Sensory Play and Learning
Presented on Friday, 11 March 2011
Low cost sensory ideas
Judy Denziloe
Shiny things
- sheets of silvered foam, sold to fix behind radiators to reflect the heat into the room (DIY stores)
- foil bags from wine boxes
- pan scrubbers
- stainless steel bowls (pet shops)
- lengths of chain (DIY stores)
- survival blanket (camping shops)
- gold foil coffee bags
- unbreakable Christmas baubles
- small mirror balls for Christmas trees (hang out of reach)
- remnants of lurex and sequinned fabrics
- CD-Roms and DVDs
- gold and silver pom-poms
- tinsel tied up in a chiffon scarf
- acrylic tubes filled with glitter and sequins (Tocki, Telephone 01430 410515)
- unbreakable acrylic mirrors (www.cheeky-cherub.co.uk)
Lights
- battery-powered Christmas tree lights
- flashing red LED lights (cycle shops)
- fibre optic torch and other light effects (www.firebox.com and www.theglowcompany.co.uk)
- battery-powered push light (electrical departments)
Fluorescent materials
- stickers, price lables (stationers)
- fishing floats for night fishing (angling shops) - sew them in patterns onto black fabric
- Hama neon craft beads (toy shops) - sew them in patterns onto pblack fabric; put some beads and oil or water in a sturdy plastic bottle
- kite fabric - make streamer carousels and wind spirals
- Slinkies (toy shops) - some colours are fluorescent
- glow in the dark stars, marbles, string etc (www.theglowcompany.co.uk or toy shops)
- Velcro pad from a Scatch game (toy shops)
- gloves, socks etc - check they are fluorescent not just 'dayglo'
- road safety bands, jackets etc (cycle shops)
- UV-reactive nail varnish and hairspray (Claire's Accessories, www.theglowcompany.co.uk)
Texture
- car cleaning mitts (car accessory shops)
- massagers - plastic or wood (Boots, Body Shop)
- loofahs and sponges (Boots)
- body scrubs (Boots etc)
- cat toys covered in rough sisal string (pet shops)
- plastic rings and balls covered with 'prickles' (pet shops)
- rubber gloves with various fillings - flour, sand, gravel, rice and knotted at the cuff
- mix cornflour and water to make a thixotropic paste - acts like a solid or a liquid depending on how you use it
- chop a bar of mild soap into small pieces and pour on boiling water; allow to cool and you will have a slimy, stringy experience
Sound
- electronic farm animal sounds - set of 5 (www.fledglings.org.uk)
- animal noises - turn the cylinder over and back again to hear the cow, sheep, cat or bird - stick the cylinder in the bottom of a pringle tube and cover the outside with appropriate fabric
- balls with sounds (toy shops, www.daviessports.co.uk)
Whisks
- Make a lightweight rattle using a Brabantia whisk with two brightly coloured table tennis balls inside the globe.
- Make a streamer toy by attaching strips of brightly coloured kite fabric or ribbons to a black plastic whisk. Use fluorescent kite fabric for use with ultraviolet light.
- Weave lengths of liealite tubing (from suppliers of multisensory equipment) in and out of a black plastic whisk and use under UV.
Pencil cases
Many stationers sell novelty pencil cases very cheaply, so you can make a set of sensory shapes to explore. If necessary, sew a few stitches across the zip, to prevent inquisitive fingers getting at the contents. Here are some ideas we have made:
- red furry case with a flat sheet of survival blanket
- orange furry case containing a rattle
- green 'artificial grass' case with a bell in a film canister
- black and white case with a flat sheet of bubble plastic to which flat squeakers have been taped
- pink (fluorescent) case containing a CD plastic case filled with lentils (PVC tape round the plastic case to secure the contents)
- black and white whale with a noise maker
- black and white cylindrical case containing a baby's plastic feeding bottle with beads
- animal pencil cases (cat, dog, leopard etc) stuffed with polyester toy stuffing and the appropriate animal sound.
Judy Denziloe