceptive ability and body awareness in autism
spectrum disorder. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 131, 193-200.

Wellman, H.M., (1985) The child’s theory of mind: The development of conceptions of cognition. In
Yussen, S.R., (Ed.) The growth of reflection in children (pp 169-206) New York: Academic.

Yoris, A., Esteves, S., Couto, B., Melloni, M., Kichic, R., Cetkovich, M., . . . Sedeño, L. (2015). The
roles of interoceptive sensitivity and metacognitive interoception in panic. Behavioral and Brain
Functions : BBF, 11, 14.

Zamariola, G., Frost, N., Van Oost, A., Corneille, O., Luminet, O., (2018). Relationship between
interoception and emotion regulation: New evidence from mixed methods. Journal of Affective
Disorders 246 (2019) 480-485

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Interoception 201 Activity Guide

Barrett LF, Quigley KS, Hamilton P. 2016 An active inference theory of allostasis and interoception in
depression. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 371: 20160011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0011

Craig, A. D., & Craig, A. D. (2009). How do you feel--now? The anterior insula and human awareness.
Nature reviews neuroscience, 10(1). Doi: 10.1038/nrn2555

Critchley, H. D., & Garfinkel, S. N. (2017). Interoception and emotion. Current opinion in psychology,
17, 7-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.04.020

Davies, Catherine, Di Rodd, Kerry Parsons, and Emma Goodall. "The 8 th Sense: Interoception."
DECD, Adelaide

Fiacconi, C. M., Kouptsova, J. E., & Köhler, S. (2017). A role for visceral feedback and interoception in
feelings-of-knowing. Consciousness and cognition, 53, 70-80.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2017.06.001

Garfinkel, S. N., & Critchley, H. D. (2013). Interoception, emotion and brain: new insights link internal
physiology to social behaviour. Commentary on: “Anterior insular cortex mediates bodily sensibility and
social anxiety” by Terasawa et al.(2012). Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 8(3), 231-234.

Garfinkel, S. N., Tiley, C., O'Keeffe, S., Harrison, N. A., Seth, A. K., & Critchley, H. D. (2016).
Discrepancies between dimensions of interoception in autism: Implications for emotion and anxiety.
Biological psychology, 114, 117-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.12.003

Goodall, E. (2016). Interoception 101. DECD, Adelaide.

Mahler, K. J. (2016). Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System: Practical Solutions for Improving Self-
Regulation, Self-Awareness and Social Understanding of Individuals With Autism Spectrum and
Related Disorders. AAPC Publishing.

Mehling, W. E., Chesney, M. A., Metzler, T. J., Goldstein, L. A., Maguen, S., Geronimo, C., ... &
Neylan, T. C. (2018). A 12‐week integrative exercise program improves self‐reported mindfulness and
interoceptive awareness in war veterans with posttraumatic stress symptoms. Journal of clinical
psychology, 74(4), 554-565. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22549

Shah, P., Catmur, C., & Bird, G. (2017). From heart to mind: linking interoception, emotion, and theory
of mind. Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior, 93, 220.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2017.02.010

Shah, P. (2016). Interoception: the eighth sensory system: practical solutions for improving self-
regulation, self-awareness and social understanding of individuals with autism spectrum and related
disorders. J Autism Dev Disord (2016) 46: 3193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2848-8

Tsakiris M, Critchley H. 2016 Interoception beyond homeostasis:affect, cognition and mental health.
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 371: 20160002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0002

Weiss, C., Tsakiris, M., Haggard, P., & Schütz-Bosbach, S. (2014). Agency in the sensorimotor system
and its relation to explicit action awareness. Neuropsychologia, 52, 82-92.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.09.034

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Further information

Kids Matter have evaluated a number of programs and service providers and suggest that Mindful
Schools may be useful. On their website they have some helpful free resources and links to their
training: http://www.mindfulschools.org/resources/explore-mindful-resources/#resources-starter-lesson

Short video in which junior children and young people demonstrate good interoception and an
explanation of the benefits of mindful body awareness and breathing exercises:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVA2N6tX2cg

Short video from Smiling Mind an Australian mental health through meditation program - Mind the
Bump - Mindfulness and how the brain works, which explains how negative emotions can lead to more
negativity and how meditation links to interoceptive skills and other skills useful for learning and being a
positive community member suitable for staff and children and young people (may need to explain
some of the vocabulary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNCB1MZDgQA

Short video for upper primary or high school children and young people - One-Moment Meditation:
"How to Meditate in a Moment", explanation of how to do a very short meditation in situations of
immediate stress/anger etc via learning a 1 minute breathing meditation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6eFFCi12v8

Upper Primary (age 7 on) guided mindfulness from smiling mind

http://smilingmind.com.au/blog/#!/category/background/what-is-smiling-mind – first two sessions:
https://youtu.be/1QEYE7VS8ak?list=PLp3vpYbUmIqcqrMrdfj4vCvxUHrQB857m
https://youtu.be/AvQb0gre5KE?list=PLp3vpYbUmIqcqrMrdfj4vCvxUHrQB857m

Mindful body awareness of taste – need a piece of fruit or chocolate to do this activity:
https://youtu.be/SAWSYefLEcg?list=PLp3vpYbUmIqfFkalwWK1jbcearpKKpL8F

Mindful body awareness activity, starts with breathing activity:

https://youtu.be/eHjYmfvJK5Q?list=PLp3vpYbUmIqfFkalwWK1jbcearpKKpL8F

Guided 5 minute daily mindfulness activity (video is 6.09 mins):

https://youtu.be/y1dmKZg13Yw?list=PLp3vpYbUmIqdMWF7Gr_imkJjvbuoTU87u

High school (could be used with upper primary) mindful body awareness related to emotions guided
activity: https://youtu.be/KTaA6ZiBtg8?list=PLp3vpYbUmIqdMWF7Gr_imkJjvbuoTU87u

High school (could be used with upper primary) mindful thought awareness guided activity:
https://youtu.be/KGPNMtHgenk?list=PLp3vpYbUmIqdMWF7Gr_imkJjvbuoTU87u

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Testimonials

“Interoception has provided students with opportunities to connect their bodily responses to their
emotions. [Our high school] has seen a significant decrease in behaviour incidents since the opening
of our Interoception Room. We are proud to offer this approach for the students”.
High School Staff

“Interoception has changed our school culture and atmosphere. Before interoception, our school felt
chaotic. After the implementation of the program our students are settled, more engaged and out
school culture has completely transformed. We are excited to see the continued positive impact
interoception will make.”
Primary School Staff

“It helps me learn to stretch my fingers, it relaxes me. I like relaxing, it’s a happy feeling”.
Kindergarten Student

“My students are more aware of what their bodies need”.

