Sensory Activity Guide for PMLD Learners Inspired by the Olympics and the Olympic Rings
With the next Olympics nearly upon us here is a detailed activity guide tailored for children with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD), based on the colours of the Olympic rings. Each ring colour has multiple colour-focussed activities designed to provide rich sensory experiences. I have then added a section linked to the continent each ring relates to. Hopefully, this will give you a start on your creative ideas for Olympic ring sensory play for very special learners.
Blue Ring Activities
- Water Play Station
- Materials: A shallow water tray, blue food colouring, and various water-safe toys (e.g., boats, cups, sponges).
- Activity: Fill the tray with water and add a few drops of blue food colouring. Allow the children to explore the water with their hands, toys, and sponges.
- Adaptations:
- Provide hand-under-hand assistance for children with limited motor control.
- Adjust the water temperature to ensure it’s comfortable for children with heightened sensory sensitivity.
- Use toys that make gentle sounds or light up to capture attention.
- Blue Gel Bags
- Materials: Resealable plastic bags, blue hair gel, small waterproof toys or glitter.
- Activity: Fill the bags with blue hair gel and add small toys or glitter. Seal the bags securely. Children can squish and manipulate the bags.
- Adaptations:
- Start with small, less intense squishy bags and gradually introduce more filled or firmer bags.
- Include textures inside the gel bags that can be felt through the plastic for a more tactile experience.
- Blue Bubble Wrap Painting
- Materials: Bubble wrap, blue paint, large paper sheets.
- Activity: Wrap bubble wrap around the children’s hands or feet, dip it in blue paint, and let them press onto large paper sheets.
- Adaptations:
- Provide physical support for stability.
- Use non-toxic, washable paint to ensure safety.
- Blue Light Sensory Room
- Materials: Blue LED lights, blue fabric, blue sensory toys.
- Activity: Create a calming sensory room with blue lights, fabric, and toys. Allow children to relax and explore.
- Adaptations:
- Adjust the intensity of the lights to suit visual sensitivities.
- Include soft, blue sensory toys for tactile exploration.
Yellow Ring Activities
- Sunshine Sensory Bottles
- Materials: Clear plastic bottles, yellow water beads, water, yellow glitter.
- Activity: Fill the bottles with yellow water beads and water, and add a sprinkle of yellow glitter. Seal the bottles securely.
- Adaptations:
- Make bottles of different weights to accommodate children with varying strength levels.
- Use reflective materials inside the bottles to attract the attention of children with visual impairments.
- Lemon Scented Play Dough
- Materials: Homemade or store-bought play dough, lemon essential oil, yellow food colouring.
- Activity: Add a few drops of lemon essential oil and yellow food colouring to the play dough. Encourage the children to manipulate the dough.
- Adaptations:
- Offer different textures of play dough (e.g., soft, firm) to suit individual tactile preferences.
- Adjust the amount of lemon essential oil based on the child’s smell sensitivity.
- Yellow Sand Tray
- Materials: A tray, yellow sand, small yellow toys (e.g., plastic ducks).
- Activity: Fill the tray with yellow sand and hide small balls. Let the children explore and find the balls.
- Adaptations:
- Adjust the amount of sand based on the child’s tactile tolerance.
- Provide tools like scoops or brushes for children who may have difficulty with direct hand contact.
- Yellow Feather Exploration
- Materials: Various yellow feathers, a soft surface (e.g., blanket).
- Activity: Allow children to explore the softness and lightness of yellow feathers.
- Adaptations:
- Use larger feathers for easier handling.
- Provide hand-over-hand assistance if needed.
Black Ring Activities
- Textured Black Fabric Board
- Materials: Various black textured fabrics (e.g., velvet, satin, fleece), a sturdy board, glue.
- Activity: Create a sensory board by glueing different black fabrics onto a board. Children can explore the contrasting textures.
- Adaptations:
- Mount the board at different heights or angles to accommodate children in wheelchairs or those who need to lie down.
- Provide guidance to help children explore the textures if they have limited motor control.
- Black Light and Glow
- Materials: A black light, fluorescent or glow-in-the-dark paints and objects.
- Activity: Set up a dark room with a black light.
