100 Sensory Activities for Autistic Children

100 Sensory Activities for Autistic Children 1

Linking Sensory Ideas to Learning Intentions for Autistic Children We love sensory ideas, play based learning and developing engaging activities. The importance of sensory experiences in a child’s development is well-known. Engaging in sensory activities helps children build essential skills, including fine and gross motor skills, self-regulation, and emotional regulation. While vestibular activities, which stimulate the sense of balance and spatial … Read more

Sensory Story Resources: Creating a Sensory Sunshade

Sensory Story Resources: Creating a Sensory Sunshade 4

Hello storytellers, our most popular page is our free multi-sensory stories page. Here we share over 20 free sensory stories all written by teachers in special schools. This post will provide an idea for a prop that can be adapted as a simple sensory resource for many sensory stories, it is an evolution of Flo … Read more

The Joys and Educational Benefits of Messy Play for Children’s Development

The Joys and Educational Benefits of Messy Play for Children's Development 8

The Benefits of Messy Play Messy play is an essential part of childhood that encourages creativity, exploration, and effective engagement in learning. As parents, we might be tempted to keep our children clean, tidy and presentable, but there is a world of benefits to embracing the mess. From fostering cognitive development to nurturing social skills, messy play has … Read more

Understanding Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder: A Guide for Teachers

Understanding Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder: A Guide for Teachers 9

Understanding Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder. As a teacher, it is important to recognise that every child is unique. While there are certain commonalities in the needs of autistic individuals. Reactions to sensory stimuli can play a significant role in how engaged in learning a child will be. Reducing sensory overload can improve a child’s … Read more

Heuristic Play: Enhancing Physical Development in the EYFS and beyond

Heuristic Play: Enhancing Physical Development in the EYFS and beyond 10

Heuristic Play and EYFS The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework sets standards for the learning and development of children from birth to five in the United Kingdom. It aims to ensure that children receive high-quality education and care that helps them achieve their full potential. One of the key components of EYFS is play-based … Read more

Noise Sensitivity: Ear Defenders and Noise Cancelling Headphones for Kids

Noise Sensitivity: Ear Defenders and Noise Cancelling Headphones for Kids 11

The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones for Autistic Children. Kids ear protection is vital. This post is a follow-up to our main post on Noise Sensitivity. I work with many children with noise sensitivity who use some sort of ear defenders to reduce the noise in the school environment. There are two types of noise-cancelling earplugs: … Read more

Sensory Processing: Noise Sensitivity, Causes and Solutions

Sensory Processing: Noise Sensitivity, Causes and Solutions 12

What is Noise Sensitivity? Noise sensitivity is a common issue for many people. Studies suggest that anywhere from 30% to more than 90% of individuals with autism experience some form of sensory hypersensitivity or under-responsiveness, with sound sensitivity being one of the most prevalent. One of the most commonly reported sensory sensitivities is sensitivity to sounds … Read more

Play Your Way to Better Self-Regulation: Tips and Strategies

Play Your Way to Better Self-Regulation: Tips and Strategies 15

Teaching self-regulation skills to children with SEN is a vital part of their education. It also presents real challenges depending on the complexity of their needs. Pre-Verbal children or those with communication difficulties need our constant focus on this. Many of our children have disorganised nervous systems that are always seeking out sensory stimulation to … Read more

Jelly Sensory Play

Jelly Sensory Play 16

Sensory Play Activities: Jelly Play Who doesn’t love sensory play to keep their children occupied, off screens and having fun? We have been trying out a range of sensory play activities this year as with 5 children in the house days out can quickly get expensive. This year we have had a few behavioural challenges … Read more

Halloween Sensory Story: Are You A Monster?

Halloween Sensory Story: Are You A Monster? 17

A Spooky Sensory Experience. Are You A Monster? Halloween Sensory Story is similar to Are You An Elf? and Am I a Pirate? These are “Dressing Up” Sensory Stories. The idea is that each element of the story will be revealed from a bag or box and worn by the learner, this means these sensory … Read more

A Christmas Sensory Story: Are you an Elf?

A Christmas Sensory Story: Are you an Elf? 18

Free Christmas Sensory Story for PMLD/SLD pupils Slightly different from a more traditional sensory story Are You an Elf Christmas Sensory Story is one of our free “Dressing up” Sensory Stories. Throughout the story the learner will become an Elf through the addition of props and dressing up. As with any activity the storyteller needs … Read more

Sensory Stories in the Metaverse

Sensory Stories in the Metaverse 19

What is the Metaverse? The word Metaverse is being used a lot at the moment. It is a technology in its infancy, like many technologies it could be a gimmick. However as the technology develops I think we’ll be hearing more and more about the metaverse. What it is, and how people use it will … Read more

Am I a Pirate? Sensory Story

You might be a pirate sensory story

Who doesn’t love a chance to dress up! This pirate themed sensory story is a little different to our others. I have tried to make it accessible to learners who need minimal language and repetition. I have tried to write for the earlier stages of our sensory story progression stages. Through this pirate adventure, learners … Read more

Develop Authentic Interaction Styles To Improve Learning

develop authentic intensive interaction styles SEN teaching text on blue background with inclusiveteach.com logo TES

Teachers Interaction styles and Impact on Learning Individual interaction styles can have a huge impact on learning. When working with young people with SEN there are many different strategies and approaches to engage them in learning. What is often overlooked is the adult’s interaction style. This can influence not only engagement but behaviour, wellbeing and … Read more

Town and Country Sensory Story

industrial revolution sensory story

The Town and Country Sensory Story was written for the cornerstones industrial revolution topic. This was designed to be meaningful for PMLD learners as well as their peers so they can all take something away from the shared experience of multi-sensory storytelling. If you are interested in finding out more about sensory stories have a … Read more

Darwin: Voyage of the Beagle Multi-Sensory Story

Darwin: Voyage of the Beagle Multi-Sensory Story 20

Our Charles Darwin: Voyage of the Beagle multi-sensory story was originally created for a Key Stage 4 class, linking with the Cornerstones Curriculum topic “Darwin’s Delight.” This story was designed as part of our Stage 5 immersive storytelling series, which features more advanced language, layered imagery, and opportunities for deeper exploration. While the vocabulary and … Read more

Line of Duty: The Sensory Story

Line of Duty: The Sensory Story 21

Mother of God it’s the Line of Duty Sensory Story! No copyright infringement intended (Sorry BBC, please don’t sue) just a bit of fun. I wrote this with older sensory learners in mind. Sometimes sensory stories are not fully age appropriate for adults with PMLD. There is no reason not to engage people based on … Read more

Hot and Cold Multi-Sensory Stories

Hot and Cold Multi-Sensory Stories 22

Multi-Sensory Stories For Key Vocabulary Sensory stories are a powerful way to teach key vocabulary through touch, sound, smell, and movement — especially for learners with SEND or in early years settings. This post shares two focused, free-to-download stories exploring the concepts of hot and cold. These easy-to-set-up stories use everyday objects to embed language, … Read more

Sensory Lights: USB Power

Sensory Lights: USB Power 23

This blog is going to explore how just with a poundland power-bank we can create simple and affordable sensory lights. We can use these as a 1 off activity or to integrate into your multi-sensory storytelling. As we all know if you put “sensory” on the front of any product you can double the price. … Read more

Sensory Songs: Christmas Carols

Christmas sensory story song

Multi-Sensory Christmas Carols These multi-sensory Christmas songs take the concept of sensory stories and apply them to traditional Christmas songs. Using a range of sensory stimuli we reinforce the key elements of the songs and bring them to life! To aim is to enthuse our sensory learners and enrich the experience for all those taking … Read more