Special School Staff

“Interoception has decreased our behaviour issues because students are able to self-regulate their
emotions and don’t get to the point anymore where leadership needs to intervene as they are able to
self-manage before it gets to that point”.
Primary School Leadership

“It calms me down; it lets all the bad things out of my blood. It helps my muscles grow it feels like I’m
going to sleep”.
Kindergarten Student

“I think interoception activities are so that you can calm down and refocus your work. My favourite
activity is when you trace around your fingers while breathing in and out slowly. I enjoy [our
interoception room] because it is nice and relaxing, it helps you be able to come back to the classroom
ready for learning”.
Primary School Student

“What interoception means to me – whole body connection, getting in touch with ones feelings and
sense to navigate through life”.
Special School Staff

“Our interoception room is very peaceful and calming which make me feel good. Interoception helps
us to de-stress and helps us get back on tasks so we can do our best learning”.
Primary School Student

“Interoception is beneficial for our children and really effective to assist, discover and regulate their
emotions. The interoception room is a relaxing environment and the activities support our children’s
needs”.
Kindergarten Staff

“Interoception is an activity which can make you focus and calm you down. The class does
interoception activities because it helps individuals regain focus on themselves and what they’re
supposed to do”.
Primary School Student

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“Our interoception room is very peaceful and calming which make me feel good. Interoception helps
us to destress and helps us get back on tasks so we can do our best learning”.
Primary School Student

“I have definitely seen an improvement in our children since the introduction of the Interoception Room.
We have many children that take themselves to the [interoception room] and we have seen them be
able to regulate their emotions which is something our children especially need help with”.
Kindergarten Staff

“The Interoception program has given the students in the program a space to de-regulate and go back
to class ‘ready to learn’. The environment creates a safe space that allows relationships and
confidence to build within the students. It helps enhance social skills and creates a great platform to
focus on One Plan goals”
Primary School Leadership

“We’ve already seen vast improvements in general student behaviour, our identified students
remaining on-task in classrooms and an increased ability to self-regulate their emotions. It’s still early
days but we’re seeing very positive signs of development”.
Interoception Program Leader (Primary School)

“We’ve gone from getting two phone calls a week about [our child’s] behaviour, to having two this
entire term. We’ve seen [our child] doing exercises at home and [our child has] been a lot more
understanding and expressive about how [our child is] feeling. We’re very happy so far”.
Parent

“My [child] used to sit under the desk at school not doing anything at all, or would cry and scream for
hours. After moving to a school that did interoception several times a day [our child] is much calmer.
After a term [our child] was no longer under the desk, but sitting at [the] desk learning”.
Parent

“Interoception has helped me to control my anger. Before my anger controlled me and I would go off
when I thought anyone was talking about me”.
High School Student

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 Interoception 101 Activity Guide

Activity guide

Interoception 101
Goodall, E. (2016) Interoception 101 Activity Guide, Department for Education, South Australia

15| Interoception 101 – v.March 2019

1. Interoception explanation

Interoception is an internal sensory system in which the internal physical and emotional states of the
body are noticed, recognised/identified and responded to. Interoception skills are required for a range
of basic and more advanced functions such as knowing when to go to the toilet, being aware that you
are becoming angry or upset and being able to manage your emotions proactively. When children and
young people have not yet developed interoception skills they will struggle with not only their own
emotions but with social interactions and even just being around others may be difficult for them to
manage.

Children and young people with well-developed interoception are able to use both logic and emotions
to respond to their environment, whereas those without tend to rely on logic and have to carefully think
through their possible responses to each situation. Thinking through each situation long term can be
extremely tiring and can contribute to overload, shutdown, meltdowns, anxiety and depression.

Awareness of
external stimuli
effects on internal
body states, feelings
/emotions

Goleman (1995) suggested that emotional intelligence, sometimes known as social intelligence is
composed of three skill sets; emotional skills, cognitive skills and behaviour skills. When these theories
are looked at in conjunction with metacognition; thinking about thinking (Moses & Baird, 1999, Wellman
1985) the key role of interoception can be identified. Without interoception, it is not possible for children
and young people to develop metacognitive abilities. The following table illustrates the links between
metacognition, social-emotional intelligence and interoception.

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 Metacognition Emotional intelligence as foundation to social- Interoception (mindful
(Wellman, 1985) emotional skills (Goleman, 1995) body awareness)

Emotional skills Cognitive skills Behaviour skills

1. Knowledge that Labelling Self-talk Non-verbal Noticing internal body states

mental states feelings communication
exist

2. Knowledge that Expressing Understanding Effective verbal Recognising and naming

there are distinct feelings social cues communication internal body states
mental processes and how
others
perceive you
3. Knowledge that Identifying Being able to Control of Understanding the link
these distinct feelings as problem solve impulses between internal body
processes are a responses to in response to states and
function of stimuli impulses and feelings/emotions.
cognition anticipating
4. Knowledge that Understanding consequences. Understanding the effects of
cognition is and responding Understanding others and the wider
influenced by to intensity of the environment on self, internal
context (internal feelings perspectives of body states and feelings/
and external) others and emotions.
societal norms.
5. Being able to self- Emotional self- Self- Behavioural self- a. Managing responses of
assess cognitive regulation awareness regulation internal body states to
process to direct external stimuli
personal b. Socio-emotional self-
behaviour. regulation

Another way of understanding interoception is to describe it as mindful body awareness. Someone who
is skilled in this can for example tell when their heart beat is signalling fear versus excitement because
they can notice and recognise or identify all the other internal bodily signals that they are experiencing
which help them to process and respond to their overall emotional state. On a more basic level,
interoception enables people to know when they are hungry, thirsty, tired etc, all of which are
necessary precursors to positive development and self-regulation.

Each child or young person should keep a record of their developing body awareness using either
visual or written records. In this way, children and young people who require extra support to self-
regulate can be guided to develop skills in the areas that they still need to ensure that the possibility for
long term self-management is optimised. Self-awareness on the interoceptive level is a pre-requisite for
accurate self-awareness of self in terms of strengths, abilities and support needs in the long term.

Where children and young people are still developing interoceptive skills the use of visuals or verbal
prompts are effective support tools. Below is a table with some examples of visual and verbal prompts
and their rationale.

