Developing Interoception with Students
An Introduction to Interoception
Interoception—our ability to notice what is happening inside our bodies—lays the groundwork for self-regulation. By explicitly teaching and modeling interoception, you can help students start developing the awareness and language needed to recognize and describe their physical sensations.
When students can make sense of what they’re experiencing, it gives them a foundation for communicating about their needs and accessing support that they need before stress becomes overwhelming.
Interoception Activities: Instructions
We have several activities for your students to help them notice what they feel in their body as physical sensations are occurring and develop the vocabulary for describing those sensations.
We recommend that you try one activity at a time and then take note of what happens.
Before beginning the activities, remember that:
- Students should never be forced to participate in an activity that makes them uncomfortable.
- If a student responds with a feeling word rather than a physical sensation, gently guide their attention back to their body by asking: How do you know you feel that way? What do you notice happening in your body?
- The descriptive words included with each activity are examples. Students may experience and describe the same sensation differently.
Four Interoception Activities to Try
Other Activities to Try
Practicing these activities can help students become more aware of their physical sensations and begin building the interoceptive awareness that supports self-regulation. Over time, this helps students navigate their feelings more independently, reducing the need for constant educator intervention.
| Activity | Possible Words |
| Jump up and down | energized, bubbly |
| Spin in a circle | dizzy, wobbly |
| Hold your breath briefly | constricted, blocked, tight |
| Rest your head and upper body on your desk | heavy, numb, weak, dull, dense |
| Imagine ants crawling on your skin | itchy, tickly, shivery, chills, goose bumps |
| Clench your hands into fists | clenched, constricted |
| Tap your cheekbones with your fingertips while I count to 10 | tingly, airy, light |
| Place one hand palm-down on a table and press on it with your other palm while I count to 10 | pulsing, flowing, throbbing |
| Rub one earlobe between your thumb and first finger while I count to 10, and then compare how each earlobe feels | numb, heavy, tingling, warm |
| Rub your hands together vigorously for 10 seconds and then pull them apart | tingling, electric, hot, warm |
| Think about how your foot feels when it falls asleep | tingling, prickly, pins and needles |
| Reach one arm across your body, wrap your other arm around it, and pull it toward your body. Hold it while I count to 10, and then drop both arms | light, heavy, loose, tense, stiff, cold, sore |