Looking to create sensory theatrical experiences at home? Scroll down for lots of exciting activities to enjoy!
My Sensory Adventures is for people who like to explore the world in sensory ways. The sensory activities are great for lots of different people including babies/early years, children with special educational needs, people with complex needs, people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, autistic people.
Become a Sensory Explorer to be the first to hear get updates, top-tips and further resources.
Ready to start exploring? Scroll down to access all videos and resources. Let us know how you get on!
A Chiral Communities & Carbon Theatre project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and Margaret Giffen Community Fund (Northamptonshire Community Foundation). Activity starting from May 2021, is also supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Courtenay and Helen behind the scenes with RYG films.
OUR TEAM
Lead Sensory Specialist: Natalya Martin
Performers: Helen Crevel & Courtenay Johnson
Filming: RYG Films & Eight Engines
Music: Therese Ramstedt & Knut Olav Rygnestad
Producer: Courtenay Johnson
Illustrations: Evie Grace Caldwell
introduction
Meet Helen and Courtenay! In the videos they will be showing you how to create some great sensory adventures at home. These adventures are for anyone who experiences the world in a sensory way.
Our first idea for My Sensory Adventures is to explore the world through the four ancient elements: Water, Earth, Wind and Fire. For each element, we will be showing you a messy and non-messy activity which is easy to do at home and we’ve created musical soundtracks, Sensory Sounds, for you to listen to whilst enjoying your creations. Up next we are exploring Maps through Contours, Symbols, Direction and Scale - being released in May, June, July and August.
All messy options are taste-safe, which means they are fine for people who like to put things in their mouths although please be aware they should not be eaten in large quantities. We will be giving some different options with allergies in mind but please make sure you and whoever you are exploring with is not allergic to any of the ingredients used.
All activities sheets and extra resources will be available below but sign-up to become one of our Sensory Explorers to get access to all resources and make sure you are the first to hear when each video is released!
We’d love to hear and see how you get on, so tag us in your pictures #SensoryAdventures and share news of what you enjoyed exploring at home so we can make plans for our next big adventure.
EASY SENSORY ACTIVITIES FOR LITTLE ONES
Get hands on with this series of easy-to-follow sensory videos. Ignite your children’s curiosity by exploring our world through all five senses. All with ingredients you can find around your home.
maps & contours
Salt Dough Mountains (Messy & Taste-Safe)
A fun activity where you create salt dough of all different colours and mould them into a mountain with lots of different layers. Explore the textures of the changing dough as it forms a dough and then dries out over time - watch you mountain take shape!
Foam Landscapes (Non-Messy)
A lovely non-messy activity to play around with shapes, colours, textures and height! You can create the landscape with your explorer of make different ones for them to explore.
Sensory Sounds
A beautiful original song by Therese Ramstedt and Knut Olav Rygnestad to help you create an even more theatrical experience at home. Get the feeling of traveling through vast landscapes and flying over the mountains!
maps & symbols
Stamping Symbols (Messy & Taste-Safe)
A great activity for anyone who likes making different colours, shapes and textures! Make your own stamps (from cardboard, potatoes or foam), your own paint (any colours you like) and enjoy painting a picture of symbols on a page.
Symbols in the Sand (Non-Messy)
Great for those who don’t want to get their hands dirty but love sand and shapes! Using sticks and tools you can draw symbols of different meanings and shapes and even plot out a route on a map!
Sensory Sounds
A beautiful original song by Therese Ramstedt and Knut Olav Rygnestad to help you create an even more theatrical experience at home. Have fun recognising, stamping and drawing symbols alongside this magical song. Have a listen and enjoy!
maps & direction
North, South, East, West in Oats (Messy & Taste-Safe)
A fun activity where you explore direction using North, South, East and West and make your own compass to help you discoveries. Be as crafty as you like before rummaging for buried letters in the sand. Explore the textures of oats and smells of the spices while to dig around with your fingers!