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 Issue Example visual Example verbal Rationale & use
prompts prompts
Still developing Toilet icon placed in Verbal reminder to Toileting accidents can be
bladder/bowel visual timetable at go to the toilet when embarrassing for some children and
control regular intervals (placing child or young young people, other children and
to be agreed with family person is observed young people can be very unkind
& child or young person). with body language following these and it is important to
that the family have ensure the use of respect at all times
indicated shows they and to be very aware of how others are
are about to go to reacting. NB – for some bladder/bowel
the toilet. control is not possible due to physical
issues.
Still developing Water bottles to be kept ‘Have a drink.’ Hydration is vital for good focus,
awareness of on desks or easily ‘Remember how we physical health and avoiding
thirst accessible in classroom. learnt that drinking headaches. Children and young people
Photo of the child or water helps your may not be able to adequately track
young person drinking brain to focus, have their hydration. A simple way to teach
from their water bottle to a drink break and this ability to track hydration is the
be either timetabled then go back to colour of urine, which becomes more
regularly or to be work.’ concentrated and darker in colour as
presented when they someone become more dehydrated.
lose focus on tasks. Refer hydration chart.
Still developing Fruit snack visual “What would you like Hunger can make people agitated,
awareness of Snack visual to eat from your easily angered or aggressive. Stable
hunger Listen to story and eat lunch box?” (asked blood sugar levels help maintain stable
visual whilst offering lunch moods. As each person is different
box) some children and young people may
“You seem hungry, need small frequent snacks, whilst
have a snack” (if others prefer to eat less frequently.
exhibiting sign Free access to food with visual or
described by family) verbal prompting is the ideal to
maximise focus and concentration
throughout the day.
Does not yet Choice board with two or “You seem to be Children and young people who do not
recognise when three known calming getting angry, have a yet recognise when they are getting
getting angry activities to be presented drink of water then angry they can verbally or physically
etc when signs of anger are come and let me lash out BEFORE they were aware that
appearing. know what the they were going to. At the point of
5 point scale not to be problem is.” (enables meltdown these strategies are too late
used during meltdown or calming prior to and the child or young person must be
tantrum explanation which left to calm down before being spoken
Refer regulation scale. would otherwise to. ONE visual can be presented during
cause more a meltdown that directs them to their
heightening) safe or calming space or activity.
“Could you
please…” (where …
is a known calming
activity)
Uses very loud ‘Noise-o-meter’ Using a VERY Some children and young people
voice Whisper visual QUIET voice, cannot hear how loud their own voices
Silence visual request the child or are and/or use their voice to cover up
young person other sounds that they find
Talking visual
‘please talk more distressing/painful. Others may use
Loud voice visual - quietly’ or ‘not so loud vocalisations to signal distress in
displayed by child or loud please’. which case the DISTRESS must be
young person in front of responded to and not the loud voice.
them on their workspace
as appropriate.

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Mindfulness is known to improvement in people with disabilities’ experience of depression, anxiety,
self-compassion and compassion for others (Idusohan-Moizer, Sawicka, Dendle, & Albany, 2015). In a
pilot study, researchers from the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds (CIHM) at the Waisman
Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison taught teachers and children and young people in the
Madison Metropolitan School District mindfulness. Children and young people in the research group
“reported feeling more in control and responsible for their actions, made fewer errors, and improved in
their use of strategy on a problem solving task involving working memory. Additionally, teachers
observed improved emotion regulation in these children and young people after the training.” CIHM
also looked at preschools and teaching kindness and compassion through mindfulness. The research
has been published indicating that these children and young people showed greater improvements in
social competence as well as higher levels of learning, health, and social-emotional development,
whereas the control group exhibited more selfish behaviour over time (Flock et al, 2015).

2. Interoception and the autism spectrum

Self-awareness on the interoceptive level is a pre-requisite for accurate self-awareness of self in terms
of strengths, abilities and support needs in the long term. Research confirms the neurological basis for
many differences inherent in the autistic spectrum (Lovett 2005). Older autistic spectrum young people
may find it helpful to understand the internal processing and response to external stimuli differences
between autistic spectrum brains and non-autistic spectrum brains. An overview of the differences
between autistic spectrum and non-autistic spectrum brains is given below (adapted from Baker-
Ericzen, 2013 and Lovett, 2005).

Autistic spectrum brain Non-autistic spectrum brain

• Thinks about the details • Thinks about the big picture

• Perceives information independent of • Perceives the context of information as
context well as the information
• Logic/cognition focused • Feeling/emotion focused
• Enjoyment of known/preferred • Enjoyment of new/novel experiences and
experiences/ideas ideas
• Focus on self and preferred people, • Enjoyment of and focus on social
objects, places, experiences interactions
• Concrete, logical thinker • Abstract, emotional thinker
• Literal interpretation and use of language • Social and contextual use of and
interpretation of language

These differences are a continuum and non-autistics may have some of the traits of the autism
spectrum or be able to learn to think in some of those ways and vice versa. No one way of thinking or
being is superior to another.

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Refer to the Department for Education autism spectrum webpage for further information and resources.

3. Developing interoception

Children and young people can learn a range of appropriate responses once they are able to notice and
recognise internal signals.

Prior to having well developed interoception teaching responses to feelings and emotions and even
external stimuli will be very difficult and is unlikely to support the children and young people effectively.

3.1 Responding to external sensory input

A child or young person who runs out of the classroom may well be reacting to external sensory input
that they find extremely distressing but without an awareness of what being distressed ‘feels like’ they
are unable to recognise that they are distressed and therefore they may not actually realise that that
sensory input is problematic for them.

Once a child or young person can recognise and understand their internal body signals for distress,
they can begin to work out what distresses them and then how to respond to these stressors. The
adults around that child or young person may well have a good idea of what they are feeling and why,
but without learning it for themselves the child or young person will never be able to learn to self-
regulate independently. If you are unsure of the level of interoception of a particular child or young
person it will be easiest to start off with activities that help them to gain an awareness of their bodily
reactions (internal signals) to noise and heat/cold (refer interoception support plan).

3.2 Responding to noise

Start off with some mindful listening activities that are suitable for the children and young people that
you are working with. Mindful listening is where the children and young people stop all other activities
and focus on actively listening to something or someone with a goal to hear as much as they can.
Some ideas of things to listen to and for include:

Listen TO Listen FOR

Music from The sorcerer’s apprentice Which instruments they can hear
The general classroom or playground environment Natural and created sounds
A poem or short story Language rhythms and rhymes, number of words
Special effects eg from Different sounds
http://www.acoustica.com/sounds.htm
Recordings of different environments Natural and created sounds to try and identify the
soundscape (place)
Contemporary music at different volumes Instruments, voices, pitch, tone

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Once the children and young people have developed their active listening skills, these mindful
listening activities can be followed up with questions relating to how different body parts feel or
respond to different sounds. For children and young people with strong physical or emotional
reactions to some sounds, the aim is to try and help them to identify what sounds trigger what
reactions so that you can develop a collaborative plan to minimise stress, distress and anxiety in
regards to those sounds whilst responding in a safe and effective manner.

Some strategies for responding to noise that may already exist are:
• Making noise to cover other noises
• Covering ears with hands
• Using headphones
• Running or moving away

Other possible strategies to explore are:

• Physical placement of children and young people in relation to noise in class
• Pre-warning of known trigger sounds when possible
• Use of comforting sensory activities to compensate for uncomfortable noise eg using a
fiddle toy to distract from class noise. (This must be a specific strategy for each
individual child or young person)

3.3 Responding to temperature (cold and heat)

Some children and young people may experience quite strong emotional reactions to changes in
temperature that may have become apparent during prior interoception activities. For example
becoming hot or cold can lead to distress, anger and even rage in some children and young people,
who may not be aware of their temperature reactions themselves. Because clothing can be used to
keep warm or cool it is one strategy that should be employed but it is unlikely to be enough for
children and young people with strong emotional reactions. In addition these children and young
people may need support to develop a good sense of temperature both internal and external, so that
they can effectively use strategies.

Hands, feet, face and body trunk may all feel at quite different temperatures in some people. For
example, moving up from toes which are so cold they have turned purple, feet may be very cold, but
above the ankle may be warmer and the trunk quite warm. In other people this is not the case.
Temperature regulation is complex and affected by a large number of individual factors. Seating
should take temperature sensitivity into consideration as some children and young people will learn
most effectively close to the air conditioner or heater whilst others will find that highly problematic.

