1 of 21

& Storytimes

Marta-Kate Jackson – Youth Services Librarian

Hartland’s Cromaine Library

2 of 21

Overview

What is Sensory Play?
What is Sensory Storytime?
What can you do?

How to select books
Favorite Songs & Rhymes
Favorite Play Activities & Crafts

Your Experiences
Let’s Play!

Brief overview of sensory play, what it’s all about, and why the library is incorporating it into our programs for children.
Tell you about our monthly Sensory Storytime which is a program created to bring books to life through sensory play and not only fun and beneficial for neurotypical children, but perfect for children with special needs as it offers them more avenues for connecting with books than simply sitting and listening. The content for this program and all the ideas I’ll be sharing is designed for ages 2-5 but you’ll find the activities are very adaptable and engaging for babies and older children too!
Share with you the books, songs, rhymes & play activities we’ve used which you can use with your own students/children and give you some tips for finding your own.
I’m assuming some of you are already incorporating fabulous ideas into your own programs, so I would like to take some time near the end to hear about what activities you have found successful.
Opportunity to have some sensory playtime too!

3 of 21

Sensory Play

Sight

Touch

Smell

Taste

Sound

Proprioceptive

(body position)

Vestibular

(balance & movement)

Sensory play is simply play that encourages children to use one or more of the senses, such as sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and a couple lesser known senses called proprioceptive sense (sense of body position – knowing where your body parts are without looking at them) and vestibular (sense of balance and movement – spinning, swinging, rocking in a chair) Mastering all 7 allows children to learn about their world and function effectively. (Cross p. 16).

Sensory activities are engaging, fun, and often calming for children and offer a fun way to build essential skills. They offer great learning opportunities for children on the Autism Spectrum or Sensory processing disorders, but as you’ll see any child will have fun with sensory play, because at the end of the day it’s just play! Sensory play maximizes learning because children learn best when all of their senses are engaged.

4 of 21

Benefits of Sensory Play

Cognitive Development

Emotional and Social Development

Sense of Self

Physical Development

Communication Skills

Language Development

Cognitive development - even before children can speak they are developing an understanding of their environment, thinking about the world and how its elements are connected and play helps them work through and solve problems
Social skills - working closely together gives them the opportunity to observe how others handle materials and possibly solve problems about sharing space and materials
Sense of self - children discover their own preferences, maybe they like dry sand but not slimy things; and when caregivers acknowledge and accept their preferences kids learn their feelings and decisions are valid
Physical skills - develop & strengthen fine & gross motor skills - different muscles are used the scoop than holding a cup or spoon)
Emotional development - can be coupled with social as that can lead to emotional security, but activities can be emotionally calming for some children - pressure of play dough or simply joy
Communication skills - they may be surprised by splashes of water or delight and caregiver’s responses to those communications help them know messages are being received.
Language Development - By using words and questions that relate to the child’s experience, a parent or caregiver can link sensory experiences with cognitive growth. For example, the questions you can ask children while they play help them to think about what they’re doing AND maybe learn new vocabulary…”Do you hear the splashes…Using descriptive and action words such as cold, hot, bumpy, shiny, smooth, pour, dump, scoop, sift, and splash in the context of experiences will help solidify the meanings of these words in a young child’s mind. When they enter school they’re going to have a tough time sounding out a word if they’ve never heard it before.

5 of 21

Sensory Bins

One of the most common forms of Sensory Play you may be familiar with is through Sensory Bins. They are excellent ways to naturally encourage kids to explore, create, investigate, and play.

You fill a bin with something your child can shovel, rake or pour, such as dried beans, rice, pasta, shredded paper, etc.
Add tools they can use to manipulate the fill, such as tongs, ladles, spoons, measuring cups, sandbox toys, funnels, to develop small motor skills.
Add topical items that might relate to a theme your are teaching or a book you’ve just read, such as toy trucks, etc.

Images from http://www.messforless.net/garden-sensory-bin/

http://www.rubberbootsandelfshoes.com/2013/07/ice-cream-book-and-sensory-bin.html

http://teachingmama.org/transportation-sensory-bin-activities/

http://www.3dinosaurs.com/wordpress/index.php/button-sensory-bin/

6 of 21

Water Tables

7 of 21

Slimy Fun

8 of 21

Why Sensory Play at the Library?

