Webinar: Sensory Stories Step-by-Step

Content

In this webinar we took a step by step approach through the process of turning a picture book into a fun and meaningful sensory story. Using a picture book with an autumn theme, Ailie Finlay from My Kind of Book lead the way - everyone joined in by making their own sensory suggestions for the different elements of the story. After the webinar these suggestions were written up to create one wonderful multisensory Autumn resource which were distributed to participants.

We used the book It Was a Cold Dark Night by Tim Hopgood (Band 03/Yellow, Collins Big Cat) for this workshop.

The webinar covered the following aspects of sensory storytelling:

• Adapting books in different ways to take account of different needs and different goals
• Choosing props to convey meaning and encourage interaction
• How and when to use your props as you tell the story
• Favourite sensory props for autumn time
• Multi-tasking as a sensory storyteller

Storyteller Ailie Finlay (founder of My Kind of Book) has been telling sensory folktales for nearly thirty years. She specialises in storytelling for people with additional needs.

Target Audience

(Q)TVIs, Teachers, Classroom Assistants, and Staff from Nurseries and Schools supporting children with ASN or complex ASN and library staff.

Presenter

Ailie Finlay, My Kind of Book, runs sensory storytelling sessions and CPD workshops regularly in ASN schools and care settings and for the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Scottish Book Trust and NHS Lothian. In 2020 she founded the not-for-profit organisation My Kind of Book. My Kind of Book researches and creates accessible books and stories for children with additional needs.

This webinar took place hot on the heels of My Kind of Book's Accessible Book & Story Festival, 11-12 September 2026.