Younger children should be explicitly taught about why and when to wear hats, coats, scarves,
summer clothing etc, whilst older young people may need reminding that it is hot and the sun can
damage their skin, so they need to wear a hat etc.
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Some strategies for responding to cold/heat that may already exist are:
• Wearing gloves inside
• Keeping hand warmers in pockets
• Sitting under the air conditioner and setting it to full fan

Other possible strategies to explore are:

• Having an indoor option at recess/lunch
• Keeping wet flannels frozen in zip-lock bags for children and young people to hold to
cool down

3.4 Default energy level

Children and young people have their own individual default energy level, some are very high energy
or active, whilst others are more passive or low energy. It is important to help them identify and
understand their typical energy level so that they can begin to develop an awareness of how their
energy levels change and what effect this has on them. Only with an understanding of their own
energy levels can children and young people earn how and when to apply strategies to maximise
their ability to learn as well as be comfortable in themselves and around others.

Introduce the concept of energy levels through a simple quiz:

• Do you find it difficult to sit still at your desk/table?
• Do you struggle to wait patiently for things?
• Do you have difficulty sitting in the car or bus during long trips?
• Do you enjoy sports requiring lots of movement, like soccer and bike riding?
• During every day activities, like brushing teeth and getting dressed, do you like to move
around rather than stand in one spot?

No scores 0 and yes 1 for each question

NO YES

0__________1__________2__________3__________4__________5

Low energy Very active

3.4.1 Energy level – mind and body #1

One way to help children and young people identify their perceptions of their default energy levels is
to ask them to choose photographs that they think are most like the inside of their brain and most
represent their energy levels; these can be selected from mind photos (section 3.4.3) and body

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photos (section 3.4.4) or to bring in or choose their own images. A discussion about why they chose
those particular images will help model the interaction between expression of self (communication)
and awareness of self (interoception).

Repeat this activity when children and young people are energetic and again when they are tired,
asking them to choose the photographs that they think are most like the inside of their brain and
most represent their energy levels AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME. Direct the discussion to enable
them to see the changes in their picture choices from default to energetic and tired, as well as to
compare and contrast how these states are represented or experienced by their peers.

3.4.2 Energy level – mind and body #2

Provide the children and young people with their body outline (section 3.4.5) and/or the word bank
(section 3.4.6) words first thing in the morning, preferably on a cold, wet, dark winter morning or
after a long weekend in other seasons. Ask the children and young people to identify some of the
descriptors that match how their bodies feel right now. Repeat activity when they are energised and
get them to compare and contrast.

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3.4.3 MIND PHOTOS

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3.4.4 BODY PHOTOS

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Photos courtesy of and copyright Free Range Stock, www.freerangestock.com or taken by and/or of Emma Goodall in 2013 and 2015.

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3.4.5 BODY OUTLINE

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3.4.6 WORD BANK

Body parts
head forehead eye brows
eyes nose nostrils
mouth lips teeth
tongue jaw ears
ear lobe neck shoulder
ribcage ribs diaphragm
arm elbow hand
fingers thumbs palm
leg knee ankle
foot toes heel
sole skin veins
artery heart lungs
throat stomach bladder
bowel breath voice
muscles bones tendons
mind brain shin

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 Associated adjectives
boiling hot warm
cool cold freezing
stiff tense relaxed
tight loose floppy
stretched light heavy
wet dry itchy
runny busy cluttered
full empty blank
closed open still
moving wiggling jerking
flapping fidgeting twirling
twisting squeezing pacing
clenching shaking tapping
short fast thin
quiet loud sore
sweating sweaty tired

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3.5 Anger
Ask the child or young person to describe how their body feels when they get angry. You may need to
help them to identify when they were angry to prompt memory of what was happening. Children and
young people can do this through drawings or choosing images, or by completing their body outlines
(section 3.4.5) with words from the word bank (section 3.4.6). This can be done as a whole class, in
groups or 1:1, but should never be attempted during a meltdown.

If you can see a child or young person becoming angry, you could engage in this activity by saying; “I
can see that you are getting angry, can you explain how your body is letting you know you are
angry?” If they are unable to do this, you can further explain why you think they are angry, what the
physical clues are for you.

Below are some physical indicators of anger taken from

https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/recognizing-anger-signs/
• clenching your jaws or grinding your teeth
• headache
• stomach ache
• increased and rapid heart rate
• sweating, especially your palms
• feeling hot in the neck/face
• shaking or trembling
• dizziness
• rubbing your head
• cupping your fist with your other hand
• pacing
• getting sarcastic
• losing your sense of humour
• acting in an abusive or abrasive manner
• raising your voice
• beginning to yell, scream, or cry

3.5.1 Responding to anger with volcano breathing

This is most useful with children at primary school or younger, young people may respond better to
being prompted to use mindful breathing when angry.

Volcano breathing works on the principle that anger is like lava inside a volcano and that it is going
to come out sooner or later, so it would be safer for the lava to run down the sides rather than
explode into the wider atmosphere!

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 This technique should be taught when children and
young people are calm and prompted when they are
becoming angry. If children and young people use the
technique independently, it is helpful to compliment
them for managing their anger positively.

The technique essentially consists of two parts; a

story/visual and a breathing exercise. The following
example is taken from Goodall (2013) pages 135-136.

4. Interoception activities

An interoceptive activity focuses on creating and noticing a change in some aspect of one’s internal
self, such as, one’s muscular system, breathing, temperature, pulse or touch. People with atypical
interoception are not able to identify the physiological changes that signal mood changes or bodily self‐
regulation needs. Interoception activities teach us to connect with these.

An interoception activity focuses on a particular part of the body for at least 30 seconds.
• It enables a change to occur in one’s body state while labelling the movement and part of the
body involved (e.g. toes, stretch and curl up or curl under)
• Repeat the same activity for a second time
• The individual is encouraged to identify a change in their body state (eg hot‐cold, soft‐hard,
stretch‐relax) and where they felt that change (arch or ball of foot, on top).

The following pages provide practical application of interoception.

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 Interoception activity
4.1 Feeling muscles (hands)

Feeling muscles - hands

1. Sitting down, just rest your hands on the top of your thighs (demonstrate)
2. Now stretch your fingers as wide apart as possible and hold them tense like that for 30 seconds
3. Rest them back again, now they should be relaxed
4. Where could you feel your muscles when your hands were stretched?

1. Hand relaxed, resting on thigh 2. Hand stretched out

3. Hand relaxed, resting on thighs 4. Hand stretched out with question mark

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 Interoception activity
4.2 Feeling muscles (feet)

Feeling muscles - feet

1. Sitting down, just rest your feet flat on the floor (demonstrate)
2. Now stretch your toes as wide apart as possible and hold them tense like that for 30 seconds
3. Now curl your toes under and hold them curled for 30 seconds
4. Rest them back again, now they should be relaxed
5. Where could you feel your muscles when your toes were stretched and when they were curled?

2. Toes stretched out

1. Feet and toes relaxed

3. Feet with toes curled under 4. Feet, one stretched, one curled, with
question mark

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 Interoception activity
4.3 Feeling muscles (arms)

Feeling muscles - arms

1. Standing up, put your hands flat on the wall and just hold them there (demonstrate)
2. Now push the wall as hard as you can for 30 seconds
3. Stop pushing and relax your arms by your side
4. Rest them back again, now they should be relaxed
5. Where could you feel your muscles when you were pushing against the wall?