Arrows (Non-Messy)
A lovely crafty non-messy activity to choose your around with materials, colours, textures and design! You can create your own decorated arrow to use to explore direction and what path you might take whilst exploring the outside. Take your arrow to a big open space and see where it leads you!
Sensory Sounds
A beautiful original song with a Samba rhythm by Therese Ramstedt and Knut Olav Rygnestad to help you create an even more theatrical experience at home. Get the feeling of bubbling excitement before you choose and change your direction!
maps & scale
Painting Maps using Grids (Messy & Taste-Safe)
Painting Maps using Grids (Non-Messy)
For this activity we have two versions! You create a big grid version of the map you want to explore and then either paint your squares in a non-messy way inside a clear bag or create your own taste-safe paint and paint with fingers, toes or brushes. This is a great activity for one or lots of explorers - even with different preferences.
Sensory Sounds
A beautiful original song by Therese Ramstedt and Knut Olav Rygnestad to help you create an even more theatrical experience at home. Heard the shapes and scale of exploring maps and landscapes!
water
Frozen Jelly Water (Messy & Taste-Safe)
A great activity for anyone who like wet activities, and feeling different texture and temperatures through their fingers. Add in the fresh smells of peppermint to get that tingling sensations and even add some boats, toy or bubbles!
Oil and Water Sensory Bag (Non-Messy)
For those who don’t like the feeling of mess or wetness - this sensory bag is a wonderful option for feeling the squidge without getting mucky! Fill your bag and prod and poke to create blobs of different shapes and sizes.
Sensory Sounds
A beautiful original song by Therese Ramstedt and Knut Olav Rygnestad to help you create an even more theatrical experience at home. Flowing music and singing to help you imagine the splish-splash crashing of waves on a beach and trickling streams in the woods. Have a listen and enjoy!
earth
Taste-Safe Sand (Messy & Taste-Safe)
A great activity for anyone who likes to play in the sandpit, with an added bonus of it being taste-safe. Make different sized sandcastles, write your name in the sand, bury your hands or even make your own beach scene with umbrellas and deckchairs - the possibilities are endless!
Grass Heads (Non-Messy)
A great activity for anyone who prefers to stay clean and they can get involved in making their grass heads as much as they want. Once it's made they are great fun to watch, as the little grass hairs grow day by day. Chart your growth and then get grass-hair styling!
Sensory Sounds
A beautiful original song by Therese Ramstedt and Knut Olav Rygnestad to help you create an even more theatrical experience at home. Get the feeling of landing on a beach and feeling the sand under you fingernails!
wind
Cloud Painting (Messy & Taste-Safe)
A great activity for anyone who likes to be messy and artistic! You can play with bright colours or keep it realistic with blues and greys. You can make clouds or even make a whole sky picture - you choose! Finish off by swirling with your fingers, drawing birds or planes or writing your name!
Sailing Boats (Non-Messy)
Wonderful for anyone who prefers to stay clean and they can get involved in making their sailing boats as much as they want. Once it's made they are great fun to float on water - blowing them to and fro. You can even take them in the bath! Plus, you can paint or decorate them how you like.
Sensory Sounds
A beautiful original song by Therese Ramstedt and Knut Olav Rygnestad to help you create an even more theatrical experience at home. Get the feeling of floating in the wind like a leaf from a tree!
fire
Lava Slime (Messy & Taste-Safe)
A great activity for anyone who likes to be messy and feel warm gloopy slime through their hands! This is a wonderful taste-safe alternative to lots of glue and soap slimes you might have done before. Add in cinnamon and other spices to play with warm smells.
Lava Lamp (Non-Messy)
A great activity for anyone who prefers to stay clean, you can just observe so have a go at pouring in the different ingredients. This is such a wonderful simple mixture that creates carbon dioxide bubbles that creates your moving lava lamp. Experiment with different colours and smells too!
Sensory Sounds
A beautiful original song by Therese Ramstedt and Knut Olav Rygnestad to help you create an even more theatrical experience at home. Get the feeling of warmth and movement like sitting by the fireside!
