Chicago Occupational Therapy • Oct 6, 2021

5 Heavy Work Activities Around the House

Patrick McLean serves as Administrative Director and Co-CEO of Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center, a comprehensive pediatric therapy practice he co-founded with his wife…

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Patrick McLean

Patrick McLean serves as Administrative Director and Co-CEO of Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center, a comprehensive pediatric therapy practice he co-founded with his wife Rose in 2014. With over a decade of healthcare business leadership, Patrick has transformed their vision of coordinated, family-centered care into a thriving multidisciplinary clinic serving families throughout Chicago. After graduating from Western Illinois University in 2004 with a Bachelor's degree in Business and Finance, Patrick developed expertise in healthcare operations, strategic planning, and organizational growth. His business acumen combined with a deep commitment to serving children with developmental needs has positioned Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center as a trusted resource for families navigating speech delays, sensory processing challenges, autism spectrum disorder, motor delays, and behavioral concerns. As Co-CEO, Patrick oversees essential operational pillars including marketing and community outreach, human resources and staff development, financial management and insurance coordination, and long-term business strategy. His leadership has enabled the clinic to expand from offering single therapy services to providing integrated physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, ABA therapy, and social work—all coordinated under one roof for maximum family convenience and clinical effectiveness. Patrick's management philosophy centers on creating systems that empower both staff and families. He has built a culture of collaboration where therapists from different disciplines communicate seamlessly about each child's progress, ensuring holistic treatment plans that address the whole child. His proudest moments come from witnessing families' journeys—from initial concerns through celebrated milestones and hard-won achievements. Beyond his professional role, Patrick brings personal perspective as a father of four children. He actively coaches his kids in various sports, enjoys creating barbecue masterpieces on his smoker, and values connection time with friends on the golf course. This balance between professional purpose and family life reinforces his understanding of the families Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center serves every day.

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We have eight senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, auditory, vestibular, interception, and proprioception). Our proprioceptive system provides feedback through our muscles and joints to figure out where our body is in space. Some proprioceptive activities are also referred as “heavy work” activities.

Examples of Heavy Work Activities

Heavy work activities add resistance during pulling or pushing, which helps children feel calm and organized, by giving them more muscle activation and resistance, and therefore, more information about where their bodies are in space. Here are five heavy work activities using household items for your child to participate in throughout the day!

1) Pushing a Laundry Basket:
- Throw some dirty clothes in the basket and push the basket to the washing machine. They can even help to throw in the dirty clothes into the machine. Once laundry is done, throw the clean clothes back in the basket and push it back to the rooms. For additional resistance, add in blankets or thicker books to the bottom to help with increasing the input they are receiving.

2) Vacuuming:
- Have your child help to push a vacuum to clean the living room. For older children, they might be able to do it on their own – saving you time and giving them the input they need through their shoulders and trunk.

3) Cooking:
- Have your child help to take out and put in groceries when cooking dinner. They can also help to stir and knead bread dough to help in the kitchen. Get creative with where you are storing ingredients…if you know you’ll need sugar or flour, put those in a lower cupboard so that your child has to find the ingredients and lift them to the counter!

4) Rearranging:
- Have your child move chairs or small furniture items. They can also rearrange books on a book shelf. Moving around items, especially with pushing, pulling or carrying provides great input to the upper body and trunk.

5) Outdoor Work:
- In the Winter, have your child shovel snow. In the Fall, the child can rake leaves. In the Spring and Summer time, the child can help with gardening and other yard work, such as digging and carrying dirt.

Help Your Child Stay Regulated

As you can see, lots of these “chores” can help a child with lower sensory regulation or understanding of where their body is in space to gain more calming sensations once the work is complete. And, side benefit, you get some help getting your list complete too! So activate those little helpers around the house and help them get and stay regulated.

If you continue to have concerns about your child’s sensory system, call our pediatric Occupational Therapists today at Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center for a full sensory system assessment. They can give you suggestions specific to what your child needs and would benefit from! A sensory evaluation can be scheduled by calling our office at 773-687-9241 today!