1. Arms out, hands flat on the wall, relaxed 2. Arms out, hands flat on the wall, pushing
posture on wall

3. Arms down by side, relaxed 4. One arm out pushing on wall, one arm
relaxed by side, with question mark

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 Interoception activity
4.4 Feeling muscles (legs)

Feeling muscles - legs

1. Standing up, put one foot in front of the other with both feet facing forward and legs hip width
apart, both feet flat on the floor (demonstrate)
2. Now move the front foot so that it only has the heel touching the floor. Where can you feel
something? That is your muscle stretching on the back of your calf.
3. Now point your toes on that front foot so only your toes are touching the floor. Can you feel
something in your foot as well as your leg?
4. Put your feet back flat on the floor and change which leg is in front, then repeat the heel touch and
toe touch. Does it feel the same or different?
5. What about if you stretch your leg behind and do heel touch or toe touch? Does that feel the same
or different?

1. Standing up, put one foot in front of the other, 2. Front foot heel touching floor
both feet facing forward, legs hip width apart,
both feet flat on floor

3. Front foot toes touching floor in point 4. Back foot heel, back foot toes

Follow on activity/exploration:
Can you have one foot pointed and one heel touching the floor at the same time?
Can you move your legs in other ways to feel other muscles in your legs?

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 Interoception activity
4.5 Feeling muscles (whole body)

Feeling muscles – whole body

1. Lie down in a space on the floor, with your arms relaxed by your side, you can close your eyes if
you want to. Breathe slowly.
2. As you breathe in scrunch your eyes and forehead and then as you breathe out relax them again.
3. As you breathe in open your mouth as wide as possible then as you breathe out relax your
mouth.
4. Keep breathing slowly.
5. As you breathe in stretch your fingers apart as wide as possible, then as you breathe out, relax
your fingers.
6. Now stretch your fingers and your arms as you breathe in, stretch as much as possible.
7. As you breathe out, relax your arms and fingers.
8. As you breathe in curl your toes up to scrunch your feet, then relax your feet as you breathe out.
9. Now as you breathe in scrunch your toes up and pull your feet in towards your body just using
your leg muscles, and relax as you breathe out.
10. Breathe slowly in and out for a few breaths and then when you are ready, breathe in and tense
up your face, hands, arms, feet and legs and then slowly breathe out and relax all the muscles.
11. Stay relaxed and breathe in and out slowly for a few more breaths.

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 Interoception activity
4.6 Feeling temperature #1

Feeling temperature #1
1. Stand still, concentrate on how hot, warm, cool or cold your hands feel. Touch your arms with your
hands.
2. Are your arms warmer or cooler than your hands?
3. (after 10-30 seconds) Now rub your hands together really fast for 30 seconds, I will tell you when
to stop.
4. (after 20 seconds) Ok, stop now. Do your hands feel warmer or colder than before?
5. Touch your arms with your hands.
6. Are your arms warmer or cooler than your hands?

1. Hands

2. Hands touching arms

3. Rubbing hands together (30 seconds) 4. Hand touching arms

Follow on activity/exploration:
How could we cool our hands down when they are hot?
What is the safe temperature range for human bodies?
How do humans cool down/warm up?

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 Interoception activity
4.7 Feeling temperature #2

Feeling temperature #2
1. Stand still, concentrate on how hot, warm, cool or cold your body feels. Touch your face with your
hands.
2. How warm or cool does your face feel?
3. (after 10 -30 seconds) Now, run really fast on the spot for one minute, I will tell you when to stop.
4. (after 1 minute) Ok, stop now. Touch your face with your hands.
5. Does your face feel warmer or colder than before?

1. Hands on side of face 2. Running on the spot for one

minute

4. Thermometer
3. Hands of side of face

Follow on activity/exploration:
How can we measure body temperature?
Does your face get hotter or colder if you go outside?

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 Interoception activity
4.8 Feeling temperature #3

Feeling temperature #3
Note: this activity requires a box of paperclips, half of which have been in the freezer

1. Give each child or young person a room temperature paper clip.

2. How does the paperclip feel? Is it hot, warm, cool or cold?
3. Ok put the paper clip down and come and get one out of the box (from the freezer).
4. How does this paper clip feel? Is it hot, warm, cool or cold?
5. Now pick up the other paper clip in your other hand
6. Does it feel warmer or cooler than it did before?

1. Hand holding paperclip 2. Other hand holding other paperclip

4. Thermometer
3. Hands each holding paperclip

Follow on activity/exploration:
Would the cold clip feel less cold if you wear gloves?
How does having cold fingers make your body feel?

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 Interoception activity
4.9 Feeling temperature #4

Feeling temperature #4
Note: this activity can only be done when the outside temperature is quite different to the classroom
temperature (can be done inside by turning off air-conditioning or heat instead of going outside)

1. Stand still, feel the air on your skin. Is it hot, warm, cool or cold?
2. Try and feel how your hands and face feel. Do they feel the same temperature or different? Is it
comfortable or uncomfortable?
3. Now let’s go outside for a few minutes (or turn the air conditioning or heating off for 5 minutes)
4. Stand still and feel the air on your skin. Is it hot, warm, cool or cold?
5. Try and feel how your hands and face feel. Do they feel the same temperature or different? Is it
comfortable or uncomfortable?
6. Which air temperature did you prefer?

1. Person in classroom 2. Hand on face

3. Person in sunshine 4. Hand on face

Follow on activity/exploration:
Why do people wear some clothes in some weather and not others?
Explore clothing and response to temperatures across cultures.

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 Interoception activity
4.10 Feeling breathing #1

Feeling breathing #1
1. Sit comfortably, on your chair or on the floor, close your eyes
2. Breathe in through your nose whilst counting to 5 in your head (teacher to count out loud to
support this initially)
3. Then open your mouth and breathe out through your mouth
4. Close your mouth and breathe in through your nose again whilst counting to five (teacher can say
In, two, three, four, five, and open mouth breathe out)
5. (Keep doing this for about a minute) How do you feel? Which parts of your body moved when you
were breathing in? Did it feel different breathing in from breathing out?

1. Arrow showing air going into nose, counting 2. Arrows showing air coming out of
to five mouth

3. Arrows showing air going into nose, counting to 4. Person sitting with question mark
five and air coming out of mouth

Follow on activity/exploration:
Blowing balloons up – as they inflate explain that is like the air being breathed INTO our
lungs and when the balloon lets air out, it is like us exhaling which it the other word for
breathing out.
What are we breathing? What is air? What is air made of? Why do we need it?
Can you make your breathing faster or slower? How? What happens when you breath fast?
How does it make the rest of your body feel?