9 of 21

Why Sensory Play at the Library?

10 of 21

5 Practices of Early Literacy

Singing

Talking

Reading

Writing

Playing

11 of 21

Offer more Inclusive Programming

According to the US Center for Disease Control, 1 in 6 U.S. children have a developmental disability or delay.
Remove barriers for enjoying the library.
Give kids more options for experiencing stories and play.

12 of 21

Sensory Storytime

Use sensory play to bring literacy and books to life
20-25 minutes of storytime followed by 25 minutes exploratory playtime

Storytime: Make stories, songs, and rhymes interactive through movement, props, and play
Playtime: Sensory crafts, bins, coloring, felt board, puppets

Developmentally appropriate for ages 2-5, but all are welcome!

13 of 21

Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum�By Lisa Wheeler

While reading: Place images of the characters on a board when each one gets stuck in the bubble gum OR have pass out images of the characters and have kids bring them up when appropriate.
Afterwards: If you’re a toad and you know it hop around!...
Sensory Extension Activity: Bubble Gum Playdough – Press it, roll it, cookie cut it, etc.

14 of 21

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt �By Michael Rosen

While reading: Encourage kids to move along with the story. Place images of each stage of the story on a board as you read.
Afterwards: Pass out snowflake cutouts and swirl them around to a song or rhyme, such as:

Snowflake, snowflake falling down

Snowflake, snowflake touch the ground

Snowflake, snowflake on the wind

Snowflake, snowflake spin and spin!

Sensory Extension Activity: Sensory Bottles

15 of 21

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt �By Michael Rosen

16 of 21

I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More�By Karen Beaumont

While reading: Provide kids with dry paint brushes to “paint” their parts along with the story.
Afterwards: Sing a song that identifies body parts – Head, Shoulders, Knees Toes
Sensory Extension Activity: Provide a dry paintbrush to draw/write through a colored rice, barley, or shaving cream.

17 of 21

Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea�By Jan Peck

While reading: Encourage kids to “swim” each time the phrase “swim away” is repeated or give them a felt/paper fishy to swim each time they hear the phrase. Place sea creatures on a board and take them away when appropriate.
Afterwards: Pass out fish/shark/whale cutouts and sing “The fish in the sea go swish, swish, swish..”
Sensory Extension Activity: Bubble Prints – Stamp a paper roll into bubble soap mixed with paint and then onto white cardstock

18 of 21

Choosing Books

High interest themes
Repetition
Large uncluttered illustrations
How can you make it interactive?
Do you enjoy reading it?

High interest themes - Choose themes any child can relate to regardless of their special need, such as taking a bath, bedtime, food, animals, colors, transportation, etc.

Repetition - predictable, repetitive lines help children become more comfortable with listening to a story and helps _______Plus, not only does repetition bring stories to life, it will help entertain your audience too!

Large uncluttered illustrations - show examples - stories are told through the pictures so make sure they are large enough to be understood, visual cues to understand what is going on

Every book should be interactive

Flaps, flannel pieces for kids to help tell the story, song that goes along with it, movements to go along like clapping or shakers - helps them get their wiggles out and make abstract more concrete

19 of 21

Music & Movement

Move at varying speeds
Use props!

Scarves, bean bags, ribbons, bells, instruments, puppets, paper cutouts, sponges, paintbrushes, etc.
Move to the beat
Use props to tap or gently touch body parts

Acoustic music

20 of 21

Sensory Play

Ask Engaging Questions

What other things are round like a ball?
What if you woke up tomorrow and could fly like this bird? Where is the first place you would fly?
What if the room was filled to the ceiling with _____? Show me how you would move! How would it feel to be covered in ____? Would you eat any?

Offer more play options

Coloring sheets with story characters
Materials in bottles or plastic bags

21 of 21

Thank YOU, Let’s Play!

Marta-Kate Jackson

Youth Services Librarian

Hartland’s Cromaine Library