Inclusion and accessibility is important. We’ve added this multi-sensory section for children with severe/profound and/or multiple learning disabilities. Not everyone can see, or hear, or experience books in the traditional manner. So, we’ve included these extra sensory elements for added engagement with Charlie and his friends.
You or your child might not have a disability, but it’s still fun to expand the story out of the pages, using all your senses!
When engaging with these extra sensory activities – please always supervise your child.
Every page comes with the following content:
- Audio: Listen to audio, or watch a video of each bird call.
- AAC Symbols: use the symbols to extend your child’s AAC (Augmentative and alternative communication) vocabulary. If you don’t use an AAC device, you can print the symbol and show it to your child as they are building their vocabulary. These are available free from opensymbols.org
- Makaton Signs: use your speech with signs/gestures to help your child communicate.
- Visual isolation: There is a cut out available in the back of the book of each bird, which can be used for easy visual isolation for those with cortical vision impairments (CVI). Carefully cut out and place on a plain, contrasting background (we like to use plain fabrics, like a sheet, or a plain tea towel).
- Sensory exploration: These are easily sourced items that can be touched, or smelt or heard, expanding the experience of the story, and introducing sensory stimuli in a safe way.
Click icon to play (Honk)
Click icon to play (Caw Caw)
Click to watch:
youtube.com/watch?v=gsc0L8FFLZA&t=82
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘crow’
Toy or puppet
amazon.co.uk
DIY Puppet
- Paper Bird Puppet Tutorial
- Paper Bag Crow Tutorial
- Or you could do what we did, which was cut a beak and eyes from paper, and hot glue them onto a black sock.
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘cold’
Play with Ice
Play with a cold water bottle
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘scratchy nest’
Rough Velcro
amazon.co.uk
Decorative mini nest
amazon.co.uk
Scourer
amazon.co.uk
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘wet’
Splash in a bowl of water
Water in a bag (with added food colouring, if you’re feeling fancy!)
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘flowers’
Smell flowers
Smell floral perfume
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘wind’
Wave a fan, or piece of card to create wind
Electric fan
Click icon to play (Eeeeee)
Click to watch:
youtu.be/gHgEAIK8P18
Note: swifts are very small and very fast. It’s easier to see them in swarms, like this one.
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Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘bells’
Play with bells
Gently tap a glass with a fork
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘underground’
Feel/smell soil
Make a tunnel with towel or sheet
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘soft’
Play with feathers
Feel soft/fluffy material (like a blanket, or a jumper)
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Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘hot’
Feel a hot water bottle
Warm rice bag
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘herbs’
Smell dried herbs (like basil, or oregano)
Smell (minty!) toothpaste
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘tap’
Wooden percussion instruments
Tap a wooden spoon against a wooden chopping board
Touch/Sensory ideas for ‘fern fronds’
Feel some ferns/leaves
Wave paper cut into the shape of ferns
When engaging with these extra sensory activities – please always supervise your child.
Awkwardly, it is at this point we have to show a Limitation of Liability statement: Under no circumstances shall Books for Wednesdays or its affiliates, partners, suppliers or licensors be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special or exemplary damages arising out of or in connection with your access or use of this content and any third party content and services.
Please, please use common sense and keep your kiddos safe under all circumstances!