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 Interoception activity
4.11 Feeling breathing #2

Feeling breathing #1
1. Place your hand over the centre of your ribs or just below your ribs (demonstrate).
2. Lie down, relax and feel comfortable, close your eyes and keep your mouth closed.
3. Make sure your hand is just resting on your ribs or just below and not pressing hard.
4. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose, you should feel your hand rising as your lungs fill
with air.
5. Now breathe out slowly through your nose, keep breathing out, you should feel your hand moving
back down as the air goes out of your lungs and your body deflates with your lungs.
6. Keep practising this breathing in and out for about a minute, see if you can feel your body moving
even if you move your hand off your ribs.

2. Lying down with hands on ribs

1. Hands on ribs

3. Arrows showing air going into nose, 4. Arrows showing air going out of nose,
counting to five and body inflated counting to five and body deflated

Follow on activity/exploration:
Does your body rise and fall differently when you breathe in and out through your mouth?
What do out lungs do? Where are they?
How can we keep our lungs healthy?

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 Interoception activity
4.12 Feeling breathing #3

Feeling breathing #3
1. Sit comfortably, on your chair or on the floor, close your mouth and your eyes
2. For this exercise we are going to breathe in and out through our nose slowly and quietly
3. Whilst you are breathing in and out focus on the feeling the air entering and exiting your nostrils, if
you can’t feel it yet, just keep breathing
4. When you can feel the air going in and out of your nose, see how far into your nose and/or body
you can feel the air entering
5. If you get distracted, just return to focusing on your breathing, slowly and quietly and feeling the air
passing into your nose and leaving your body

1. Person sitting with eyes and mouth 2. Arrows showing air going into and out
closed of nose

Follow on activity/exploration:
Do this breathing exercise after recess and lunch for a week – did it help you to focus on
your work?

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 Interoception activity
4.13 Feeling pulse #1

Feeling pulse #1
1. Your heart is a pump which pumps blood around your body through your arteries. Where the
arteries are close to your skin you can feel the blood moving, the movement of your blood is called
your pulse. You can feel your pulse in several places, by gently feeling an artery with your
fingertips. You can also count how fast your heart is beating.
2. The easiest place to feel your pulse is on your wrist. Sit down and rest your hand on your leg with
your thumb up in the air and your palm facing up.
3. With the first two fingers of your other hand, stroke from the top of your thumb down the side until
your fingers reach your wrist.
4. Move your fingers slowly onto the inside of your wrist, and gently feel for your pulse.
5. When you have found your pulse you can count how many beats in 15 seconds (Teacher to time
15 seconds).
6. Children and young people who are able to can times their score by 4, which gives them their
pulse rate per minute.

1. Finding pulse on wrist 2. Timing for 15 seconds

Follow on activity/exploration:
How does your breathing change when you are trying to find your pulse?

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 Interoception activity
4.14 Feeling pulse #2

Feeling pulse #2
1. Sit down and rest your hand on your leg with your thumb up in the air and your
palm facing up.
2. With the first two fingers of your other hand, stroke from the top of your thumb
down the side until your fingers reach your wrist.
3. Move your fingers slowly onto the inside of your wrist, and gently feel for your
pulse.
4. When you have found your pulse you can count how many beats in 15
seconds (Teacher to time 15 seconds).
5. Children and young people who are able to can times their score by 4, which
gives them their pulse rate per minute.
6. Now jump up and down or run on the spot for one minute

7. Now find your pulse again and count the beats for 15
seconds (Teacher to time 15 seconds)
8. Children and young people who are able to can times their
score by 4, which gives them their pulse rate per minute.
9. Is your pulse higher or lower than before you started jumping or running?

Follow on activity/exploration:
When else does your heart rate/pulse change?
What happens if your run and/or jump for longer?
What happens to your heart rate if you lie down and relax for a minute?
What can you do to lower your heart rate/pulse? Why would you want to?
Does your breathing change when you run/jump? Does it change again after you have
stopped running/jumping?

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 Interoception activity
4.15 Feeling firm versus light touch #1

Feeling firm vs light touch #1

1. Sit down on a chair or on the floor.
2. Rest two fingers on the top of your leg.
3. What can you feel in your leg and in your fingers?
4. Now push the two fingers into your leg hard.
5. Are the feelings in your leg and/or fingers different?

1. Fingers resting lightly on leg 2. Fingers pressing hard into leg

Follow on activity/exploration:
What happens if you do this on your shin?
Does this feel different on your arm to your leg?

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 Interoception activity
4.16 Feeling firm versus light touch #2

Feeling firm vs light touch #2

1. Sit down on a chair or on the floor.
2. With one finger stroke your cheek.
3. Now stroke the back of your hand.
4. Was the feeling in your finger tip the same or different?
5. Did each body part feel the same temperature?
6. Can you still feel anything in your body after these light touches?
7. Now try dragging your finger hard across your cheek and then hard across the back of your hand.
8. How did that feel?
9. Can you still feel anything in your body after these firm touches?

Follow on activity/exploration:
What happens if you do this on the side of your leg?
Does this feel different on your hand to your leg?

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 Interoception 201 Activity Guide

Activity guide

Interoception 201
Lean, C., Leslie, M., Goodall, E., McCauley, M., and Heays, D. (2019) Interoception 201 Activity Guide
Department for Education, South Australia.

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1. Foreword

If you are new to Interoception and are only starting to implement the approach, please read
Interoception 101 which is located on the Department for Education’s website.
The Interoception 101 Activity Guide will provide you with an in-depth theory of Interoception and
beginning exercises.
The Interoception 201 Activity Guide is to be used when you have exhausted the beginning activities
and are looking for new activities.

2. Introduction to interoception

2.1 Interoception is our eighth sense

1. Sight 5. Hearing

2. Smell 6. Proprioception

3. Taste 7. Vestibular

4. Touch 8. Interoception

2.2 What is interoception?

Interoceptive awareness can be broadly defined as the conscious perception of an internal bodily
state, for example, one’s heart beating and breathing. These senses are related to emotional
experiences. Awareness of both biological and emotional internal body cues are impacted in
individuals who are affected by trauma, including intergenerational trauma, and neurodevelopmental
disabilities including the autism spectrum (Schauder, Mash, Bryant, & Cascio, 2015, Mahler, 2016).

2.3 Benefits of teaching interoception

• To help children/students connect to and learn to understand their own bodies and emotions.
• It is a pre‐requisite skill for self‐management and self‐regulation. It provides children/students
with the tools to know when they are developing emotional reactions and the skills to be in
control of those reactions.
• Without interoception, social skills are just the application of rules and not a meaningful way of
interacting – it enables students to develop a sense of belonging.
• Classrooms where interoception is being taught have decreasing behavioural challenges over
the school year and those where it is not have static or increasing behavioural challenges
(school wide behaviour reporting analysis)

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2.4 Models of interoception for Department for Education sites
Please note that interoception is a complement to quality differentiated teaching and does not replace
this.

