Activity 1                       Touch

What you will need – Basin of warm, scented water

Key words and phrases – Splash, hands, wet, dry

What to do –

• Begin by spending a little time rubbing and stretching your child’s hands
• Talk about hands and fingers as you rub and stretch
• Position the basin of water in a suitable position so that hands can be placed into the water
• Move hands around in the basin talking about what you are doing – say thinks like “round and round we go”, “splish, splash” – this will add more human contact of holding hands

What to look for – Responses like: smiling, laughing, stilling (to listen), moving hands in any way, showing preferences

Similar activities – use basin of large polystyrene chippings, sand etc.

What you will need – different textured brushes e.g. paint brush, make up brush, bottle brush

Key words and phrases – Soft, hands, feet, toes, fingers, gentle, firm

What to do – This can be carried out within every day routines e.g. changing times, dressing and undressing. A blanket will keep your child warm so don’t worry if your child is not fully clothed during the activity

• Gently brush the back of your child’s hand, which is usually less sensitive that their palms
• When your child is used to the sensation brush the palms of their hands, each finger separately moving in between the fingers
• Vary the type of brush used, brush faster and slower using different amounts of pressure
• Brush other parts of your child’s body especially the back of the neck, tummy, feet and back
• Be gentle in your movements – look at your child’s responses which indicate that they like, dislike the activity or that they have had enough
• Discuss the body parts that you are using, counting fingers and toes as you brush

What to look for – Responses like: smiling, laughing, stilling (to listen), moving feet, hands, head in any way, showing preferences

Similar activities – Use other materials to brush/stroke e.g. feathers, cotton wool, soft sponges, silver pan scourers, silk scarves

What you will need – A scrap of silk or silk scarf

Key words and phrases – Soft, gentle, silk, light

What to do – Position the pupil comfortably and talk to your child explaining what you are doing or going to do

• Place the silk on the back of hand, or let it float down onto it
• Gently stroke the hand with the silk
• Place in the palm of the hand
• Vary the speed of stroking
• Use a variety of touch – firm, gentle, tickling
• Wind the silk round the hand
• Place the silk on different parts of face or body
• Blow gently onto face
• Put on top of head

What to look for – Responses like: showing likes and dislikes, smiling, laughing and crying

Similar activities – use tissues, tissue paper, nylon or shiny or glittery scarves

What you will need – A torch – preferably one with coloured filters

Key words and phrases – Soft, gentle, silk, light

What to do – Position the pupil comfortably and talk to your child explaining what you are doing or going to do

• Gradually darken the room telling your child what is going to happen
• Shine the torch onto a suitable blank wall where it can be seen easily
• Move the torch around so that the light makes patterns on the wall

• Change the position of the light so that the pupil has to look up, to the side etc.

• Vary the background e.g. use a coloured sheet, black card, mirror

What to look for – Responses like: smiling, laughing, gazing, looking, following the light briefly

Similar activities – You can carry out similar activities with different materials e.g. candles (coloured or scented), sparklers, fairy lights etc.

What you will need – Tape (provided), towels, a roller, exfoliating gloves, bubble paper,

Key words and phrases –

What to do –

• Take off your child’s shoes and socks and sit quietly talking to him/her Music – These boots were made for walking  (Nancy Sinatra)
• Towelling: Begin with fingers rubbing each one and gradually rub up each arm. Vary the speed of the towelling (fast and slow). Repeat with the toes, feet and legs. Music – Sugar town (Nancy Sinatra)
• Rollers: Let your child touch and explore the roller. Rub them on hands and feet with big and small movements. Music – Let there be love (Nat King Cole)
• Gloves: Put on gloves and begin by patting your child so they can get used to the feel. Massage hands and legs using different strokes. Music – Blue velvet (Bobby Vinton)
• Bubble paper: Encourage your child to touch and explore. Let him/her hear the paper. Press as well as rub onto legs and arms. Music – A Swinging Safari (Bert Kaempfert)
• Shoes back on and saying goodbye – Music – Downtown (Petula Clark)

What to look for – Responses like: showing preferences, smiling, laughing

Similar activities – You can carry out similar activities using different music or change sensory material.

What you will need – Noisy, crackly paper (used for the inside of chocolate boxes)

Key words and phrases – Noisy, loud, listen to that!

What to do – Position your child comfortably.

• Put the paper in front of the pupil and allow him/her to hear the sound
• Take and guide hands and explore the paper making lots of noise
• Vary the amount of paper
• Squeeze close to ears
• Use different actions – scrunching, pressing, twisting

What to look for – Responses like: showing likes and dislikes, smiling, laughing, crying, moving hands in any way

Similar activities – You can carry out similar activities with different materials e.g.

• Silver foil
• Bubble paper
• Very dry leaves

What you will need – sparklers, flashing toys

Key words and phrases – Look at the lights, bright, off, on

What to do –

• Present the toy in front of your child and encourage him/her to look
• Once he/she has shown interest in the object move it slowly to the side
• Try moving it up and down

What to look for – Responses like: preferring to look to a certain side, preferring to look up rather than down, smiling, laughing

Similar activities – blowing bubbles near to your child, rolling bright balls towards your child

What you will need – a brightly coloured scarf or a brightly coloured hat

Key words and phrases – Hello, look at me, hat, scarf, colour (of material)

What to do –

• Put the scarf or hat on your head and talk to your child
• Encourage him/her to look at you by making sounds and saying her/his name
• Reward any attempt to focus on you
• Slowly move further away and then come back towards your child
• Reward any anticipation

What to look for – Responses like: looking with interest, anticipation by smiling and vocalising

Similar activities – You can carry out similar activities with different materials e.g.