- Activity (continued): Allow children to explore various fluorescent or glow-in-the-dark objects under the black light.
- Adaptations:
- Ensure the room is dark enough for the black light effects to be prominent. Use large, high-contrast objects.
- Supervise closely to ensure the area is safe and free from tripping hazards.
- Black Sensory Bags
- Materials: Black fabric bags, various textured items (e.g., smooth stones, rough sandpaper).
- Activity: Fill the bags with different textured items. Children can reach in and feel the contents without seeing them.
- Adaptations:
- Use larger bags for easier access.
- Provide hand-over-hand assistance to help children explore the contents.
- Black Sound Boxes
- Materials: Small black boxes or containers, various sound-making objects (e.g., bells, shakers).
- Activity: Place sound-making objects inside the black boxes. Encourage children to shake the boxes and listen to the different sounds.
- Adaptations:
- Use boxes of different sizes and shapes to add variety.
- Ensure the boxes are easy to hold and manipulate.
Green Ring Activities
- Nature Exploration Basket
- Materials: A basket, various natural items (e.g., leaves, pinecones, moss).
- Activity: Fill the basket with natural items for children to explore.
- Adaptations:
- Include a variety of textures and shapes to cater to different tactile preferences.
- Ensure none of the natural items cause allergic reactions or discomfort.
- Green Sensory Rice Bin
- Materials: A bin, green rice (colored with food coloring), small green toys.
- Activity: Fill the bin with green rice and hide small green toys in it. Let the children explore and find the toys.
- Adaptations:
- Adjust the depth of the rice to make it easier or harder to find hidden objects, based on the child’s abilities.
- Provide support for children who need help with scooping and pouring.
- Green Finger Painting
- Materials: Green finger paints, large paper sheets.
- Activity: Allow children to use their fingers to paint on the large paper sheets.
- Adaptations:
- Use non-toxic, washable paints to ensure safety.
- Provide aprons or protective clothing to keep children clean.
- Green Sensory Bottles
- Materials: Clear plastic bottles, green water beads, water, green glitter.
- Activity: Fill the bottles with green water beads and water, and add a sprinkle of green glitter. Seal the bottles securely.
- Adaptations:
- Make bottles of different weights to accommodate children with varying strength levels.
- Use reflective materials inside the bottles to attract the attention of children with visual impairments.
Red Ring Activities
- Red Sensory Ball Pit
- Materials: A small inflatable pool, red plastic balls.
- Activity: Fill the inflatable pool with red plastic balls. Allow children to sit and play in the ball pit.
- Adaptations:
- Ensure there’s an easy way for children to enter and exit the ball pit or make it small enough to fit on the child’s tray.
- Include balls of different textures to cater to various sensory preferences.
- Red Scented Rice
- Materials: A bin, red rice (coloured with food colouring and scented with red fruit extracts), and small red toys.
- Activity: Fill the bin with red rice and hide small red toys in it. Let the children explore and find the toys.
- Adaptations:
- Adjust the strength of the scent based on the child’s olfactory sensitivity.
- Use larger scooping tools for children with limited fine motor skills.
- Red Light Flashlight Play
- Materials: Red cellophane, flashlights.
- Activity: Cover the flashlights with red cellophane and let the children explore the red light in a dim room.
- Adaptations:
- Use large, easy-to-hold flashlights.
- Supervise closely to ensure the children do not look directly into the light.
- Red Texture Board
- Materials: Various red textured materials (e.g., felt, sandpaper, foam), a sturdy board, glue.
- Activity: Create a sensory board by attaching different red materials onto a board. Children can explore the contrasting textures.
- Adaptations:
- Mount the board at different heights or angles to accommodate children in wheelchairs or those who need to lie down.
- Provide guidance to help children explore the textures if they have limited motor control.
Sensory Activities Inspired by Continents Linked to Olympic Rings
Each Olympic ring colour symbolizes a specific continent. Here are sensory activities inspired by the characteristics and cultures of each continent, providing rich multi-sensory experiences for children with PMLD.
Blue Ring – Europe
- European Flower Garden Exploration
- Materials: Lavender, rosemary, and other European aromatic herbs, shallow bins, soil.