1. In class teaching for individual classes

2. In class teaching across whole school

3. In class teaching across whole school with specific groups of intensive interoception

4. In class teaching across whole school plus use of an interoception room

2.5 Models of interoception for in class teaching

(These do not require any additional resourcing as they are implemented as part of quality
differentiated teaching practice)

• Two to three short sessions a day, each session covering one or two interoception activities.
Activities are done twice. After the first time students are asked where they felt the difference
or what they felt. They are then guided where/what to feel and asked to focus on that for the
second time the activity is done. Sessions are most beneficial after breaks, so 2/3 of first thing
in the morning, after recess, after lunch.
• Multiple short sessions a day, each session covering one or two interoception activities.
Activities are done twice. After the first time students are asked where they felt the difference
or what they felt. They are then guided where/what to feel and asked to focus on that for the
second time the activity is done. Sessions are after every transition and/or whenever the
students require refocusing.
• One or two long sessions a day, each session lasting 15-20 minutes. Usually chosen for use
in specific classrooms where children/students arrive dysregulated and struggle all day.
Interoception activities are presented as a sequence of movements and actions with directions
to focus on specific muscles or other aspects of interoceptive awareness.

2.6 What is an interoception activity?

An interoceptive activity focuses on creating and noticing a change in some aspect of one’s internal
self, such as muscular system, breathing, temperature, pulse or touch. People with atypical
Interoception are not able to identify the physiological changes that signal mood changes or bodily
self‐regulation needs. Interoception activities teach us to connect with these.

2.7 Structure of an interoception activity?

An interoception activity focuses on a particular part of the body for at least 30 seconds.

• It enables a change to occur in one’s body state while labelling the movement and part of the
body involved (e.g. toes, stretch and curl up or curl under)
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 • Repeat the same activity for a second time
• The individual is encouraged to identify a change in their body state (e.g. hot‐cold, soft‐hard,
stretch‐relax) and where they felt that change (arch or ball of foot, on top).

2.8 Interoception research

Department for Education research indicates that the act of interoception - noticing aspects of one’s
body:

Within 8-10 weeks

• Decreases heart rate during the interoception activity

• Decreases externalising challenging behaviours
• Increases engagement in learning
• Increases prosocial behaviours—kindness, helpfulness, connections to others
Over 16+ weeks

• Decrease stress
• Can help manage anxiety
• Promotes caring and empathy

3. Interoception activities
The following pages provide practical application of interoception.

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 Interoception activity
3.1 Muscles activities | Wall squat

Wall Squat
Find a clear space of wall to lean against.

Press your back against the wall and slide down the wall and bend your knees, your knees
should be at a 90 degrees angle.

Hold that position for 30 seconds.

Where did you feel it in your body when we were in the squat position?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our thigh
muscles.

How did your thigh muscles feel while holding that stretch?

Can we extend the time limit for 60 seconds next time? Then 90 seconds?

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 Interoception activity
3.2 Muscles activities | Core muscles

Core muscles
Sit down on the floor.

With your bottom on the floor, you are going to raise your legs into the air.

If you need, you can put your hands on the floor to support you.

We are going to hold our legs in the air for 30 seconds.

Where did you feel it in your body when we had our legs in the air?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our core
muscles.

How did your core muscles feel while holding that stretch?

What do we use our core muscles for?

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 Interoception activity
3.3 Muscles activities | Cat/Cow stretch

Cat/Cow stretch
Start on all fours. Your back should be flat like a tabletop.

Eyes should like straight down to the ground.

Breathe in through your nose, drop your belly down and slowly lift the head/neck up.

When you exhale through your mouth, lift the belly and spine up so the back is arched like a
cat.
Alternate 5 – 10 cow to cat stretches.

Where did you feel it in your body when we were stretching?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our back
muscles.

How did your back muscles feel while completing that stretch?

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 Interoception activity
3.4 Muscles activities | Knee to chest stretch

Knee to Chest stretch

Lie on your back.

Pull one knee into your chest, while keeping the other leg straight and your lower back
pressed into the floor.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Swap legs.

Where did you feel it in your body when we were completing the stretch?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our
hamstring muscles.

How did your hamstring muscles feel while completing that stretch?

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 Interoception activity
3.5 Muscles activities | Shoulder strength

Shoulder strength
Start by grabbing two books.

Lift your arms up while holding the books in your hand.

Hold this pose for 30 seconds.

Where did you feel it in your body when we were stretching?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our
shoulders.

How did your shoulders feel while completing that stretch?

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 Interoception activity
3.6 Muscles activities | Butterfly wings

Butterfly wings
In a seated position, place the soles of your feet together and hold them with your hands.

The legs are now forming the ‘butterfly wings’.

Your elbows can be between your legs or resting on your knees.

Gently press the knees down to increase the stretch.

To add a spine stretch, bend forward from the upper back and reach forward towards your
feet.

Where did you feel it in your body when we pushed down on our knees?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our inner
thigh muscles.

How did your inner thigh muscles feel while holding that stretch?

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 Interoception activity
3.7 Muscles activities | Surfing stretch

Surfing stretch
Start by standing up.
Put your left leg forward and your right foot back and squat slightly.
Lift your arms out and hold them out straight to your sides.
Hold this pose for 30 seconds.

Where did you feel it in your body when we were in this squat position?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our thigh
muscles.

How did your thigh muscles feel while holding that stretch?

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 Interoception activity
3.8 Muscles activities | The knuckle cracker

The knuckle cracker

Start by standing up.
Put your hands out in front of you and lock your fingers together.
Push your hands out and flip your hands over.
Hold this pose for 30 seconds.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our
knuckles.

How did your knuckles feel while holding that stretch?

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 Interoception activity
3.9 Muscles activities | The plank

The plank
Start by lying flat on your stomach.
Plant your hands under your shoulders.
Ground your toes into the floor.
Hold the body in that position for 30 seconds.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our core
muscles.

How did your core muscles feel while holding that stretch?

Next time, can we hold the plank for 45 seconds, then onto 1 minute?

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 Interoception activity
3.10 Muscles activities | The star

The star
Stand tall, head up high and pull your belly button in.
Spread your arms and legs into a star shape.
Breathe air in through your nose as you slowly stretch one arm over your head.
Slide your other arm down your leg.
Slowly tilt your star to the other side and breathe out through your mouth.
Repeat both sides.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our
shoulders.

How did your upper arm muscles feel while holding that stretch?

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 Interoception activity
3.11 Muscles activities | The floss

The floss
Start by standing up with your hands by your side.
Place both hands to the left side of your body.
Swing your left hand behind your back and your right in front of you.
Swing them back out and across your body.
Swing your right hand behind your body and your left in front of you.
Repeat this movement for 30 seconds.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our arms.

How did your arm muscles feel while moving?

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 Interoception activity
3.12 Muscles activities | Giraffe stretch

Giraffe stretch
Find your own space in the room and stand up tall.
Put both arms up and reach up as far as you can.
Pretend you are a giraffe, stretching your long neck up to the sky.
Keep holding the stretch for 30 seconds.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our arm
muscles.

How did your arm muscles feel while stretching?

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 Interoception activity
3.13 Muscles activities | Rocking bug

Rocking bug
Find your own space in the room and sit on the floor.
Link your hands under your knees.
Lean backwards and rock forwards and backwards.
Keep gently rocking for 30 seconds.

Where did you feel your body touching the floor? Point to that part of your body.

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to rock sideways.
Does it feel different?

Where did you notice it this time when we were rocking sideways?