• Foil wig
• Disco hat

What you will need – a bowl of ordinary jelly, any flavour, made up and set

Key words and phrases – sticky, feel, taste (if appropriate), names of colour, names of flovours

What to do –

• Remove the jelly from the fridge a little while before it is wanted so that it is not too cold
• Put a small amount of jelly onto your child’s hand. As she/he gets used to it put on more
• Place hands on top of jelly
• if your child likes it, put her/his hands into the bowl of jelly
• always talk about what you are doing or going to do
• put jelly on different parts of body – lips, elbows feet etc.!!!

What to look for – Responses like: likes and dislikes (by smiling, laughing), moving hands or withdrawing hands

Similar activities – you can carry out similar activities with lots of sticky substances e.g. half set jelly, cubes of raw jelly, Angel Delight

What you will need – a bag of dry rice, a tray

Key words and phrases – rice, feel, tickle, shake, listen, look

What to do –

• Put the empty tray in front of your child.
• Pour the rice slowly into the tray, pausing occasionally. This is so your child can look and listen to the sound and anticipate more rice coming
• Place one of your child’s hands on top of the rice.
• Gently move hands on top of the rice
• Always talk about what you are doing and what you are going to do

What to look for – Responses like: looking with interest, anticipation by smiling and vocalising, moving hands

Similar activities – instead of using a tray some substances can be put into big bags so that hands can be plunged inside.

Other suitable substances are: flour, cornflour, dried peas or lentils, dried pasta shapes

What you will need – an aerosol can of shaving foam and a tray

Key words and phrases – touch, feel, foam, smooth, white

What to do –

• Shake the can well and squeeze onto a tray
• Guide your child’s hands in the foam so that she/he explores as much as possible
• Show different ways to explore the foam e.g. squeezing, clapping, finger trails

What to look for – Responses like: likes and dislikes (by smiling, laughing), moving hands or withdrawing hands

Similar activities – you can carry out similar activities with a range of toiletries e.g. hair gel, talcum powder, hand and body creams, facial masks

What you will need – fans (either Spanish or Chinese fans or make your own from coloured card)

Key words and phrases – blow, cool, feel, more

What to do –

• Talk to your child about what you are doing and what you are about to do
• Fan hands. Begin gently and not too close at first so that she/he gets used to the sensation
• Gradually vary the speed
• Hold the fan nearer or further away from your child
• Fan different parts of your child’s body but start gently with each new area
• Stop for a while to observe reactions to the fan (and to stopping!)

What to look for – Responses like: smiling, laughing, vocalising

Similar activities – you can carry out similar activities with different kinds of equipment. E.g. battery operated mini fans, balloons, hairdryers

What you will need – a small box with a lid, a variety of ‘things’ that are hard, rough, spiky and soft e.g. spoon, hairbrush, scourers, cotton wool

Key words and phrases – what is in the box? hard, soft, rough, spiky, feel, press, squeeze, hands

What to do –

• Shake the box and say your child’s name
• Open the box and take out one of the objects
• Place the object between the hands and press them together
• Sometimes it will be better to draw the hand across the surface of the object
• Some materials may be suitable for brushing your child’s face etc..
• Talk about what you are doing and what you are going to do
• Give the opportunity to ‘find’ an object by placing the object where she/he may move her hand

What to look for – Responses like: smiling, laughing, vocalising, moving hands/arms

Similar activities – change the objects in the box

What you will need – Emergency foil blanket

Key words and phrases – Noisy, shiny, feet, hands, listen to this!,

What to do – This can be carried out within every day routines e.g. changing times, dressing and undressing. The blanket will keep your child warm so don’t worry if your child is not fully clothed during the activity

• Lie your child down on the blanket – encourage him/her to feel the blanket and to listen to the scratching sounds it makes
• Give time for your child to explore the blanket as well as assisting him/her to touch and feel
• Roll your child from side to side
• Waft the blanket up and down over your child while they are lying under it

What to look for – Responses like: smiling, laughing, stilling (to listen), moving feet, hand head in any way, showing preferences

Similar activities – Introduce other material for contrasting movements and preferences e.g. bubble wrap. Note which side your child moves most frequently and encourage the other side using additional stimuli e.g. a favourite toy

What you will need – Action song

Key words and phrases – this will depend on the action song

What to do –

• Choose a song that you know
• Listen to the song together
• Sing along with the song and do the actions in front of your child – if you don’t feel silly doing this you are not doing it properly!!!
• Talk about the actions as you assist your child to move
• Encourage your pupil to join in with the actions
• Repeat any action your child particularly enjoys

What to look for – Responses like: smiling, laughing, stilling (to listen), moving feet, hand and head in any way

Similar activities – Introduce other songs. Repeat songs your child particularly enjoys

What you will need – chopsticks, silver scouring pad, chenille glove, chain, music tape

Key words and phrases – slow, pat, gentle, stroke, rough

What to do –

Using the music tape as a guide follow the rhythm of the music using the apparatus in the following way

·         Chopsticks – tap lightly

·         Silver scouring pad – scrunch lightly

·         Chenille glove – stroke gently

·         Chain – drop gently and run along limbs etc

·         If your child does not like the texture or body part used move onto to something else

What to look for – Responses like: smiling, laughing, moving, vocalising, showing preferences

Similar activities – use other pieces of music with different rhythms. Use different items e.g. pebbles, feathers (be aware of allergies), bubble paper.