- Activity: Set up shallow bins filled with soil and plant aromatic European herbs. Allow children to smell, touch, and explore the herbs.
- Adaptations:
- Include non-toxic, allergy-free plants.
- Provide gloves for children who are sensitive to soil textures.
- Mediterranean Sea Sensory Bin
- Materials: Sand, water, small pebbles, toy sea creatures.
- Activity: Create a sensory bin that mimics the Mediterranean coastline. Fill it with sand, water, small pebbles, and toy sea creatures.
- Adaptations:
- Adjust the amount of water and sand based on the child’s tactile preferences.
- Provide hand-over-hand assistance for children with limited motor control.
Yellow Ring – Asia
- Asian Spice Exploration
- Materials: Small containers, various spices (e.g., cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom).
- Activity: Fill small containers with different Asian spices. Allow children to smell and explore the spices.
- Adaptations:
- Ensure the spices are non-irritating and safe for all children.
- Use larger containers to avoid spills.
- Silk Sensory Scarves
- Materials: Silk scarves in various colors and patterns.
- Activity: Provide children with silk scarves to touch, feel, and wave around. Discuss the smooth, soft texture typical of Asian silk.
- Adaptations:
- Use scarves with different textures for variety.
- Supervise closely to ensure scarves are used safely.
Black Ring – Africa
- African Drum Circle
- Materials: Various drums and percussion instruments.
- Activity: Set up a drum circle with various African drums and percussion instruments. Allow children to explore making different sounds.
- Adaptations:
- Use drums of different sizes to accommodate various strength levels.
- Provide hand-over-hand assistance for children who need help playing the instruments.
- Safari Sensory Bin
- Materials: Sand, toy animals (e.g., elephants, lions, giraffes), foliage.
- Activity: Create a sensory bin that mimics an African safari. Fill it with sand, toy animals, and foliage.
- Adaptations:
- Adjust the amount of sand and foliage to suit the child’s sensory preferences.
- Use large, easy-to-hold toy animals.
Green Ring – Australia
- Great Barrier Reef Sensory Bag
- Materials: Large resealable bags, blue hair gel, small plastic sea creatures, green and blue glitter.
- Activity: Fill resealable bags with blue hair gel, small plastic sea creatures, and green and blue glitter. Seal the bags securely. Children can squish and manipulate the bags, mimicking the underwater experience.
- Adaptations:
- Provide hand-over-hand assistance for children with limited motor control.
- Ensure the bags are securely sealed to prevent leaks.
- Outback Exploration Tray
- Materials: Red sand, toy kangaroos, toy koalas, small rocks.
- Activity: Create a sensory tray that represents the Australian outback. Fill it with red sand, toy kangaroos, toy koalas, and small rocks.
- Adaptations:
- Adjust the amount of sand and size of the toys to suit the child’s preferences.
- Provide tools for scooping and digging.
Red Ring – Americas
- Amazon Rainforest Sensory Bottles
- Materials: Clear plastic bottles, green water beads, toy insects, small leaves.
- Activity: Fill clear plastic bottles with green water beads, toy insects, and small leaves. Seal the bottles securely. Children can shake and explore the contents.
- Adaptations:
- Use larger bottles for easier handling.
- Include high-contrast items inside the bottles to capture attention.
- North American Autumn Leaf Exploration
- Materials: Various types of artificial autumn leaves, a shallow bin.
- Activity: Fill a shallow bin with artificial autumn leaves in different colours and textures. Allow children to touch, crunch, and explore the leaves.
- Adaptations:
- Use non-toxic, hypoallergenic leaves.
- Provide gloves for children with tactile sensitivities.
Adaptation Tips for Sensory Learners
- Communication: Use clear, simple instructions and visual aids to help children understand the activity. Incorporate communication aids like symbols or sign language as needed.
- Routine and Predictability: Introduce new activities gradually and maintain a predictable routine to help children feel secure.
- Individual Preferences: Pay close attention to each child’s responses and preferences, adjusting activities to maximize engagement and comfort.
- Multisensory Approach: Incorporate multiple senses into each activity to cater to sensory preferences and needs.
- Safety: Always prioritise safety by ensuring that materials are non-toxic, age-appropriate, and free from small parts that could pose a choking hazard.