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 Interoception activity
3.14 Muscles activities | Meerkat look-out

Meerkat look-out
For this activity you can either stand up or sit in a chair.
First, slowly tilt your head side to side 3 times.
Tilt it to one side of your body and then slowly tilt it to the other side of your body.
Now we are going to turn out head from side to side 3 times.
Slowly turn your head to the left, then back to the middle, then turn your head to the right.
Repeat 3 times.

Where can you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our neck
muscles.

What could you notice about your neck muscles?

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 Interoception activity
3.15 Muscles activities | Row, row, row your boat

Row, row, row your boat

Find a partner and sit on the ground facing your partner.
Start singing the lyrics to the don with your partner to row, row, row your boat
Row, row, row your boat
gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream

As you are singing the song, put your hands up against your partners hand, have your
knees slightly bent.

Push your hands against your partners as you rock backwards and forwards in a ‘rowing
motion’.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our wrists.

How did your wrists feel while moving?

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 Interoception activity
3.16 Breathing activities | Progressive muscle focus

Progressive muscle focus

Start by laying down on the floor with your hands by your side.
Focus on tensing and relaxing each muscle group for 2 to 3 seconds, all while maintaining
deep, slow breaths through your nose and out through your mouth.

• Start with your feet and toes. Tense then relax.

• Move up to your knees and thighs. Tense then relax.
• Move up to your stomach. Tense then relax.
• Focus on clenching your hands. Tense then relax.
• Move up to your arms. Tense then relax.
• Move up to your shoulders. Tense then relax.
• Move up to your face. Tense then relax.

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our
breathing in through our nose and out through our mouth.

What did you notice in your body after focusing on your breathing?

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 Interoception activity
3.17 Breathing activities | Emperor Penguin breathing boat

Emperor Penguin breathing

Start by laying down on the floor or sitting on a chair.
Place your hands on your belly.
Breathe in through your nose for a long breath.
Then a long breath out of your mouth.
When we breathe in our belly expands like the belly of an Emperor Penguin!

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our belly
expanding in and out.

What change did you notice in your body after focusing on your breathing?

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 Interoception activity
3.18 Breathing activities | Rainbow breathing boat

Rainbow breathing
Start by standing up with your hands by your sides.
Take a deep breath in through your nose, as you do raise your arms up over your head
making a rainbow shape.
When you breathe out through your mouth, move your arms back down to your side.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our
breathing in through our nose and out through our mouth.

What change did you notice in your body after focusing on your breathing?

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 Interoception activity
3.19 Breathing activities | Balloon breathing boat

Balloon breathing
Start by sitting cross-legged on the floor or sitting on a chair.
Start by cupping your hands around your mouth.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and slowly start to blow out through your mouth.
With your hands, extend them out as if you were blowing up a balloon.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our
breathing in through our nose and out through our mouth.

What change did you notice in your body after focusing on your breathing?

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 Interoception activity
3.20 Breathing activities | Back to back breathing boat

Back to back breathing

Find a partner and sit on the floor back to back.
Sit up tall and close your eyes if needed.
Start to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our syncing
our breath with our partner by feeling the movement in your partners back.

What change did you notice in your body after focusing on your breathing?

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 Interoception activity
3.21 Breathing activities | 10 steps breathing boat

10 steps breathing
Find a space in the room and stand tall.
Take a deep breath in through your nose ad out through your mouth.
Once you have done this, take 1 big step forward.
Repeat 10 times.

Where did you feel it in your body?

We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on breathing in
through our nose and out through your mouth.

What change did you notice in your body after focusing on your breathing?

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 Interoception activity
3.22 Pulse activities | Mountain climbers

Mountain climbers
In a standing or sitting positing find your pulse on your neck or wrist. Record your pulse for
1 minute.
Start in a plank position.
Pull your knee into your chest, while staying in the plank position.
Continue to switch knees. Pull the knees in right, left, right, so it creates a ‘running’ motion.
Complete the mountain climbing for 1 minute.

Stand up and find your pulse on your neck or wrist. Record your pulse for 1 minute.

What did you notice about your pulse after completing the mountain climbing activity
compared to your pulse before the activity?

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 Interoception activity
3.23 Pulse activities | Frog Squat Jump

Frog Squat Jump

In a standing or sitting positing find your pulse on your neck or wrist. Record your pulse for
1 minute.
Stand tall with your feet a little wider than hip width and your feet slightly turned out.
Squat down into a frog position and place your hands on the ground between your legs.
Spring off your bent legs, throwing your arms into the air.
Repeat this squat and jump for 30 seconds.

Stand up and find your pulse on your neck or wrist. Record your pulse for 1 minute.

What did you notice about your pulse after completing the frog squat jump activity compared
to your pulse before the activity?

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 Interoception activity
3.24 Pulse activities | Jumping Jacks

Jumping Jacks
In a standing or sitting positing find your pulse on your neck or wrist. Record your pulse for
1 minute.
Stand with your feet together, knees slightly bent and arms at your side.
Jump while raising your arms and separating legs to sides.
Land on forefoot with legs apart and arms overhead.
Complete the Jumping Jacks for 30 seconds.

Stand up and find your pulse on your neck or wrist. Record your pulse for 1 minute.

What did you notice about your pulse after completing the Jumping Jacks compared to your
pulse before the activity?

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 Interoception activity
3.25 Mini lesson | Regulating body temperature

Regulating body temperature

Trace a student on paper, or have a blank body drawn on a piece of paper.
After coming inside from play, ask the students to sit and notice where inside their bodies
they feel heat.
Ask each student to circle on the paper body where they are noticing heat.
Example, they could feel that their face feels hot, or their underarms feel hot and sweaty.
Ask the students to share where they noticed the heat.

Discuss strategies they can use to cool down.

Example, take their jumper off; have a drink of water; turn on the air conditioner.

It may be useful to use a mirror to show students their body cues.

Example, use a mirror to show students that their face is red, they are puffing and they are
sweating.
These body cues show the body is hot and needs to cool down.

Where do you
feel heat inside
your body?

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 Interoception activity
3.26 Mini lesson | Hydration

Hydration
Discuss with students ‘how do they know when they are thirsty, what are the body signals?’

These signals could include

• Dry mouth
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Dizziness
Discuss with students that our urine is a very important way that our body shows our
hydration levels.

Ask the students:

• What do you think the colour of urine should be?

• What do you think urine should smell like?
When you are hydrated your urine should be clear and have no smell.

Show students the visual hydration chart (on the next page) and discuss that we need to
ensure that when we are dehydrated we hydrate by drinking water.

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 Interoception activity
3.27 Mini lesson | Bristol Stool Chart

Bristol Stool Chart

Discuss with students ‘how do they know when they are constipated, what does our body
tell us?

These signals could include

• Passing fewer than 3 stools a week

• Having lumpy or hard stools
• Straining to have bowel movements
Discuss and show student the Bristol Stool Chart (on the next page)

Health poo should be (blobs, thin snakes, or soft-serve ice-cream) and formed poo (pellets,
logs, and ‘thick and bumpy sausage’) may indicate signs of constipation.
Dehydration is one of the most common causes of constipation.

The food you eat makes its way from your stomach to the large intestine, or colon. If you
don’t have enough water in your body already the large intestine will soak up water from
your food waste.

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